Ritchie Blackmore to Reunite With Deep Purple for First Time in 33 Years

Ritchie Blackmore, the legendary guitarist and co-founder of Deep Purple, is set to reunite with the band for the first time in more than 30 years during their concert on Wednesday, August 12, at the Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York. The 81-year-old musician revealed the surprise appearance during an Instagram Live stream with his wife, Candice Night, on Tuesday, August 11.

Blackmore explained that he initiated the reunion by reaching out to Deep Purple's frontman, Ian Gillan, who is currently living in Portugal. "I sent my A.I. pigeon to Purple singer Ian Gillan in Portugal... And I said, How would you feel about if I got up just for an encore? Just one of the songs. I dont want to intrude. And I said, No pressure just kind of for old times sake. Im 81 now. So he seemed to love the idea, put it to the band, got a thumbs up, and it looks like we might be doing that," Blackmore said.

The guitarist, who co-founded Deep Purple in 1968, last performed with the group on November 17, 1993, in Helsinki, Finland. His departure followed a tumultuous period marked by internal tensions and the recording of the album The Battle Rages On. The split was acrimonious, with Blackmore...