Ritchie Blackmore rejoins Deep Purple on stage after 33 years
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Ritchie Blackmore has performed with Deep Purple for the first time in 33 years, joining the band onstage at Jones Beach in New York for “Smoke on the Water”. The surprise-style reunion marks a public thaw after the founding guitarist’s acrimonious 1993 departure and decades of estrangement from his former bandmates.
Blackmore, 81, revealed the planned encore in a livestream the previous night, saying he had not played rock music for 25 years and wanted fans to have time to reach the concert. Singer Ian Gillan warmly praised him afterwards; Blackmore had also been absent from Deep Purple’s 2016 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction after the touring line-up ruled out a reunion then.
- Blackmore joined Deep Purple for “Smoke on the Water”.
- It was his first performance with them in 33 years.
- The appearance followed decades of estrangement.
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Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in the late 1960s, best known for songs including “Smoke on the Water”. They are widely associated with the development of hard rock, and have had several changes of singer, guitarist and other members over the years.
Ritchie Blackmore was a founding member and the band’s lead guitarist during many of its best-known periods. He helped write much of its early music, but left in 1993 after disputes with other members and went on to work mainly on folk-influenced music with Blackmore’s Night.
Ian Gillan, Deep Purple’s long-serving singer, remains part of the band’s current touring line-up. Blackmore’s relationship with the group has been distant for decades, including around the band’s 2016 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, making any appearance alongside them unusual.
More coverage
- Louder — Watch "The Great Legend, the Immortal" Ritchie Blackmore return to the stage with Deep Purple for the first time in 33 years
- Blabbermouth — Watch: RITCHIE BLACKMORE Performs With DEEP PURPLE For First Time In 33 Years
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Originally published by Variety as “Ritchie Blackmore Performs With Deep Purple for First Time Since Acrimonious Split in Early ’90s, After Warning Fans: ‘I Have Not Played Rock Music in 25 Years’”.