Heavy metal guitarist Ritchie Blackmore was born in 1945. Richard Hugh Blackmore was born on April 14, 1945, in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England, and later grew up in the London area.
Blackmore became one of rock’s most influential guitarists through his work with Deep Purple, which he co-founded in 1968. His playing combined blues-based phrasing, fast rock technique, and classical influences. The celebrated riff in “Smoke on the Water” and his solos on songs such as “Highway Star” helped establish Deep Purple as a major hard rock and heavy metal force.
After leaving Deep Purple, Blackmore formed Rainbow in 1975 with vocalist Ronnie James Dio. He later returned to Deep Purple before moving toward Renaissance-inspired folk rock with Blackmore’s Night, formed with Candice Night in the 1990s. A common date mix-up is confusing his birth year with the years he joined his best-known bands: Deep Purple began in 1968, while Rainbow was formed in 1975.