WANTAGH, N.Y. — Ritchie Blackmore is expected to join Deep Purple on stage for a surprise encore tonight, Aug. 12, at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater. This would mark Blackmore’s first appearance with the band he co-founded in more than 30 years.
Blackmore, 81, revealed the plan during an Instagram conversation Tuesday with his wife, Candice Night.
“Well, it is a secret and I don’t want anybody to know, but I’ll probably get up and do an encore with Deep Purple,” Blackmore said. “But you can’t tell anybody, and I know that this is gonna be kept a secret. And will it? I suppose so.”
Blackmore last performed with Deep Purple in 1993 during the tour for the album “The Battle Rages On.” He originally led Deep Purple from 1968 to 1975 and returned in 1984.
Current Deep Purple members Ian Gillan, Roger Glover and Ian Paice performed with Blackmore during his last tour with the group. Since then, Blackmore has focused on Blackmore’s Night, a band he formed with Night.
“I actually sent my A.I. pigeon to Ian Gillan in Portugal, where he lives at the moment,” Blackmore joked. “I said, ‘How would you feel if I got up just for an encore? Just one of the songs. I don’t want to intrude.’”
Blackmore said Gillan responded positively and brought the idea to the band.
“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.
Blackmore lives on Long Island with Night and their children. He said his roadie had already traveled ahead to prepare for the show.
“I hope I can compete with the [current Deep Purple] guitar player [Simon McBride],” Blackmore said. “He’s a very good guitar player – as was, and is, Steve Morse, a great guitar player.”
Blackmore has been dealing with health issues, including vertigo, arthritis, back pain and a previous heart condition. These issues led to canceled 2025 dates with Blackmore’s Night.
“It’ll be good to see the old guys again,” Blackmore said. “I think we’ll all be on crutches and wheelchairs and things, although I think the rest of them are okay. But, yes, it’s kind of frightening. I’ve been playing acoustic guitar for 25 years.”
Will you be at Jones Beach tonight to see if Blackmore takes the stage?