Richard Hugh Blackmore was born on this day in 1945 in Somerset, UK. At age 11, the future founding guitarist in Deep Purple was given a guitar by his father, along with classical guitar lessons. Ritchie was still in his mid-teens when he began getting the chance to do some session work for other artists.
Blackmore's role in Deep Purple began in 1968 and continued through assorted lineup changes until 1975, when he left to form Rainbow. A return to Deep Purple was arranged in 1984. A decade later, Rainbow took him away again for a few years before disbanding again in 1997, when Blackmore and Candice Night formed an acoustic duo billed as Blackmore's Night.
Other Noteworthy Classic Rock events on April 14 include...
1963 Beatles members all attend a Rolling Stones concert in Richmond, UK
1964 UFO guitarist Vinnie Moore is born.
1965 The Beatles announce that Help! will be the group's second movie. The working title had been Eight Arms to Hold You.
1969 The Ballad of John and Yoko is recorded.
1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival does UK debut concert in Royal Albert Hall.
1970 Stephens Still breaks his wrist in a car wreck.
1974 Pete Townshend makes his solo live debut.
1975 Rolling Stones officially confirm Ron Wood is a full-time member of the band.
1980 A New Jersey state assemblyman introduces a bill to make Born To Run the official state song... apparently failing to note that the song is all about escaping the 'deathtrap and suicide rap' of being stuck in the Garden State. The bill fails to pass.
1980 Iron Maiden releases self-titled debut album.
1980 Judas Priest releases British Steel.
1982 Van Halen releases Diver Down.
1983 Pete Farndon of the Pretenders dies of a Heroine overdose.
2009 A George Harrison star is unveiled on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
2016 Bruce Springsteen joins Bob Seger on stage in Detroit on Tenth Avenue Freeze-out and Shout during River tour's Auburn Hills Palace concert near Detroit.
2016 Prince does his last concert at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta.
2016 Bon Jovi, the Cars, Dire Straits and the Moody Blues get inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame on this night in Cleveland.
2023 An expanded edition box set of Wishbone Ash's Argus album is released.
2023 Neil Young releases 1977 archive albums The Ducks High Flyin' and the Santa Monica Flyers Somewhere Under The Radar Live at London's Rainbow Theatre.
2023 Metallica releases 72 Seasons.
2024 Billy Joel's 100th concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City is broadcast live on CBS...
