Ritchie Blackmore Says Deep Purple Reunion May Have Been His “Last Time” Seeing His Former Bandmates
Ritchie Blackmore has opened up about his emotional reunion with Deep Purple, admitting that the surprise performance may have been the last time he and his former bandmates ever share a stage.
The 81-year-old guitarist, who co-founded the legendary rock group in 1968, reunited with Deep Purple on August 12 in Wantagh, New York. Blackmore joined the band during its concert to perform the iconic “Smoke on the Water,” marking his first performance with the group in more than three decades.
An emotional reunion after more than 30 years
Speaking to Guitar Player, Blackmore said the moment was deeply emotional because he was reunited with musicians he had known for decades.
He admitted that he barely had time to prepare before walking onstage and even lost his place during the song. But getting every note perfect was never his priority.
Instead, Blackmore said he wanted to reconnect with old friends.
“I think we realised it could be the last time we see each other, maybe.”
The guitarist had not performed with Deep Purple since leaving the group for the second time in 1993.
Blackmore wanted to put the past behind them
Blackmore originally left Deep Purple in 1975 and went on to form Rainbow. He later returned to Deep Purple in 1984, remaining with the band until his departure during a world tour in 1993.
Despite the complicated history, Blackmore said the idea for the reunion came to him almost spontaneously.
The day before Deep Purple’s show, he decided that joining the band for one song could be a meaningful gesture for fans — and an opportunity to show that there was no lingering hostility between the former bandmates.
His wife, Candice, contacted frontman Ian Gillan and asked whether Blackmore could join them for “Smoke on the Water.”
Gillan’s response was reportedly simple: “It made me smile.”
The idea was then presented to the rest of the band, who unanimously agreed.
“I was there to heal any wounds”
For Blackmore, the reunion wasn’t about proving that he could still perform at his peak.
The guitarist had not played live in a full-scale rock setting since performing with Rainbow in 2019, and he admitted that he was nervous about returning to the stage.
He said he even lost his place during the performance, but insisted that it didn’t matter.
“I was there to heal any wounds — but there weren’t any wounds.”
Blackmore compared the emotional atmosphere to old soldiers coming together after years apart, describing the experience as deeply moving.
He said the musicians felt as though they had once been “in the army” together and were now reconnecting after decades.
Ian Gillan welcomes back a “legend”
The reunion was equally meaningful for Ian Gillan, who warmly introduced Blackmore to the audience.
Gillan told the crowd that he had received a message from a “local lad” who wanted to come by and jam for a song.
He then introduced Blackmore as “the founding member, the great legend, the immortal Ritchie Blackmore.”
The moment marked an extraordinary reunion for a band whose history has been shaped by both groundbreaking music and well-documented changes in its lineup.
Blackmore has faced health challenges
The reunion also came after a difficult period for the guitarist.
Blackmore previously revealed that a severe bout of vertigo in late 2025 forced him to cancel performances. He has also dealt with gout, arthritis affecting his fingers and feet, and previous heart problems.
Those health concerns made the Deep Purple appearance even more significant.
Before the reunion, Blackmore had openly acknowledged that he had not played rock music at this level for many years, but said he was looking forward to seeing his former bandmates again.
Ultimately, the performance wasn’t about technical perfection or reviving the past. For Blackmore, it was about friendship, reconciliation and one final chance to stand alongside the musicians with whom he helped create rock history.
And if it really was the last time, it was certainly a memorable way to close that chapter.