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After pleading for a guitar, his father bought him one, warning Ritche - knowing of his son's "phases" - that if he didn't learn, he would break the guitar over Ritchie's head!
Ritchie did learn, and soon showed talent.
Blackmore started out as a session guitarist, playing with such people as Glenda Jackson and virtuoso-guitarist Jeff Beck.
An avid Hendrix fan became evident at this time, even moreso when he swapped from using Gibson 335 guitars and Vox AC30 amplifiers to Fender Stratocasters and Marshall amps. Ritchie's moody image, and on-stage antics - including smashing up guitars every so often - were very similar to those of the legendary Jimi Hendrix.
In 1968, Blackmore met up with a fellow session musician, organist Jon Lord and went on to make up 'Deep Purple'; the definitive rock band and wrote such rock hits as Smoke on the Water and Burn.
He left 'Deep Purple', and Tommy Bolin replaced him. Ritchie then formed 'Rainbow', from American band 'Elf' with Ronnie James Dio, but re-joined Deep Purple a number of times, the last being in 1993.
After another album with a radically different line-up of 'Rainbow' in 1995, Blackmore disbanded and began to write music with his American girlfriend, Candice Night.
He released Shadow of the Moon in '97, and Under A Violet Moon a year later.
'Blackmore's Night' play a modern style of Renaissance music, a genre very close to Blackore's heart.
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