Rainbow

Rainbow (also known as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow or Blackmore's Rainbow) are a British rock band led by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. Established in 1975.

By 1973, Blackmore had steered ELF (3) as additional musicians. He enjoyed the results, and a full album, billed as Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow was recorded between February and March 1975 at Musicland Studios in Munich, . The band name was inspired by the Rainbow Bar and Grill in Hollywood.

After the release of three studio albums and an extensive world tour in 1977–78, Blackmore decided that he wanted to take the band in a new commercial direction away from the "sword and sorcery" theme. Dio did not agree with this change and left Rainbow. Together with then new vocalist Graham Bonnet, Blackmore scored a hit single with “Since You Been Gone”.

After more lineup changes and albums, Ritchie disbanded Rainbow in early 1984 to re the reunited Deep Purple.

He resurrected Rainbow once again in early 1994, just after leaving Deep Purple for good. However, Blackmore turned his attention to his long-time musical ion, Renaissance and medieval music. Rainbow was put on hold once again after playing its final concert in Esbjerg, Denmark in 1997. Blackmore, together with his partner Blackmore's Night.

Against all expectations, Blackmore reformed Rainbow, with an all-new line-up, in late 2015. Blackmore announced that he would play "all rock" concerts in the summer of 2016 under the banner of 'Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow', his first rock shows since 1997. The new Rainbow line-up was announced on November 6, 2015. It featured Jens Johansson, Blackmore’s Night drummer David Keith and bassist Bob Nouveau (Bob Curiano).