Ritchie Blackmore, co-founder and former guitarist of Deep Purple, performed with the band again on August 12, 2026 — for the first time in 33 years. The moment took place at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, where Blackmore joined his former bandmates for their most famous hit. The guitarist, now 81, left the band in 1993 after decades of tension, and his return to the stage is considered one of the greatest surprises in rock history. After Ian Gillan introduced Blackmore as “the founder member, the great legend, the immortal Ritchie Blackmore,” the crowd erupted.
How the Reconciliation Happened
The idea for the reunion came from Blackmore himself. As he revealed in an interview with Guitar Player, he woke up one morning thinking: “You know, it would be nice for the fans if I just got up for one song, probably ‘Smoke,’ and showed that we’re not at each other’s throats and don’t hate each other.” Blackmore reached out to singer Ian Gillan through his wife, Candice Night. Gillan later admitted the message “made me laugh.” Blackmore then passed the idea along to the rest of the band, bassist Roger Glover and drummer Ian Paice — and received unanimous support.
An Emotional Moment on Stage
During the performance, Blackmore played his yellow Fender Stratocaster, which he hadn’t used on stage in more than 25 years. Though he admitted he was nervous about his playing, having stuck to acoustic guitar for decades, his performance was triumphant. The most emotional moment came when Gillan sang with his hand on Blackmore’s shoulder, and during the third verse, Blackmore took Gillan’s wrist and used it to strike the guitar strings. After the song, Gillan embraced Blackmore and said: “Thank you, Ritchie. It was a pleasure. See you at the bar.”
Blackmore described the experience as “very touching,” adding: “I couldn’t get warmed up, but I wasn’t there to play the right notes. I was there to see old friends. I hadn’t seen them in 40 years and we’re all older. I think we realized this could be the last time we see each other.”
Health Struggles and Reconciliation
This return carries extra weight given Blackmore’s health struggles. The guitarist has four herniated discs in his spine and recently suffered a heart attack, forcing him to cancel tour dates with his own band, Blackmore’s Night. Before the performance, he received a steroid injection in his lower back just to be able to stand on stage.
His appearance marks the end of a decades-long rift that culminated in Blackmore not attending the band’s 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, where he wasn’t even allowed to perform. Gillan had previously described any kind of reunion as “incompatible.”