Ritchie Blackmore joins Deep Purple for Smoke on the Water
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Ritchie Blackmore made a surprise return to the stage with Deep Purple at Jones Beach in New York, performing ‘Smoke on the Water’ during the band’s encore. It was his first appearance with the group since 1993, ending 33 years of public estrangement and raising hopes among fans that further collaboration could be possible.
Singer Ian Gillan said Blackmore had asked to join the band for one song after contacting him a few days earlier, and the rest of the group agreed. Blackmore had hinted at the appearance on Instagram, while his wife Candice Night later posted a backstage photograph; however, he performed only one track and no future dates have been announced. The guitarist is recovering from a heart attack and has not played his own concerts since November 2025.
- Blackmore joined Deep Purple for the first time since 1993.
- They performed ‘Smoke on the Water’ in New York.
- No further reunion shows have been announced.
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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’. The group became one of the leading bands in hard rock, with a line-up that changed several times over the years.
Ritchie Blackmore was Deep Purple’s original guitarist and helped shape its best-known sound alongside singer Ian Gillan and other members. He left the band in 1993 after long-running disagreements, later forming and performing with other projects, including the folk-rock group Blackmore’s Night with his wife Candice Night.
‘Smoke on the Water’ was written after a fire destroyed a casino in Montreux, Switzerland, where Deep Purple had planned to record. Its distinctive guitar riff made it one of rock music’s most widely recognised songs, so appearances involving Blackmore and the band together carry particular significance for their history.
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Originally published by Rolling Stone as “Watch Ritchie Blackmore Reunite With Deep Purple For ‘Smoke on the Water’”.