Former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore has broken his silence following a surprise reunion with the band. Blackmore joined Deep Purple on stage during the band’s August 12th show, marking his first performance with the group in 33 years.
The statement reflects on the special one-night reunion and expresses gratitude toward his former bandmates.
“Good night had by all, I hope,” Blackmore said. “I know I had a great time. Thanks a lot lads. Carry on and have a good tour.”
The surprise appearance has generated significant buzz among fans, many of whom had not seen Blackmore perform with Deep Purple since his departure over three decades ago. No further reunion dates have been announced at this time.
The reunion carried extra weight given the circumstances surrounding it and the history that preceded it.
The encore took place at the Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York. Blackmore stepped out to play “Smoke on the Water,” the classic he co-wrote and one of Deep Purple’s most enduring songs. The appearance was a planned cameo rather than a full-set return, giving fans a brief but unmistakable glimpse of the band’s original lineup chemistry.
Blackmore himself set the reunion in motion. He revealed during an Instagram Live broadcast with his wife, Candace Night, on August 11th that he had reached out to Ian Gillan to propose joining the band for the encore. Gillan was in Portugal at the time. The announcement came just a day before the show, catching many fans by surprise.
The timing lands squarely within Deep Purple’s current tour cycle. The band is on the road supporting its new album, “Splat!,” produced by Bob Ezrin and released on July 3rd, 2026. This makes the Jones Beach stop part of an already active run of shows rather than a standalone event built around Blackmore’s return.
Blackmore’s last performance with Deep Purple came in 1993. He exited the band after a show in Helsinki, Finland, on November 17th of that year. The 33-year gap made Wednesday night’s brief reunion all the more notable for longtime followers of the band. Many of them had long given up hope of seeing Blackmore share a stage with his former bandmates again.
