![[hand]](/hs-pics/portraits/hands/mcbride4.jpg)
![[face]](/hs-pics/portraits/faces/morse3.jpg)
Rather thrown by the magnitude
Ritchie Blackmore has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by the organization called National GUITAR Museum. Executive director of the museum (and former Guitar magazine editor-in-chief) HP Newquist says:
Most people know Ritchie from being the driving creative force behind two of the defining hard rock bands of all time—Deep Purple and Rainbow. But before starting those bands, he had a long career as a London session musician, performing on records by numerous artists, including The Outlaws. And then—after helping to define hard rock guitar in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s—he formed Blackmore’s Night, incorporating medieval and Renaissance acoustic music into his immense repertoire.
Blackmore responded to the award in his usual terse form:
I’m rather thrown by the magnitude of this honorable award. I am grateful to accept this award and this recognition.
The National GUITAR Museum was established in 2008. It does not have a permanent home, but offers touring exhibitions hosted by other museums across the United States. The Lifetime Achievement award has been presented since 2010, and past recipients include Alex Lifeson, Tommy Emmanuel, Jeff Beck, Al di Meola, Eddie Van Halen, Liona Boyd, Tony Iommi, Buddy Guy, and B.B. King, among others.
Thanks to Blabbermouth for the heads-up. Photo courtesy of The National GUITAR Museum.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
Hooray, hooray and more hooray! Excellent to see this award being bestowed upon the Man in Black and very well deserved. Next, oh I almost forgot, there isn’t anybody else. Cheers.
February 24th, 2026 at 02:55Good to see Alex Lifeson on that list, last years recipient for the award. Such a consummate guitarist is big Al and the same with Martin Barre from Jethro Tull. Those two guitarists play so much within and for the song, it is wonderful how they go about it. Behind the scene sort of players, meaning when the song isn’t necessarily a guitar based song, they still find tasty intricate melodic things to contribute, very subtle at times too. I am unfamiliar with this award, it is as we can see only 16 years in the making. A few different names there that you wouldn’t normally see on a list of overall guitar recognition, Bonnie Raitt and Glen Campbell especially and that is good to see. Also interesting EVH is on the list especially after our comments here recently. Now Ritchie joins him, excellent. Cheers.
February 24th, 2026 at 03:28Well-deserved award and recognition for our Man in Black
At first, I thought this is another guitar-master kind of award like the Best Guitarist from Guitar Magazine. But then looking at the other 15 recipients which including Roger McGuinn and Glen Campbell, no way this award was about superior technicality. It’s more of a respect/salute to the impact and distinctive style a guitarist had made with their discographies, enrich the history of music.
Ritchie fits that checklist really well, his works with Purple and Rainbow should not escape any music listener. However interesting point is Blackmore’s Night being nicely referred to by the institution which IMO really warm Blackmore’s heart when hearing the full recognition (while Purple fans might still have one or two things to say about that band). And of course, the references to his days in The Outlaws. This institution knows what they’re doing.
With the uniqueness as the important part of it, I may guess the next recipient could be guitarist like Santana, Albert Lee, Jimmy Page, Steve Howe, Mark Knopfler, or David Gilmour.
Wonder whether the deceased guitar heroes like Robert Johnson, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Roy Buchanan, Jimi Hendrix, or Gary Moore could be recognized too? Joe Satriani or Steve Morse could do someday but perhaps after the guitarists I mentioned above got inducted first.
February 24th, 2026 at 03:37Congratulations to the Master of Stratocaster (among others) !
Thank You for Your everlasting inspiration and for the numerous, unforgettable experiences with Deep Purple, Rainbow and Blackmore´s Night. Both live in concerts and on the records.
I wish You and all Your family a good health.
Best Wishes from Finland,
Kippis !
February 24th, 2026 at 09:28Good for Ritchie! Seeing the “past recipients” list they seem to make prudent choices. And Ritchie deserves to be on that list for sure!
February 24th, 2026 at 10:18Congratulations Ritchie!! A well deserved award!!!!
February 24th, 2026 at 10:42Surprised that it took this long for them to recognize his contributions to rock music. Better late than never.
@3 “Wonder whether the deceased guitar heroes like Robert Johnson, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Roy Buchanan, Jimi Hendrix, or Gary Moore could be recognized too?”
You left out one; David Lindley. Not only was he a master of the guitar, he pretty much could play anything with strings equally as well. This video from 2012 illustrates my point: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9Td_q1H3eU&t=1s
Dave played with Springsteen, Zevon, Browne, Ronstadt, Dylan, Walsh & a myriad of others.
February 24th, 2026 at 11:20@3 Meant to include this link as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VnAxKJZusc
February 24th, 2026 at 11:33David Lindley is absolutely the greatest in my opinion.
February 24th, 2026 at 11:51About time!
February 24th, 2026 at 13:15I am so happy for the great banjo-player 😃
Woah he has certainly deserved it 💜
Now I would really love if Ian got a similar reward for being the best singer in the multiverse!
February 24th, 2026 at 13:27@3
Well excuse me but doesn’t Nuno Bettencourt also needed to be mentioned?
I mean, listen to the man:
https://youtu.be/TTpyRCNbqy8?si=88qg7-OnwGPqKobe
And so sorry Uwe, I know you don’t approve of his outfit!
And he can almost sing too:
https://youtu.be/Hr-zAyYTw9Y?si=3cgCnOZpdSnyJsp8
Well that was just one very ordinary woman’s opinion!
February 24th, 2026 at 13:32Very much deserved- The guitar wizard!
February 24th, 2026 at 14:59Well, this seems to be a culturally serious-minded venture rather than just a wild popularity contest though I can‘t help but wonder if Ritchie‘s thank you note was not entirely penned by Candice!
Related trivia, Ms Liona Boyd, a prior inductee, classical guitarist with a middle of the road appeal and apparently a woman with a taste for younger men in muscle shirts
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSabgCp-VG8AQYUJgPia5nucq3f6bMEaPCpE1XstBAO9Q&s=10
had another DP alumni guest on one of her album tracks 24 some years ago …
https://youtu.be/x5RGkUN8sEw
Steve channeling his inner Al Di Meola. 🤗
Yeah, I have that album too! 😂
February 24th, 2026 at 15:11@12
Karin, you know the good guitar-players!
@9
February 24th, 2026 at 17:26Steve played with David Lindley and Richard Thompson! Another great “guitar-trio”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx1LjqD19JQ
@ 12.
February 24th, 2026 at 18:27Totally agree Karin, Nuno is a monster player. I was reminded of how great he is when I saw him perform at the Sabbath/Ozzy Back To The Beginning concert last year, he played those songs so well, he even nailed the Randy Rhoads material he covered, which isn’t easy.
I wonder if Candice typed out that response on Ritchie’s behalf as there’s no ‘u’ present in ‘honourable.’ Even after all these years of living in the states I doubt Ritchie would adopt their spelling.
February 24th, 2026 at 18:29Very well deserved indeed. Many Congratulations!
February 24th, 2026 at 20:36@9
“David Lindley is absolutely the greatest in my opinion.”
Yes, Dave was well-respected by his peers but remained a relative unknown to masses. He eschewed fame, refused to sell out, insisting on doing things his way. If there ever was an “unsung” guitar hero it’s The Prince of Polyester. We’ve all heard his work in one form or another without realizing it.
I greatly regret that I never saw him live although I had plenty of opportunities to do so when I lived in San Diego as he played a lot in Southern California back in those days. Always had something more important to do when he would come up here to Northern Nevada as well.
February 24th, 2026 at 22:21Himmel, Herr MacGregor is the British spelling Gestapo here … 😂
February 24th, 2026 at 23:31I thought as much with the ‘Ritchie’ comment and I do hope he is ok. It is a bit too quiet on that front, especially after his recent health issues a little while ago. Get well Ritchie. Regarding Liona Boyd and I had to look her up online as I had no prior knowledge of who she was. A gifted guitarist indeed. Cheers.
February 24th, 2026 at 23:45@7 I must shamefully admit I did not have any idea about him. Thank you so much, gotta check his discography out
@12 Nuno Bettencourt certainly belongs to the uniqueness category, so I would love to see him too someday. Especially since we could call him ‘underrated’ (the term that has been over-wildly used in a lot of music conversation/debates without referring to its actual meaning). He deserves more recognition and accolades. Rolling Stone only put him as #197th best guitarist lol.
Perhaps some casual music fans only know him from the Freddie Mercury and Ozzy Osbourne Tribute Concerts, not from his wild, funk-metal guitar playing, in Extreme. In Asia, Extreme was even more popular because of the acoustic “More than Words”, a song that will never tell about Nuno’s real talents
@17 With Gillan once even said Ritchie does not have a phone, your comment might be true. Candice typed the response. But even so, I’m sure Candice would have informed our Man in Black about this recognition, especially the Blackmore’s Night acknowledgment
February 25th, 2026 at 01:36@15
Thank you Beate 😊
Actually I hear a lot of Ritchie in Nuno, because just like Ritchie is a poet, so is Nuno 😊
Thank you for the link you send to Buttocks (@9), when I have the time I will indeed give it a thorough listen 🙏🏼
February 25th, 2026 at 05:36@16
He is indeed great RB 😊
Woah! Did not know he has played with BS and OO! That must have been something else 😊
I like Nuno’s solos so much, he has something extra, just like Ritchie 😃
I’m still blown away whenever I hear Ritchie’s riff to Mistreated (and of course also SotW) but re Mistreated, it hits my heart big time, combined with the lyrics for the song ❣️ and yes, I do know it isn’t Ian who is singing, but man! David Coverdale sang his heart out 🥰
This:
February 25th, 2026 at 05:47https://youtu.be/-RYmt3I4gGQ?si=aEncrcOXm4C3tSTQ
And I love Glenn Hughes comments: arh it’s about everyday life 😁 cute!
Glenn was coked out of his mind at Cal Jam (he had procured a copious amount of ‘marching powder’ at the event), his concept of “everyday life“ cannot really have remained unaffected. 😂
Re Ritchie, the continuing silence in the Blackmore camp is indeed deafening, the BN home page seems to have been revamped (and not very skillfully so, looks like a budget job to me), there is Valentine’s Day nonsense and mention of the upcoming Rainbow 1975-76 set, an announcement of the couple deejaying their favorite Christmas songs in a (likely prerecorded) radio show, but nothing about Ritchie’s health status or current activities at all. Or on progress on the new BN album supposedly in the works for quite some time. Blackmore’s Night might be winding down.
February 25th, 2026 at 15:17Greatest lead guitar player of all time.
February 26th, 2026 at 00:28#3 & #7: Well said. David Lindley & Roy Buchanan are two of the most underrated guitarists ever. As is Martin Barre. Ian Anderson spent 30 years saying Jethro Tull could not exist without Martin Barre. So now he’s gone & put together a pseudo-Tull with no MB.
February 26th, 2026 at 01:54All you Ritchie nuts should enjoy this …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1ngh0Q_LoQ
February 26th, 2026 at 01:58@22
“I must shamefully admit I did not have any idea about him. Thank you so much, gotta check his discography out”
Here’s a good place to start: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sL2o8cPh7U
You’ll notice the unusual assortment of guitars, mandolins, etc… that he is playing. He’s not using those because they look cool or just because they are unusual. Each one is chosen for its unique tonal qualities.
Karin, if you are reading this and have a desire to check out DL, here’s a good place for you to begin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tuTl3Md3yU
February 26th, 2026 at 04:51Shame on me… if I post a link for Karin I should give Uwe equal time.
This one’s just for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kvjbLo8Qmk&t=233s
Pay attention to the intro where he tells the story of how Warren Zevon came up with this song. The rest of you should not pay attention to the intro.
February 26th, 2026 at 07:20@27
Russ: “Karin, if you are reading this”….
Russ I read everything in here 😃
Thank you for the link! It’s a nice tune 😊
However I seem to have heard that particular song once before, with another singer…. Ohh darn it, cannot remember who 🤓
However do you know this gentleman:
February 26th, 2026 at 10:13https://youtu.be/Eb1JFC2_lLc?si=SXNIn4I3YxBuQa6g
I am thinking of Nuno, but Gary isn’t that bad either 😊
Russ, thanks for a slice of interspecies sex, always appreciated, and the general lasagne recipe!
I first took notice of Dave Lindley via this – slightly crowded – 1982 Rockpalast impromptu all star jam:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz97I-mcUUs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNwpKwT2T2w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt5ddM4hbEw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLniEf9mBV8
February 26th, 2026 at 11:22@ 27- you are not wrong there in regard to those three guitarists you mentioned. And of note is that Ian Anderson is now with his third guitarist in the last 10 years. Ironic or just a coincidence or both. Barre was there for about 43 years or so. Glad for Martin that he is enjoying his solo career these days. Cheers.
February 26th, 2026 at 17:47@ 29 – thanks for that David Lindley concert from 1982, really enjoyed that performance and that crowd were very dedicated too. He was a very highly respected musician and a fine chap too. I initially remember him from the Jackson Browne live album, late 70’s, Running On Empty. Cheers.
February 26th, 2026 at 18:48A short, sweet and rather poignant 2021 interview and also a quick solo ‘jam’ with David Lindley. Such a humble individual and the world needs more people like him in it. World music, he was brought up listening to his father’s Indian folk music. Say no more……….plus the band he was involved with and also forming in the late 60s’ was Kaleidoscope, say no more again………a world musician, a bohemian and a traveller. Bless him.
https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/david-lindley
February 26th, 2026 at 22:32A interesting doco on the Kaleidoscope band from the 1960’s. Did Jimmy Page get the bow on an electric guitar idea from David, most probably by the sound of it. Also the Eastern influence. Between this band and Davey Graham the English folk guitarist, yes indeed. The DADGAD tuning introduced to England folk music by Graham for one. Cheers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILuHXXS9POo
https://guitartuner.io/tuning/dadgad
February 26th, 2026 at 22:57Lindley also rocked the most epic sideburns since early 70’s Paicey!
February 27th, 2026 at 07:34@32
Thanks for the links… never saw that one before; somehow it flew under my radar all these years.
Some observations:
That has to be the quickest tempo I’ve ever heard Dust My Broom played.
Does it seem like half the band is playing Lucille & the other half is playing Woolly Bully?
February 27th, 2026 at 09:12@31
Thanks Karin… Don’t really know that gentleman. I enjoyed the song though. I couldn’t help but think afterwards what could Prince have done with that song.
February 27th, 2026 at 09:15@34
Running on Empty is where I first noticed DL too… Loved his falsetto on Stay…
RE; “Such a humble individual and the world needs more people like him in it.”
That’s my impression of him too. Yes, this planet needs more folks like him…
February 27th, 2026 at 09:29@39
Russ! What?!
You don’t know Nuno Bettencourt?
Are you making fun of me?
He is an amazing guitarist in Extreme!
February 27th, 2026 at 11:05😃
Male facial hair aficionado Svante @37: Are you sure? 😎
Noddy
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSPVnxzYTFdwoW6wXaNMR231l03s1L044_GKA&s
https://media0.giphy.com/media/uwrRMLnKSRHyxlFAwD/giphy.gif
and Trevor
https://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2013/05/Trevor-Bolder-David-Bowie.jpg?w=980&q=75
https://www.duffyarchive.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Z_1258_PIC_04-copy.webp
take issue with your statement!
February 27th, 2026 at 16:18Paicey, Lindley, Presley…those were the sideburns! Gotta live them!
February 27th, 2026 at 16:18@43 LOVE them, sorry.
February 27th, 2026 at 22:20@36 – MacGregor interesting Kaleidoscope doco- thanks for sharing.
Some have credited The Creation’s guitarist Eddie Phillips – who later dropped out of the music business and drove a bus – with inspiring Page to use a bow on his guitar. Their record “Making Time” precedes the Kaleidoscope’s debut by six months or so, so could be the case, who knows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl7T5GCfEL0
IIRC, the song was also one that Ritchie Blackmore wanted Deep Purple to try in their early months. Don’t think it ever made it as far as their live set though.
February 28th, 2026 at 03:28Hello.
@45. You perhaps know/remember the ad hoc session album Green Bullfrog which was released 1971 (and again 1980, if my memory has it right) ? That´s a very good example musicians having real fun. Makin´ Time is on that album and it´s very entertaining record as a whole.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVXYlw5c_eM&list=RDSVXYlw5c_eM&start_radio=1
The original DP producer Derek Lawrence just gave the various session players some time in the studio (De Lane Lea) which was somekind of left over from other sessions. I remember how exciting it was (before the internet!) to try to find out who actually did play on that album after all. The original credits were given by nicknames at the time just for the contractual reasons.
And yes, there´s one Blackmore and one Paice among others. Got that vinyl already in the 80´s and a couple years ago purchased the enhanced cd version.
Kippis!
February 28th, 2026 at 19:51@43 & 44
And I thought ‘sideburns’ were some kind of a drum….
Then I googled it, and thanks to AI now I have several images stuck in my poor mind 😝😆
I do have a question: are sideburns a necessity for a good drummer?
Because if it is, then I very humbly will like to draw your attention to this brilliant drummer, and as far as I can tell, he has none (sideburns that is..)
https://youtu.be/Ndnidos5HRU?si=2l3HVx-NBx5HTaMh
A wonderful ‘let it all hang out’ tune!
February 28th, 2026 at 20:56@ 45- oh yes, and thank you Skippy for that reminder. I thought there was someone else, in the back of my mind. A while ago Eddie Phillip’s name popped up somewhere, possibly here in regard to his early bow guitar playing. The song Making Time was also on the Green Bullfrog album with Ritchie and company. Cheers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo22DD4Nj0E&t=6s
February 28th, 2026 at 21:35@46 Hiza & 48 MacGregor – forgot about that Green Bullfrog record! Vaguely remember hearing it once and not liking the singing enough to buy it. “Makin’ Time” really must have been a favorite of Ritchie’s to stick in his mind that long. That is quite a heavy version!
@47 Karin – when speaking of sideburns we mustn’t forget Engelbert, one of their foremost proponents – who says that he was the one who inspired Elvis to grow some of his own!
March 1st, 2026 at 02:39https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wll-a6MOLtY&list=RDWll-a6MOLtY&start_radio=1
@41
Not making fun of you… not this time. 🙂
No, I didn’t know about Nuno. While he plays all the right notes to sound good he doesn’t really impress me. I need to hear more than just the right sounds. To me, to be considered good, a musician’s instrument must be an extension of themselves. they must speak through it. Guys like Bonamossa, Haynes, et al, while technically good musicians, they get no more than “meh” from me. Guys like Hendrix, Beck, Gibbons, Lanier (yes, he played guitar too) Kooymans, Blackmore, Lindley, Cooder, Kath, Harris, etc… do something for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InaANzVRFS0
Another good example is the late Michael Ward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqsjQngH4cY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wuP5PgoMO8
Don’t wanna rain on your parade but that’s the kinda stuff that moves me…
March 1st, 2026 at 09:39@41
Post Script:
If I wanted to do do something mean to you, like make you cry, I’d make you listen to this over and over.
The second saddest song that I know…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsqJ641fUkE&list=OLAK5uy_k4bC1A7HvY9CR9pHsoGst_2AGmI75-hqI&index=10
March 1st, 2026 at 10:58@50 & 51
Well well well, I’m grateful that taste is a personal matter! 😄
I promise I will take a listen to all the links, but I have just listened to Pictured Within, sung by Ian Gillan, and my nervous system needs a little break!
Meanwhile I will sing a happy tune, á la this one:
https://youtu.be/I-h4A7bF8wQ?si=aaLqij9huaQ2Iwd0
And I will add a little fun extra: Nuno (the guitar player Russ 😆) wrote this tune while he was at the bathroom having a private moment.
March 1st, 2026 at 13:46He had no mike, so he found such a thing from McD, taped it to his thigh and played his little heart out!
And that sounded so good and alive that the rest of Extreme were pretty impressed 😃
Yes,”Cupid’s Dead” with Extreme:
https://youtu.be/7kKcp2HJTHM
March 1st, 2026 at 16:05@53
Thank you Jan, I know the tune and love it very much 😊
It has some ‘Rebel’ in it, but well it is the same band..
However ‘Rebel’ might be slighter hard:
https://youtu.be/UovFzN373vs?is=UKh_AFXMmxj-MIDX
Love Gary’s voice, so powerful.
March 4th, 2026 at 08:21At last .. some recognition for the best hard rock guitarist/writer ..ever. Of course also a unique acoustic player.
March 15th, 2026 at 21:05Shameful that .. Eddie Van Halen never mentioned Ritchie as a major influence. Ritchie was the first guitarist I thought of when I heard Ed’ No Ritchie no Eddie. I believe it’s the reason he is t as highly regarded in America as in the rest of the world. The bridge from Hendrix and Jeff Beck to EVHalen … Ritchie Blackmore.. say his name 😀