by Legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore is set to return to the live stage with his band Blackmore’s Night, as announced on the band’s official website Blackmore’s Night.
The announcement comes after Blackmore has faced several significant health challenges in recent years, including a heart attack, gout, and chronic back issues.
“Looking forward to seeing you all on this run of concerts in the USA in November! Raise your hats and your glasses too, Blackmore’s Night is coming to town!” the official announcement stated.
Blackmore’s wife, Candice Night, previously opened up about the severity of his health struggles and how they’ve been managing them.
“There’s the three main issues with him that are going on. He has a heart issue. He had a heart attack a couple of years ago, so we stay on top of that,” she said. “He’s got gout, so that’s difficult. It’s affecting his feet really badly. And it’s starting in his forefinger, so it’s hurting the mobility in that, so he just had an injection for that. And his back, of course, which has always been an issue.”
Despite these challenges, Night emphasized Blackmore’s determination and careful approach to managing his conditions.
“He hasn’t taken any back injections since he had the heart issue. So everything kind of is working together. So, it’s hard — it is hard for him,” she continued. “But he’s at the point now where — he’s very smart when it comes to things like that.”
The upcoming November tour dates mark Blackmore’s return to performing after navigating these health complications.
This comeback represents a significant moment for a guitarist whose career has shaped rock music for over five decades.
Music Addict reported that Blackmore co-founded Deep Purple in 1968. He contributed seminal guitar work to landmark albums like In Rock (1970) and Machine Head (1972), with iconic songs such as “Smoke on the Water” that blend classical music and hard rock. His innovative approach to guitar playing helped define the sound of hard rock and heavy metal during the genre’s formative years.
In 1975, Blackmore grew discontented with Deep Purple’s funk direction. Doogie White’s official site noted that he left to form Rainbow with former Elf members, prominently vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Rainbow initially focused on hard rock and mystical lyrics but evolved toward a pop-rock style after Dio’s departure. The band became known for its powerful sound and Blackmore’s virtuosic guitar solos.
Full in Bloom detailed that Blackmore disbanded Rainbow in 1984 to rejoin Deep Purple for a reunion. The reunion produced Perfect Strangers (1984) and toured successfully before Blackmore finally left Deep Purple again in 1993 amid internal tensions. This marked the end of his hard rock era and the beginning of a new musical chapter.
Blackmore’s Night represents a dramatic departure from his rock and metal background. He leads the band alongside his partner Candice Night. The group blends folk, medieval, and Renaissance influences with modern acoustic elements. This Renaissance and folk rock project has allowed Blackmore to explore his long-standing interest in early music and create what the band describes as their own genre of melodic music, entrancing fans worldwide with concerts in historical venues.
