version was also discarded, however, since Starr again decided to remake the song. Official version March 1970 recording Recording for the third version of "It Don't Come Easy" began at Trident Studios on 8 March 1970, two days after Starr had completed work on Sentimental Journey. Harrison produced the sessions and played guitar. According to author Bill Harry, Voormann and Stills again contributed on bass and piano, while the other participants included Mal Evans (on tambourine) and Ron Cattermole (saxophone, trumpet). Overdubs were added to the new basic track on 11 March, again at Trident. When news of the sessions reached the press that month, Apple insisted that there were "absolutely no plans for the record to be released as a single at the present time". Following the Beatles' break-up in April, Starr played drums on Harrison's All Things Must Pass album, a project that led to Starr recording a country album, Beaucoups of Blues, in Nashville. Despite these and other musical activities, Starr admitted to feeling "absolutely lost" with regard to his future outside the Beatles. According to Mike Gibbins of the Apple band Badfinger, Harrison offered "It Don't Come Easy" to Badfinger, but they did not take up the offer. October 1970 overdubs Work on the song resumed in October 1970, when Starr was otherwise contributing to Lennon's Plastic Ono Band album and Harrison was completing All Things Must Pass. Starr recorded his lead vocal at this time. Former Trident engineer Ken Scott recalls that Harrison first sang a guide vocal to help Starr with the phrasing. Other overdubs included backing vocals by Badfinger's Pete Ham and Tom Evans, and a new piano part, played by Gary Wright. Also added in October was a horn section, which, further to Harrison's use of horns on the Beatles' 1968 track "Savoy Truffle", was a staple of his 1970s productions. Another familiar Harrison device was the Leslie speaker effect on his lead guitar part, particularly in the song's intro. In a 2002 interview, Jim Keltner said he added maracas to the finished recording, at Trident, having arrived in London in February 1971 to escape the Los Angeles earthquake. Referring to the arrangement on the completed track, author Alan Clayson highlights the combination of an opening "fizz of cymbal", Harrison's "clanging guitar arpeggios", the "fat gusto" horns, Evans' tambourine supporting the "moderato punch" of the Starr–Voormann rhythm section, and "gospel-esque" backing vocals.