Rock Band 4 (2015)

Lore & Background

Established after Blackmore's first departure from Deep Purple, Rainbow originally featured four members of the American rock band Elf, including singer Ronnie James Dio. After their self-titled debut album, Blackmore fired these members except Dio, recruiting drummer Cozy Powell, bassist Jimmy Bain, and keyboardist Tony Carey. This line-up recorded the band's second album Rising (1976), while Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978) saw Bob Daisley and David Stone replace Bain and Carey, respectively.

Long Live Rock 'n' Roll was also the last album with Dio before he left to join Black Sabbath in 1979. Rainbow's early work used mystical lyrics in a hard rock/heavy metal style, then moved in a more pop-rock direction after Dio's departure. In 1979, Blackmore and Powell revamped the group with singer Graham Bonnet, keyboardist Don Airey, and bassist Roger Glover, achieving commercial breakthrough with the single 'Since You Been Gone' from Down to Earth.

With Joe Lynn Turner (replacing Bonnet in 1980), Rainbow recorded Difficult to Cure (1981), Straight Between the Eyes (1982), and Bent Out of Shape (1983). Other members during this period included drummers Bobby Rondinelli and Chuck Burgi and keyboardist David Rosenthal. The band split in 1984 when Blackmore and Glover re-joined Deep Purple. In 1993, after quitting Deep Purple for good, Blackmore reformed Rainbow with a new line-up fronted by Doogie White, recording Stranger in Us All (1995).

In 1997, Blackmore broke up the band again to start Blackmore's Night with his wife Candice Night. Blackmore revived the band in 2016, and they performed tours in Europe over the next few years. Plans to continue were scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving the band on hiatus since their last tour in 2019. Over the years, each studio album was recorded with a different line-up, leaving Blackmore as the only constant member.

Their longest serving line-up—featuring Blackmore, Candice Night on backing vocals, Ronnie Romero on lead vocals, Bob Nouveau on bass, David Keith on drums, and Jens Johansson on keyboards—lasted from 2015 to 2019. Rainbow were ranked No. 90 on VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. The band has sold over 28 million records worldwide.

Reader's Guide

The band's history is marked by constant personnel changes. Key line-ups include the original 1975 formation with Dio and Elf members; the Rising line-up with Powell, Bain, and Carey; the Long Live Rock 'n' Roll line-up with Daisley and Stone; the commercial breakthrough line-up with Bonnet, Airey, and Glover; the Turner-era line-up; the 1995 line-up with Doogie White; and the 2015–2019 line-up with Romero, Nouveau, Keith, and Johansson.

Did You Know?

• Rainbow's name was inspired by the Rainbow Bar and Grill in West Hollywood, California.
• The band's early lyrics reflected medieval themes and imagery, written by Ronnie James Dio.