Legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore is set for a surprise reunion with Deep Purple tonight, August 12, in Wantagh, New York. This historic event marks the guitarist’s first time sharing the stage with the group he co-founded in more than three decades.
“Well, it is a secret and I don’t want anybody to know, but I’m probably going to get up and do an encore with the band Deep Purple,” Blackmore, 81, revealed during an Instagram livestream on Tuesday, August 11, alongside his wife, Candice Night. “But you can’t tell anybody, and I know that this is gonna be kept a secret. And will it? I suppose so.”
A Long-Awaited Return to the Stage
Blackmore last performed with Deep Purple in 1993 while touring in support of The Battle Rages On…. His history with the band is extensive, having led the original lineup from 1968 to 1975 before returning to reform the group in 1984. Since his departure in the early ’90s, he has largely focused on his work with Blackmore’s Night and a brief mid-2010s revival of his successor band, Rainbow.
The current iteration of Deep Purple features longtime members Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, and Ian Paice. Blackmore noted that the process of arranging this guest appearance was surprisingly smooth. “I didn’t call him up, I sent my A.I. pigeon to Ian Gillan in Portugal,” he joked. “I said, ‘How would you feel about if I got up just for an encore? Just one of the songs. I don’t want to intrude.'”
Reflecting on the Reunion
According to Blackmore, Gillan was receptive to the idea, and the rest of the band provided a thumbs up. Despite his long hiatus from the group, the guitarist expressed a mix of excitement and humility regarding the performance. “I hope I can compete with the current guitar player, Simon McBride,” Blackmore admitted. “He’s a very good guitar player, as was, and is, Steve Morse.”
Blackmore, who has faced various health challenges in recent years, including vertigo and arthritis, remains optimistic about the experience. “It’ll be good to see the old guys again,” he concluded. “I think we’ll all be on crutches and wheelchairs and things, although I think the rest of them are okay. But, yes, it’s kind of frightening. I’ve been playing acoustic guitar for 25 years.”
