2002Nominee
Best Performance
Classic Albums: Deep Purple - Machine Head
Ritchie Blackmore
Actor
Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England, UK
April 14, 1945
Biography
Richard Hugh Blackmore (born 14 April 1945) is an English guitarist and songwriter. He was one of the founding members of Deep Purple in 1968, playing jam-style hard rock music that mixed guitar riffs and organ sounds. Blackmore is prolific in creating guitar riffs and is often noted for his classically influenced solos. During his solo career, Blackmore established the heavy metal band Rainbow, which fused baroque music influences and elements of hard rock. Rainbow steadily moved to catchy pop-style mainstream rock. He later formed the traditional folk rock project Blackmore's Night, transitioning to vocalist-centered sounds. As a member of Deep Purple, Blackmore was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2016. He has been cited by publications such as Guitar World and Rolling Stone as one of the greatest and most influential guitar players of all time.
Photo
Representative Works
Awards and Honors
Critical Favorites
1993Nominee
Best Performance
Deep Purple: Come Hell or High Water
2015Winner
Best Performance
The Ritchie Blackmore Story
Career Highlights
2014Highlight
Best Performance
Play It Loud: The Story of Marshall
2006Highlight
Best Performance
Rainbow: Live in Munich 1977
Video
The Ritchie Blackmore Story
Rainbow: Live in Munich 1977