Richard Hugh Blackmore (born 14 April 1945) is an English guitarist and songwriter. He was a founding member of
Deep Purple in 1968, playing jam-style
hard rock music that mixed guitar riffs and
organ
Organ may refer to:
Biology
* Organ (biology), a part of an organism
Musical instruments
* Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone
** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument
** Hammond ...
sounds.
He is prolific in creating guitar riffs and classically influenced solos.
During his solo career, Blackmore established the hard rock
band
Rainbow,
which fused
baroque music influences and elements of hard rock.
Rainbow steadily moved to catchy
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' ( ...
-style
mainstream rock
Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.
Format background
Mainstream rock stations represent the middle ground between classic rock and active ro ...
.
He later formed the traditional
folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...
project
Blackmore's Night
Blackmore's Night is a British-American neo-medieval folk rock band formed in 1997, consisting mainly of Ritchie Blackmore (acoustic guitar, hurdy gurdy, mandola, mandolin, nyckelharpe, and electric guitar) and Candice Night (lead vocals, lyri ...
along with his current wife Candice Night, shifting to vocalist-centred sounds.
As a member of Deep Purple, Blackmore was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2016. He is cited by publications such as ''
Guitar World'' and ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' as one of the greatest and most influential guitar players of all time.
Early life
Blackmore was born at Allendale Nursing Home in
Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, as second son to Lewis J. Blackmore and Violet (née Short).
The family moved to
Heston,
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...
, when Blackmore was two. He was 11 when he was given his first
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...
by his father on certain conditions, including learning how to play properly, so he took classical guitar lessons for one year.
In an interview with
''Sounds'' magazine in 1979, Blackmore said that he started the guitar because he wanted to be like British musician
Tommy Steele, who used to just jump around and play. Blackmore loathed school and hated his teachers.
[Sounds, 15 December 1979]
While at school, Blackmore participated in sports including the
javelin. He left school at age 15 and started work as an apprentice radio mechanic at nearby
Heathrow Airport. He took
electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...
lessons from session guitarist
Big Jim Sullivan.
Career
1960s
In 1960 he began to work as a session player for
Joe Meek's music productions, and performed in several bands. He was initially a member of the instrumental band
the Outlaws, who played in both studio recordings and live concerts. Otherwise, in mainly studio recordings, he backed singer
Glenda Collins, German-born pop singer
Heinz (playing on his top ten hit "
Just Like Eddie" and "Beating Of My Heart"), and others. Thereafter, in mainly live concerts, he backed horror-themed singer
Screaming Lord Sutch, beat singer
Neil Christian
Neil Christian (born Christopher Tidmarsh, 14 February 1943 – 4 January 2010)
Related session musicians
*Paul Brett
*Jimmy Page
*Ritchie Blackmore
*Nicky Hopkins
*Albert Lee
*Mick Abrahams
*Carlo Little
See also
*One-hit wonders in the UK
...
, and others.
Blackmore joined a band-to-be called Roundabout in late 1967 after receiving an invitation from
Chris Curtis
Chris Curtis (born Christopher Crummey; 26 August 1941 – 28 February 2005) was an English drummer and singer who was best known for being with the 1960s beat band The Searchers. He originated the concept behind Deep Purple and formed the ba ...
. Curtis originated the concept of the band, but would be forced out before the band fully formed. After the line-up for Roundabout was complete in April 1968, Blackmore is credited with suggesting the new name
Deep Purple, as it was
his grandmother's favourite song. Deep Purple's early sound leaned on
psychedelic
Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science o ...
and
progressive rock
Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. I ...
,
but also included cover versions of 1960s pop songs. This "Mark One" line-up featuring singer
Rod Evans
Roderic Evans (born 19 January 1947) is a British former singer.
In the late 1960s, he began his professional career in The Maze, formerly MI5, after which he was a member of the original Deep Purple line-up, who produced three studio albums ...
and bass player
Nick Simper lasted until mid-1969 and produced three studio albums. During this period, organist
Jon Lord appeared to be the leader of the band,
and wrote much of their original material.
1970s
The first studio album from Purple's second line-up, ''
In Rock'' (1970), signalled a transition in the band's sound from progressive rock to
hard rock, with Blackmore and Lord having heard
King Crimson's
debut album.
This "Mark Two" line-up featuring rock singer
Ian Gillan and bassist
Roger Glover lasted until mid-1973, producing four studio albums (two of which reached No. 1 in the UK), and two live albums. During this period, the band's songs primarily came out of their jam sessions, so songwriting credits were shared by the five members.
Blackmore later stated, "I didn't give a damn about song construction. I just wanted to make as much noise and play as fast and as loud as possible."
Famous guitarist
Steve Vai was more complimentary about Blackmore's role in developing song ideas : "He was able to bring blues to rock playing unlike anybody else."
The third Deep Purple line-up featured
David Coverdale on vocals and
Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals. Songwriting was now more fragmented, as opposed to the band compositions from the Mark Two era. This "Mark Three" line-up lasted until mid-1975 and produced two studio albums. Blackmore quit the band to front a new group,
Rainbow. In 1974, Blackmore took cello lessons from
Hugh McDowell (of
ELO
Elo or ELO may refer to:
Music
* Electric Light Orchestra, a British rock music group
** ''The Electric Light Orchestra'' (album), the group's debut album
** ''ELO 2'', the group's second album
* ELO Part II, an offshoot band of Electric Light ...
). Blackmore later stated that when playing a different musical instrument, he found it refreshing because there is a sense of adventure not knowing exactly what chord he's playing or what key he is in.
Blackmore originally planned to make a solo album, but instead in 1975 formed his own band, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, later shortened to Rainbow. Featuring vocalist
Ronnie James Dio and his
blues rock backing band
Elf as studio musicians, this first line-up never performed live. The band's debut album, ''
Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow'', was released in 1975. Rainbow was originally thought to be a one-off collaboration, but endured as an ongoing band project with a series of album releases and tours. Rainbow's music was partly inspired by elements of
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
and
baroque music since Blackmore started to play cello for musical composition.
During this period, Blackmore wrote a crucial part of Dio's basic melodies, particularly on their debut album.
Shortly after the first album was recorded, Blackmore recruited new backing musicians to record the second album ''
Rising
Rising may refer to:
* Rising, a stage in baking - see Proofing (baking technique)
*Elevation
* Short for Uprising, a rebellion
Film and TV
* "Rising" (''Stargate Atlantis''), the series premiere of the science fiction television program ''Starg ...
'' (1976), and the following live album, ''
On Stage'' (1977). ''Rising'' was originally billed as "Blackmore's Rainbow" in the US.
After the next studio album's release and supporting tour in 1978, Dio left Rainbow due to "creative differences" with Blackmore, who desired to move in a more commercial sounding direction.
Blackmore continued with Rainbow, and in 1979 the band released a new album titled ''
Down To Earth'', which featured R&B singer
Graham Bonnet. During song composition, Bonnet says that he wrote his vocal melodies based upon the lyrics of bassist Roger Glover. The album marked the commercialisation of the band's sound and contained their first smash hit with the single "
Since You Been Gone" (penned by
Russ Ballard).
1980s
The next Rainbow album, ''
Difficult to Cure'' (1981), introduced melodic vocalist
Joe Lynn Turner. The instrumental title track from this album was an arrangement of
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with additional music. Blackmore once said, "I found the blues too limiting, and classical was too disciplined. I was always stuck in a musical no man's land."
The album marked the further commercialisation of the band's sound with Blackmore describing at the time a liking for the AOR band,
Foreigner. The music was consciously radio-targeted in a more
AOR style,
resulting in some degree of alienation with many of Rainbow's earlier fans.
Rainbow's next studio album was ''
Straight Between the Eyes'' (1982) and included the hit single "
Stone Cold". It would be followed by the album ''
Bent Out of Shape'' (1983), which featured the single "
Street of Dreams". In 1983, Rainbow was also nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
for the Blackmore-penned instrumental ballad track "Anybody There".
Rainbow disbanded in 1984. A then-final Rainbow album, ''
Finyl Vinyl'', was patched together from live tracks and the B-sides of various singles.
In 1984, Blackmore joined a reunion of the former Deep Purple "Mark Two" line-up and recorded new material. This reunion line-up lasted until 1989, producing two studio albums and one live album. Although the reunion's first album ''
Perfect Strangers'' (1984) saw chart success, the second studio album ''
The House of Blue Light
''The House of Blue Light'' is the 12th studio album by British rock band Deep Purple, released in 1987. It was the second recording by the reformed Mark II line-up, and the sixth studio album overall by this formation of the band.
Recording
...
'' (1987) displayed a sound that was closer to Rainbow's music and did not sell as well. The album's musical style differed from the traditional Purple sound due to Blackmore's Rainbow background, which distinguished him from the other members.
1990s
The next Deep Purple line-up recorded one album titled ''
Slaves and Masters
''Slaves and Masters'' is the thirteenth studio album by the British rock band Deep Purple, and was released on 23 October 1990. This is the only Deep Purple album to feature former Rainbow lead vocalist Joe Lynn Turner, who had joined the p ...
'' (1990), which featured former Rainbow vocalist Joe Lynn Turner. During song composition, Turner wrote his vocal melodies.
Subsequently, the "Mark Two" line-up reunited for a second time in late 1992 and produced one studio album, ''
The Battle Rages On...''. Overall, the traditional Deep Purple sound returned. During the follow-up promotional tour, Blackmore quit the band for good in November 1993. Prominent guitarist
Joe Satriani was brought in to complete the remaining tour dates.
Blackmore reformed Rainbow with new members in 1994. This Rainbow line-up, featuring hard rock singer
Doogie White, lasted until 1997 and produced one album titled ''
Stranger in Us All'' in 1995. It was originally intended to be a solo album but due to the record company pressures the record was billed as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.
Though Doogie White wasn't as distinctive as previous Rainbow singers, the album had a sound dissimilar to any Rainbow of old.
This was Rainbow's eighth studio album, made after a gap of 12 years since ''Bent out of Shape'', and is regarded as Blackmore's last hard rock album. A world tour including South America followed.
Rainbow was disbanded once again after playing its final concert in 1997. Blackmore later said, "I didn't want to tour very much."
Over the years Rainbow went through many personnel changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up: Blackmore was the sole constant band member.
Rainbow achieved modest success; the band's worldwide sales are estimated at more than 28 million album copies, including 4 million copies sold in the US.
In 1997 Blackmore, with his girlfriend
Candice Night as vocalist, formed the traditional
folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...
duo
Blackmore's Night
Blackmore's Night is a British-American neo-medieval folk rock band formed in 1997, consisting mainly of Ritchie Blackmore (acoustic guitar, hurdy gurdy, mandola, mandolin, nyckelharpe, and electric guitar) and Candice Night (lead vocals, lyri ...
. From about 1995, they were already working on their debut album ''
Shadow of the Moon'' (1997).
Blackmore once portrayed their artistic characteristics as "
Mike Oldfield plus
Enya
Enya Patricia Brennan (; ga, Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin; born 17 May 1961), known professionally by the mononym Enya, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician known for modern Celtic music. She is the best-selling Irish solo arti ...
".
Blackmore mostly used acoustic guitar,
to back Night's delicate vocal melodies, which he wrote. Night said, "When he sings, he sings only for me, in private". As a result, his musical approach shifted to vocalist-centred sounds. They recorded a mixture of original and cover materials. The band's musical style is inspired by
medieval music and it blended with Night's lyrics about love's themes. The second release, entitled ''
Under a Violet Moon
''Under a Violet Moon'' is the second studio album by the group Blackmore's Night, released May 25, 1999. ''Under a Violet Moon'' won the New Age Voice award for the best vocal album of the year.
Track listing
Personnel
;Blackmore's Night
*Ri ...
'' (1999) continued in the same folk-rock style, with Night's vocals remaining a prominent feature of the band's style. The title track's lyrics were partly written by Blackmore. "Violet" was his mother's first name and "Moon" was his grandmother's surname.
2000s–present
In subsequent albums, particularly ''
Fires at Midnight
''Fires at Midnight'' is the third studio album by the group Blackmore's Night, released July 10, 2001 through SPV/ Steamhammer. In comparison to their previous two releases, there are more electric guitar parts on this album, whilst maintainin ...
'' (2001) which featured the
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
cover "
The Times They Are a Changin'", there was occasionally an increased incorporation of electric guitar into the music, whilst maintaining a
folk rock
Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers s ...
direction. A live album, ''
Past Times with Good Company'' was released in 2002. After the next studio album's release, an official compilation album ''
Beyond the Sunset: The Romantic Collection'' was released in 2004, featuring music from the four studio albums. A Christmas-themed holiday album, ''
Winter Carols
''Winter Carols'' is the sixth studio album by the group Blackmore's Night, released in the United Kingdom on October, 2006, and in the United States on November 7, 2006. It is a Christmas themed album. The cover artwork for this album, painte ...
'' was released in 2006. Through numerous personnel changes, the backing musicians have totalled 26 persons. Blackmore sometimes played drums in recording studio.
They choose to avoid typical rock concert tours, instead limiting their appearances to small intimate venues. In 2011, Night said, "We have actually turned down a lot of (touring) opportunities." Blackmore continued to write her vocal melodies.
They have released eleven studio albums, with the latest one being ''
Nature's Light'' in 2021.
A re-formed Rainbow performed three European concerts in June 2016. The concert setlists included both
Rainbow and
Deep Purple material. The band featured metal singer
Ronnie Romero, keyboardist
Jens Johansson and bassist
Bob Nouveau.
Equipment
During the 1960s, Blackmore played a
Gibson ES-335 but from 1970 he mainly played a
Fender Stratocaster until he formed Blackmore's Night in 1997. The middle
pick-up on his Stratocaster is screwed down and not used. Blackmore occasionally used a
Fender Telecaster Thinline during recording sessions. He is also one of the first rock guitarists to use a
"scalloped" fretboard which has a "U" shape between the frets.
In his soloing, Blackmore combines blues scales and phrasing with dominant minor scales and ideas from European classical music. While playing he would often put the pick in his mouth, playing
with his fingers.
In the 1970s, Blackmore used a number of different Stratocasters; one of his main guitars was an Olympic white 1974 model with a rosewood fingerboard that was scalloped.
Blackmore added a strap lock to the headstock of this guitar as a conversation piece to annoy and confuse people, as it didn't actually ''do'' anything.
His amplifiers were originally 200-Watt
Marshall Major
The Marshall Major (Model 1967 ) was a bass guitar amplifier made by Marshall. It was introduced in 1967 as the "Marshall 200" (in reference to the power of the amplifier). It had a plexi panel and two inputs in one channel, but in contrast with ...
stacks which were modified by Marshall with an additional output stage (generating about 27
dB) to make them sound more like Blackmore's favourite
Vox AC30 amp cranked to full volume. Since 1994, he has used
ENGL Engl or Engl. may refer to:
* England, a country that is part of the United Kingdom
*English
* Engl (surname), a German surname
*Engl., taxonomic abbreviation for botanist Adolf Engler
Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler (25 March 1844 – 10 October 1 ...
tube amps.
Effects he used from 1970 to 1997, besides his usual tape echo, included a Hornby Skewes
treble booster
A treble booster is an effects unit used by guitarists to increase the high end of their tonal spectrum. Many units boost the overall volume as well. Treble boosters were commonly used by guitarists in the 1960s and 1970s. During the last coupl ...
in the early days. Around late-1973, he experimented with an EMS Synthi Hi Fli guitar synthesizer. He sometimes used a
wah-wah pedal and a variable control treble-booster for sustain, and
Moog Taurus bass pedals were used in solo parts during concerts. He also had a modified Aiwa TP-1011 tape machine built to supply echo and delay effects; the tape deck was also used as a pre-amp.
[ Other effects that Blackmore used were a ]Uni-Vibe
The Uni-Vibe, also marketed as the Jax Vibra-Chorus,Harry Shapiro, Michael Heatley, Roger Mayer''Jimi Hendrix Gear'', page 120 Voyageur Press is a footpedal-operated phaser or phase shifter for creating chorus and vibrato simulations for elect ...
, a Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face and an Octave Divider.
In the mid-1980s he experimented with Roland guitar synthesizers. A Roland GR-700 was seen on stage as late as 1995–96, later replaced with the GR-50.
Blackmore has experimented with many different pick-ups in his Strats. In the early Rainbow era, they were still stock Fenders, later Dawk installed over wound, dipped, Fender pick-ups.
He has also used Schecter F-500-Ts, Velvet Hammer "Red Rhodes", DiMarzio "HS-2", OBL "Black Label", Bill Lawrence L-450, XL-250 (bridge), L-250 (neck). In his signature stratocaster Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Flat SSL-4's are used to emulate the Schecter F500ts and since the early 90s, he has used Lace Sensor
The Lace Sensor is a guitar pickup designed by Don Lace and manufactured by AGI (Actodyne General International) since 1985. Lace Sensors are true single coil pickups; however, internally they are different from classic single coils. The chief di ...
(Gold) "noiseless" pick-ups.
Musical influences and tastes
Blackmore credits fellow guitarist Eric Clapton's music with helping him develop his own style of vibrato around 1968 or 1969.
In 1979, Blackmore said: "I like popular music. I like ABBA
ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The grou ...
very much. But there's so much stigma like, 'you can't do this because you're a heavy band', and I think that's rubbish. You should do what you want ... I think classical music is very good for the soul. A lot of people go 'ah well, classical music is for old fogies' but I was exactly the same. At 16 I didn't want to know about classical music: I'd had it rammed down my throat. But now I feel an obligation to tell the kids 'look, just give classical music a chance' ... the guitar frustrates me a lot because I'm not good enough to play it sometimes so I get mad and throw a moody. Sometimes I feel that what I'm doing is not right, in the sense that the whole rock and roll business has become a farce, like Billy Smart, Jr. Circus, and the only music that ever moves me is very disciplined classical music, which I can't play. But there's a reason I've made money. It's because I believe in what I'm doing, in that I do it my way—I play for myself first, then secondly the audience—I try to put as much as I can in it for them. Lastly I play for musicians and the band, and for critics not at all."
Personal life
In May 1964, Blackmore married Margit Volkmar (b. 1945) from Germany. They lived in Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...
during the late 1960s. Their son, Jürgen (b. 1964), played guitar in the touring tribute band Over the Rainbow. Following their divorce, Blackmore married Bärbel, a former dancer from Germany, in September 1969 until their divorce in early 1970s. As a result, he is a fluent German speaker.
For tax reasons, he moved to the US in 1974. Initially he lived in Oxnard, California, with opera singer Shoshana Feinstein for one year. She provided backing vocals on two songs in Rainbow's first album. During this period, he listened to early European classical music and light music a lot, for about three-quarters of his private time. Blackmore once said, "It's hard to relate that to rock. I listen very carefully to the patterns that Bach plays. I like direct, dramatic music." After having an affair with another woman, Christine, Blackmore met Amy Rothman in 1978, and moved to Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...
. He married Rothman in 1981, but they divorced in 1983. Following the marriage's conclusion, he began a relationship with Tammi Williams. In early 1984 Blackmore met Williams in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020 ...
, where she was working as a hotel employee. In the same year, he purchased his first car, having learned to drive at 39 years of age.
Blackmore and then-fashion model Candice Night began living together in 1991. They moved to her native Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
in 1993. Having been engaged for nearly fifteen years, the couple married in 2008. Night said, "he's making me younger and I'm aging him rapidly." Their daughter Autumn was born on 27 May 2010, and their son Rory on 7 February 2012. Blackmore is a heavy drinker, and watches German-language television on his satellite dish when he is at home. He has several German friends and a collection of about 2,000 CDs of Renaissance music.
Legacy
Readers of '' Guitar World'' voted two of Blackmore's guitar solos (both recorded with Deep Purple) among the 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of all time – "Highway Star" ranked 19th, and "Lazy" ranked 74th. His solo on "Child in Time
"Child in Time" is a song by English rock band Deep Purple, taken from their fourth studio album, ''Deep Purple in Rock'', released in 1970. The track is loosely inspired by the Cold War and runs over ten minutes.
History and characteristics ...
" was ranked no. 16 in a 1998 '' Guitarist'' magazine readers poll of Top 100 Guitar Solos of All-Time. On 8 April 2016, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of original members of Deep Purple; he did not attend the ceremony.
In 1993, musicologist Robert Walser defined him as "the most important musician of the emerging metal/classical fusion". He is credited as a precursor of the so-called " guitar shredders" that emerged in the mid-1980s.
Blackmore has been an influence on guitarists Fredrik Åkesson
Karl Fredrik Henrik Åkesson is a Swedish heavy metal guitarist. He is a current member of Opeth and is also active in Krux, Monsters of Metal, and Talisman.
Biography
Åkesson has been playing guitar since the age of 12. His early musical in ...
, Brett Garsed
Brett Edward Garsed (born 20 April 1963) is an Australian musician and songwriter, best known for his work as a guitarist with John Farnham and T. J. Helmerich, as well as being a former member of the American band Nelson. Garsed was featur ...
, Janick Gers
Janick Robert Gers (; born 27 January 1957) is an English musician who is best known as one of the three guitarists in heavy metal band Iron Maiden. He initially joined to replace Adrian Smith, but remained in the band after Smith rejoined. ...
, Paul Gilbert, Craig Goldy
Thomas "Craig" Goldy (born November 6, 1961) is an American musician, best known as the guitarist of the rock bands Dio and Giuffria.
Early musical life
Goldy was born in San Diego, California. Before Dio, he played in the bands Vengeance, ...
, Scott Henderson, Dave Meniketti
David Alan Meniketti (born December 12, 1953) is the singer, songwriter and lead guitarist for hard rock/ heavy metal band Y&T. He has also released three solo efforts (including "Live in Japan"), one of which is more blues-oriented. He currentl ...
, Randy Rhoads, Michael Romeo, Wolf Hoffmann, Lita Ford, Brian May, and Yngwie Malmsteen.
He was portrayed by Mathew Baynton
Mathew John Baynton (born 18 November 1980) is an English actor, writer, comedian, singer, and musician best known as a member of the British Horrible Histories troupe in which he starred in the TV series '' Horrible Histories''; as well as an a ...
in the 2009 film '' Telstar''.
Discography
Session recordings (1960–1968)
*1963 The Outlaws – "The Return of the Outlaws" b/w "Texan Spiritual" (Single)
*1963 The Outlaws – "That Set The Wild West Free b/w "Hobo"" (Single)
*1963 The Outlaws – "Law And Order" b/w "Doo Dah Day" (Single)
*1963 Michael Cox – "Don't You Break My Heart" b/w "Hark Is That A Cannon I Hear" (Single)
*1963 Michael Cox – "Gee What A Party" b/w "Say That Again" (Single)
*1963 Glenda Collins – "I Feel So Good" (the B-side of single)
*1963 Glenda Collins – "If You Gotta Pick A Baby" b/w "In The First place" (Single)
*1963 Heinz – "Dreams Do Come True" b/w "Been Invited to a Party" (Single)
*1963 Heinz – " Just Like Eddie" b/w "Don't You Knock at My Door" (Single)
*1963 Heinz – ''Tribute To Eddie'' ("Tribute To Eddie"; "Hush – A- Bye – Baby"; "Summertime Blues"; "Come on And Dance"; "20 Flight Rock"; "I Remember")
*1963 Heinz – ''Heinz'' (EP: "I Get Up In The Morning"; "Talkin' Like A Man"; "That Lucky Old Sun"; "Lonely River")
*1963 Heinz – "Country Boy" b/w "Long Tall Jack" (Single)
*1963 Heinz – ''Live It Up'' (EP: "Live It Up"; "Don't You Understand"; "When Your Loving Goes Wrong")
*1963 Houston Wells – "Only The Heartaches" (Single)
*1963 Dave Adams – "Like A Bird Without Feathers" (the B-side of single)
*1963 Dave Adams – "You Made Me Cry" (the B-side of single)
*1963 Jenny Moss – "Hobbies" b/w "Big Boy" (Single)
*1963 Geoff Goddard – "Sky Men" b/w "Walk With Me My Angel" (Single)
*1963 Pamela Blue – "My Friend Bobby" b/w "Hey There Stranger" (Single)
*1963 Gunilla Thorne – "Go on Then" (the B-side of single)
*1963 Joe Meek Orchestra – "The Kennedy March" (Single)
*1964 The Outlaws – "Keep A Knockin'" b/w "Shake With Me" (Single)
*1964 The Outlaws – "The Bike Beat Part 1" b/w "The Bike Beat Part 2" (Single)
*1964 Glenda Collins – "Baby It Hurts" b/w "Nice Wasn't It" (Single)
*1964 Glenda Collins – "Lollipop" b/w "Evrybody's Got To Fall in Love" (Single)
*1964 The Sharades – "Boy Trouble" (the B-side of single)
*1964 Andy Cavell – "Tell The Truth" (Single)
*1964 Davy Kaye – "A Fool Such As I" (Single)
*1964 Houston Wells – "Galway Bay" b/w "Living Alone" (Single)
*1964 Houston Wells & The Marksmen – ''Ramona'' (EP: "Ramona"; "Girl Down The Street"; "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now"; "Nobody's Child")
*1964 Heinz – "You Were There" b/w "No Matter What They Say" (Single)
*1964 Heinz – "Please Little Girl" b/w "For Lovin' Me This Way" (Single)
*1964 Heinz – "Questions I Can't Answer" b/w "The Beating Of My Heart" (Single)
*1964 Valerie Masters – "Christmas Calling" b/w "He Didn't Fool Me" (Single)
*1965 The Outlaws – "Only For You" (the B-side of single)
*1965 Michael Cox – ''Michael Cox in Sweden'' (EP: "I've Been Thinking"; "Is This Lonesome Old House")
*1965 Glenda Collins – "Johnny Loves Me" b/w "Paradise For Two" (Single)
*1965 Glenda Collins – "Thou Shalt Not Steal" b/w "Been Invited To A Party" (Single)
*1965 Heinz – "Digging My Potatoes" b/w "She Ain't Coming Back" (Single)
*1965 Heinz – "Don't Think Twice It's All Right" b/w "Big Fat Spider" (Single)
*1965 Heinz – "End Of The World" b/w "You Make Me Feel So Good" (Single)
*1965 Heinz – "Heart Full Of Sorrow" b/w "Don't Worry Baby" (Single)
*1965 Screaming Lord Sutch – "The Train Kept A Rollin'" b/w "Honey Hush" (Single)
*1965 Richie Blackmore Orchestra – "Getaway" b/w "Little Brown Jag" (Single)
*1965 The Tornados – "Early Bird" b/w "Stomping Through The Rye" (Single)
*1965 Jess Conrad
Jess Conrad (born Gerald Arthur James; 24 February 1936) is an English stage and screen actor and singer. As a boy he was nicknamed "Jesse" after American outlaw Jesse James; as there was already an actor named "Gerald James" in Actors' Equity, a ...
– "It Can Happen To You" (the B-side of single)
*1965 The Lancasters – "Satan's Holiday" b/w "Earthshaker" (Single)
*1965 The Sessions – "Let Me In" b/w "Bouncing Bass" (Single)
*1966 Heinz – "Movin' In" b/w "I'm Not A Bad Guy" (Single)
*1966 Ronnie Jones – "My Only Souvenir" b/w "Satisfy My Soul" (Single)
*1966 Soul Brothers
''Soul Brothers'' is the third album recorded by Ray Charles and the eleventh album by Milt Jackson and released by Atlantic Records in 1958. The album was later re-issued in a two-CD compilation together with the other Charles–Jackson album '' ...
– "Goodbye Babe, Goodbye" (Single)
*1968 Neil Christian
Neil Christian (born Christopher Tidmarsh, 14 February 1943 – 4 January 2010)
Related session musicians
*Paul Brett
*Jimmy Page
*Ritchie Blackmore
*Nicky Hopkins
*Albert Lee
*Mick Abrahams
*Carlo Little
See also
*One-hit wonders in the UK
...
& The Crusaders – "My Baby Left Me" b/w "Yakkety Yak" (Single)
*1968 Boz – "I Shall Be Released" b/w "Down in the Flood" (Single)
*1968 Sundragon – "Five White Horses" (Single)
*1968 Sundragon – ''Green Tambourine'' ("I Want To Be A Rock'n'roll Star", "Peacock Dress", "Love Minus Zero")
*1968 Anan – "Madena" b/w "Standing Still" (Single)
Previously unreleased outtakes
*1963 Chad Carson – "A Fool in Love"; "Jesse James"
*1963 Dave Adams – "It Feels Funny, It Feels Good"; "You Just Can't Do It on Your Own"; "Clean, Clean, Clean"; "The Birds and the Bees"; "Don't Put All Your Eggs in One Basket"; "Oh What A Party"; "Let Me In"; "They're All Up To It"; "Signs And Posters"; "Out Behind The Barn"; "There's Something at the Bottom of the Garden"; "The Bathroom"
*1963 Gene Vincent & The Outlaws – "Dance to the Bop"; "High Blood Pressure"; "Baby Blue", "Blue Jean Bop"; " Lotta Lovin'"; "Crazy Beat"; "Rip It Up"; "Frankie & Johnny"; "Another Saturday Night"; "I'm Gonna Catch Me A Rat"; "Long Tall Sally" (Those songs were recorded live)
*1963 Jenny Moss – "Please Let It Happen To Me"; "My Boy Comes Marching Home"
*1964 Kim Roberts – "Love Can't Wait"; "Mr. Right"
*1964 Houston Wells – "We'll Remember You"
*1965 The Outlaws – "As Long As I Live" (recorded live)
*1965 Glenda Collins – "Sing C' Est La Vie"; "Run To Me"; "Self Portrait"
Compilations
*1989 Ritchie Blackmore – ''Rock Profile Vol. 1''
*1991 Ritchie Blackmore – ''Rock Profile Vol. 2''
*1991 ''The Derek Lawrence Sessions Take 1''
*1992 ''The Derek Lawrence Sessions Take 3''
*1994 Heinz – ''Dreams Do Come True – The 45's Collection''
*1994 Ritchie Blackmore – ''Take It! Sessions 63/68''
*1995 '' It's Hard to Believe It: The Amazing World of Joe Meek''
*1998 Ritchie Blackmore – ''Anthology Vol.1''
*1998 Ritchie Blackmore – ''Anthology Vol.2''
*2002 ''Joe Meek – The Alchemist of Pop: Home Made Hits and Rarities 1959–66''
*2005 Ritchie Blackmore – ''Getaway – Groups & Sessions''
*2008 Houston Wells – ''Then & Now: From Joe Meek To New Zealand''
Select guest appearances
*''Green Bullfrog
''Green Bullfrog'' is a blues album recorded by an ad hoc band and produced by Derek Lawrence. The bulk of the album was recorded over two sessions at De Lane Lea Studios, London in 1970, with later string and brass overdubs. It was originally ...
'' (1972) – a one-off session hosted by producer Derek Lawrence, recorded between February and May 1970, and featuring Big Jim Sullivan, Albert Lee
Albert William Lee (born 21 December 1943) is an English guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee has worked, both in the studio and on tour, with many famous musicians from a wide range of genres. He has also mai ...
and Ritchie Blackmore
* Screaming Lord Sutch & Heavy Friends – ''Hands of Jack the Ripper'' (1972) – recorded live in London in 1970, a one-off concert featuring musicians who had previously worked with Sutch
*Randy, Pie & Family – ''Hurry to the City"/"Looking with Eyes of Love'' (1973) – Blackmore featured on the A-side of the single
* Adam Faith – ''I Survive'' (1974) – Blackmore plays intro on the title track
* Jack Green – '' Humanesque'' (1980) – Blackmore plays on "I Call, No Answer"
* Rock Aid Armenia (1990) – Blackmore is featured as one of the guest soloists on the 1990 rendition of "Smoke on the Water", re-recorded to raise money to help those affected by the 1988 Armenian earthquake
* Laurent Voulzy – ''Caché Derrière'' (1992) – Blackmore plays solo on "Guitare héraut"
*''Twang! A Tribute To Hank Marvin & The Shadows'' (1996) – Blackmore plays on "Apache"
* Sweet – ''All Right Now'' (1996) – recorded live in 1976, Blackmore plays on "All Right Now"
*Pat Boone
Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer and actor. He was a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He sold more than 45 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and appeared in mo ...
– '' In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy'' (1997) – Blackmore plays on a cover of "Smoke On The Water" along with Dweezil Zappa
*Geyers Schwarzer Haufen – ''Live '99'' (1999) – Blackmore plays on "Göttliche Devise", a bonus track off the album
*Geyers Schwarzer Haufen – ''Historock Lästerzungen'' (2004) – Blackmore plays on "God's Gospel"
* William Shatner – '' Seeking Major Tom'' (2011) – Blackmore and Candice Night guest on a cover of David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
's "Space Oddity
"Space Oddity" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie. It was first released on 11 July 1969 by Philips Records as a 7-inch single, then as the opening track of his second studio album '' David Bowie''. After the commercial ...
"
* William Shatner – The Blues (2020) - Blackmore and Candice Night guest on a cover of B. B. King
Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending, shimm ...
's "The Thrill Is Gone"
References
Further reading
*
*
*
External links
The Official Blackmore's Night website
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blackmore, Ritchie
1945 births
Living people
People from Weston-super-Mare
People from Heston
English rock guitarists
English heavy metal guitarists
New-age guitarists
English folk guitarists
English male guitarists
English songwriters
Rainbow (rock band) members
Blackmore's Night members
The Outlaws (band) members
Deep Purple members
English expatriates in the United States
English session musicians
Lead guitarists
Slide guitarists
English expatriates in Germany
British mandolinists
Hurdy-gurdy players
Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages members
20th-century British guitarists
21st-century British guitarists
Blues rock musicians