Candice Night, wife of legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, revealed details about her husband’s recent health challenges in an interview with Total Rock.
“As far as flying anywhere right now, Ritchie has actually been told by his cardiologist not to get in a plane,” Night said. “He had a heart attack about a year and a half ago. He’s got six stents.”
“And I can’t believe he’s gonna be 80 on April 14th, which is crazy, but he doesn’t look it, still doesn’t act it, but eventually, medical things wind up catching up with you,” she continued. “So we’ve gotta make sure we keep him happy and healthy. And he’s dealing with gout and some arthritic things.”
“And, of course, his back has always been an issue for years. So it’s getting harder for him — it’s tricky — but, hey, I’ve seen people younger than him in wheelchairs on stage doing what they do,” Night explained. “So I think he probably doesn’t want people to see him that way.”
“I see the other perspective — from a fan’s perspective, I would think people would just be happy to be under the same roof with him and listen to him play whatever he comes up with. So, we kind of have this discussion, or argument — I’ll say discussion — all the time [Laughs],” she added. “But he was just recently at his cardiologist, and they said, ‘Let’s put traveling by plane on hold.’ So, hopefully, we’ll get that all straightened out, and that’ll change. But I’ll let you guys know if it does.”
Night shared these details during the promotion of her new solo album ‘Sea Glass,’ which features contributions from Blackmore.
These health challenges have significantly impacted Blackmore’s musical activities. He has adopted a more measured approach to his career.
Blabbermouth reported that Blackmore and Night have focused on their Renaissance-inspired band, Blackmore’s Night. They have limited their touring schedule due to his health concerns.
The guitarist has emphasized the importance of maintaining a lighter performance schedule. Guitar World noted his concerns about touring’s physical demands. A reduced schedule helps him maintain energy for each performance.
Before his recent health issues, Blackmore made a notable return to rock music. Blabbermouth documented his brief revival of Rainbow in 2016. He performed several shows at Monsters of Rock in Germany, featuring a mix of Rainbow and Deep Purple songs.
The guitarist has criticized intensive touring schedules, particularly those of his former band, Deep Purple. He believes such demanding routines can lead to burnout and health complications.
