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Ritchie Blackmore leaks plans for reunion with Deep Purple

PUBLISHED Aug 12, 2026, 10:57 AM ET

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Ritchie Blackmore to reunite with Deep Purple on stage for first time in 33 years: "For old time's sake" Ritchie Blackmore has confirmed that he will be joining Deep Purple on stage for the first time in 33 years. The guitarist will make the appearance during Deep Purple's headlining show at the Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York, tonight (August 12th). The 81-year-old is gearing up for a cameo on the night and is planning to join the group for an encore. Blackmore was too excited to ke

By Lauren Mitchell | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

On April 14, 1945, iconic guitarist Ritchie Blackmore was born.
On April 1, 1968, hard rock band Deep Purple formed.
On November 17, 1993, Blackmore played final concert with Purple.
On April 8, 2016, Deep Purple entered Rock Hall without Blackmore.
On August 11, 2026, Blackmore revealed surprise onstage reunion plans.
On August 12, 2026, Deep Purple plays Wantagh New York show.
On August 12, 2026, Blackmore conducts onstage encore equipment soundcheck.
On August 12, 2026, Blackmore performs one song with Deep Purple.
On August 13, 2026, concert footage circulates widely across social media.
In coming months, fans will urge extended full reunion tour.

News Intelligence

Excitement surges among classic rock fans attending New York concert.
Historic reconciliation inspires renewed appreciation for legacy hard rock bands.
Deep Purple fans, concertgoers, rock historians, and classic rock media.
Prioritize verified fan video footage and official band statement updates.

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Explain Framing

Left: Framing focuses on artist camaraderie and long-awaited historic rock reconciliation. Center: Framing presents factual details of Blackmore's planned single-song encore performance. Right: Framing emphasizes nostalgia, classic rock tradition, and overcoming personal friction