Deep Purple Reunite With Ritchie Blackmore For The First Time In 33 Years
13 Aug 2026 · Stereogum
Way back in 1966, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore co-founded the British rock band Deep Purple. Singer Ian Gillan joined up in 1969, and the band went on a hugely influential and commercially successful run. Hits like "Smoke On The Water" and "Highway Star" helped establish the blueprint for hard rock and heavy metal. Deep Purple's lineup was never stable, and Blackmore left in 1975. In recent years, …
