Ritchie Blackmore reunites with Deep Purple after 33 years

Ritchie Blackmore performed with Deep Purple on Wednesday at the Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, marking his first appearance with the band since 1993. The 81-year-old guitarist took the stage as a special guest during the group's concert as part of their SPLAT! World Tour 2026.

Blackmore and his former bandmates performed "Smoke on the Water," one of the most recognized songs in heavy metal history. The reunion came after more than three decades of separation between Blackmore and the British rock pioneers.

The guitarist announced the appearance during an Instagram live stream on Tuesday with his wife, Candice Night. "There's something we wanted to mention about tomorrow night," Blackmore said. "Well, it's a secret, and I don't want anyone to know, but I'll probably go on stage and do an encore with the band, Deep Purple. But I can't tell anyone, and I know this will be kept secret. And will it? I think so."

Blackmore explained that he had personally contacted Deep Purple's vocalist Ian Gillan to propose the idea of joining for a special encore to close the show. "I said: 'What would you think if I just went on stage for an encore? Just one of the songs,'" Blackmore recounted during the live stream.

The last time Blackmore had shared a stage with Deep Purple was in 1993, during the final period of his second and last tenure with the band. Since then, the relationship between the guitarist and his former bandmates had been marked by differences, distance, and public statements.

The performance was celebrated by fans on social media, with photographs and videos of the event circulating widely. Deep Purple's official page highlighted the reunion, describing it as "a great moment in rock history."