Legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, the mastermind behind Deep Purple and Rainbow, is set to take the stage one final time in a performance that promises to be as unforgettable as the man himself. Titled “One Last Ride,” the show will serve as a tribute not only to Blackmore’s storied career but also to the rock and roll comrades who shaped his journey—Jon Lord, John Bonham, and Jimi Hendrix.
Though fate has long since taken his closest companions, Blackmore will bring them to life one more time—not through holograms or theatrics, but through raw, emotionally charged music. Set to perform at an undisclosed venue rumored to be somewhere in Los Angeles, this final act is being described as “a conversation between old friends told in riffs and rhythms.”
“I used to call them my drinking buddies,” Blackmore said in a recent interview. “We weren’t saints. We spent nights hopping from the Whisky a Go Go to the Rainbow Bar & Grill, drowning in loud music and louder laughter. But they were more than party mates. They were kindred spirits—men who understood the madness and magic of making music that mattered.”
Jon Lord, the thunderous keyboardist of Deep Purple, was more than a bandmate—he was Blackmore’s musical shadow, always in sync, always pushing him further. “When we played, it was like a duel with love,” Blackmore recalled. “He brought the classical structure, and I brought the chaos.”
John Bonham, Led Zeppelin’s powerhouse drummer, met Blackmore during the early days of British rock’s invasion of America. They shared a mutual admiration—and a reckless streak. “Bonzo could drink a biker gang under the table and still keep perfect time the next night,” Blackmore laughed. “He was rhythm incarnate.”
And then there was Jimi Hendrix, the electric prophet of rock. “Jimi was the only guitarist I ever saw who made me question if I was even good enough,” said Blackmore. “He was wild, but he played from a place beyond Earth.”
“One Last Ride” will feature Blackmore revisiting classics such as “Smoke on the Water,” “Child in Time,” and “Since You’ve Been Gone,” woven between tributes to Hendrix’s “Little Wing,” Bonham’s signature Zeppelin grooves, and Lord’s haunting Hammond organ lines.
More than a farewell concert, One Last Ride is a living eulogy—a love letter to the legends who lit the way. For Blackmore, it’s not about legacy or applause. “It’s for the boys,” he said quietly. “One last drink. One last jam. One last ride.”
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