David Coverdale
Encyclopedia
David 'Jack' Coverdale (born 22 September 1951) is an English rock singer, most famous for his work with the his own hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

 band Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...

 which achieved massive commercial success.

Early life

Coverdale was born on 22 September 1951, in Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Saltburn-by-the-Sea is a seaside resort in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The town is around east of Middlesbrough, and had a population of 5,912 at the 2001 Census.-Old Saltburn:...

, Redcar and Cleveland
Redcar and Cleveland
The borough of Redcar & Cleveland is a unitary authority in the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England consisting of Redcar, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, Guisborough, and small towns such as Brotton, Eston, Skelton and Loftus. It had a resident population of 139,132 in 2001, and is part of the Tees...

, England. His love for music developed early. Around the age of 14, the aspiring singer began performing professionally and developing the voice which made him famous. "I don't think my voice had broken," he explained to Sounds
Sounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...

 in 1974. "And that's when I first learnt how to sing with my stomach, which sounds silly, but it's totally different from a normal voice."

Deep Purple (1973-1976)

In 1973, Coverdale saw an article in a copy of Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...

, which said that Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...

 was auditioning for singers to replace Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan
Ian Gillan is an English rock music vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple. During his career Gillan also fronted his own band, had a year-long stint as the vocalist for Black Sabbath, and sang the role of Jesus in the original recording of Andrew Lloyd...

. Coverdale had fronted a local group called The Government, which had played with Deep Purple on the same bill in 1969, so both he and the band were familiar with one another, and after sending a tape and later auditioning, Coverdale was admitted into the band, with bassist Glenn Hughes adding his own vocals as well.

In February 1974, Deep Purple released their first album with Coverdale and Hughes titled Burn which was certified Gold in the US on 20 March 1974 and in the UK on 1 July. In April 1974, Coverdale and Deep Purple performed to over 200,000 music fans on his first trip to America at the California Jam
California Jam
California Jam, also known as Cal Jam, was a rock music festival concert held at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California on April 6, 1974. It was produced by ABC Entertainment, Sandy Feldman, Don Branker and Leonard Stogel...

. Coverdale also sang on keyboardist Jon Lord
Jon Lord
Jonathan Douglas "Jon" Lord is an English composer, pianist and Hammond organ player.Jon Lord, also known as 'Hammond Lord', is a classically trained piano player. He is recognised for his Hammond organ blues-rock sound and for his pioneering work in fusing rock and classical or baroque forms...

's album Windows
Windows (Jon Lord album)
Windows is a live album by Jon Lord and the German conductor and composer Eberhard Schoener; the music and the record are primarily credited to Lord...

and former Deep Purple-bassist Roger Glover
Roger Glover
Roger David Glover is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. Glover is best known as the bassist and lyricist for the hard rock band, Deep Purple.-Early career:...

's album Butterfly Ball.

In December 1974 Burn was followed-up by Stormbringer
Stormbringer (album)
-Side Two:-35th anniversary bonus tracks:-Personnel:* David Coverdale - lead vocals* Ritchie Blackmore - guitar* Glenn Hughes - bass, vocals* Jon Lord - organ, keyboards* Ian Paice - drums-Additional personnel:...

, which also ranked at Gold album status in the US and the UK. The funk and soul influences of the previous record were even more prominent here, and this was one of the reasons why guitarist Ritchie Blackmore
Ritchie Blackmore
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...

 left the band in June 1975.

Rather than disbanding, Coverdale was instrumental in persuading the band to continue with American guitarist Tommy Bolin
Tommy Bolin
Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr , The James Gang , and Deep Purple , in addition to doing solo work...

 (of Billy Cobham
Billy Cobham
William C. Cobham is a Panamanian American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader, who has called Switzerland home since the late 1970s....

 and The James Gang fame). As Jon Lord put it, "David Coverdale came up to me and said, 'Please keep the band together.' David played me the album that Tommy did with Billy Cobham. We liked his playing on it and invited Tommy to audition.'" The band released one studio album with Bolin, Come Taste the Band
Come Taste the Band
Come Taste the Band is the tenth studio album by the English rock band Deep Purple originally released in October 1975. The album was co-produced and engineered by the band and longtime associate Martin Birch...

in 1975. The album was less successful than previous records, and at the end of the tour in March 1976, Coverdale reportedly walked off in tears and handed in his resignation, to which he was told there was no band left to quit. The decision to disband Deep Purple had been made some time before the last show by Lord and Ian Paice
Ian Paice
Ian Anderson Paice is an English musician, best known as the drummer of the English rock band Deep Purple. As of Jon Lord's departure in 2002, he is the only founding member of the band who never stopped performing with the group, and the only member to appear on every album the band has...

 (the last remaining original members), who hadn't told anyone else. The break-up was finally made public in July 1976. Said Coverdale in an interview: "I was frightened to leave the band. Purple was my life, Purple gave me my break, but all the same I wanted out."

Solo (1977-1978)

After the demise of Deep Purple, Coverdale embarked on a solo career. He released his first album in February 1977, titled White Snake
White Snake (album)
White Snake is the first solo album by David Coverdale, released in 1977. Coverdale would use the album title as the name of his future band, first known as "David Coverdale's Whitesnake" and soon afterwards shortened to just Whitesnake...

. All songs were written by Coverdale and Micky Moody
Micky Moody
Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...

. The album was produced by former Deep Purple-bassist Roger Glover, also released on Purple Records
Purple Records
Purple Records is a record label established in 1971 by Deep Purple's management. Their releases were distributed by EMI. The label was run until 1979. In 1997 Simon Robinson from RPM Records established a second label releasing rare and previously unissued recordings...

 formed by the Deep Purple management. As his first solo effort, Coverdale later admitted: "It's very difficult to think back and talk sensibly about the first album. White Snake had been a very inward looking, reflective and low-key affair in many ways, written and recorded as it was in the aftermath of the collapse of Deep Purple." Even though the album wasn't very successful, the album inspired the name of Coverdale's future band.

In 1978 Coverdale released his second solo album Northwinds
Northwinds
Northwinds is the title of the second solo album by David Coverdale, released in early 1978. The original release contained eight tracks, with two more tracks added on recent reissues...

, which was received much better than the previous album. But before the album's release, he had already formed a new band.

Whitesnake (1978–1991)

After recording Northwinds, Coverdale soon formed the band Whitesnake.This was originally a touring band for Coverdale's first solo album, it soon developed into a full-time band. In early 1978, the band released the Snakebite EP, which was later repackaged as a full album (titled Snakebite
Snakebite (album)
Snakebite is an Extended Play and the first official release by Whitesnake in June of 1978. This EP unto itself would not be released in the U.S. The EP initially featured four tracks but was then re-released in September of 1978 as a Double Extended Play containing four extra studio tracks from...

, released in June 1978), with the B-side taken from Coverdale's Northwinds album. For the follow-up album, Trouble
Trouble (Whitesnake album)
Trouble is the first studio album from British rock band Whitesnake, led by former Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale. It reached #50 on the U.K. Chart when it was released in October 1978...

, Coverdale was joined by his former Deep Purple colleague, keyboardist Jon Lord. For Whitesnake's 1980 album, Ready an' Willing
Ready an' Willing
Ready an' Willing was Whitesnake's third studio album, released in 1980 and peaked at #6 on the UK Albums Chart, it was also the band's first to chart outside of the UK reaching #32 in Norway and #90 in the US...

, drummer Ian Paice also joined the group. Ready an' Willing also featured the band's biggest hit up to that point, the song "Fool for Your Loving
Fool For Your Loving
"Fool for Your Loving" is a song recorded by British hard rock band Whitesnake. The song is from the band's 1980 album Ready an' Willing, but it was later re-recorded in 1989 for the album Slip of the Tongue.-Original version:...

", which reached #13 on the British charts and #53 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

. Ready an' Willing was followed up by the even more successful Come an' Get It
Come an' Get It
- Personnel :* David Coverdale – vocals* Micky Moody – guitar, backing vocals* Bernie Marsden – guitar, backing vocals* Jon Lord – keyboards* Neil Murray – bass guitar* Ian Paice – drums- Album :Billboard...

in 1981. During 1982 Coverdale took some time off to look after his sick daughter and decided to put Whitesnake on hold. When David Coverdale returned to music he reformed the band, which thereafter the recorded the album Saints & Sinners
Saints & Sinners (Whitesnake album)
-Personnel:* David Coverdale – Lead Vocals* Micky Moody - Guitars* Bernie Marsden – Guitars, Backing vocals* Jon Lord - Keyboards* Neil Murray – Bass* Ian Paice – Drums* Mel Galley – Backing vocals-Production notes:...

.

In 1982, according to British heavy metal magazine Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...

, Coverdale was considered for the vocalist position with Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...

 following the departure of Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...

. Coverdale declined. Ironically, Sabbath eventually recruited and hired two other ex-Deep Purple vocalists, Ian Gillan and later Glenn Hughes.

Whitesnake gained significant popularity in the UK, Europe, and Asia, but North American success remained elusive. In 1984, the album Slide It In
Slide It In
Slide It In is the sixth studio album by British hard rock band Whitesnake, released in 1984.It was the first Whitesnake album to be released by Geffen Records in the United States, but was remixed for the release there. Because of this, two different editions of the album exist, each with its own...

dented the US charts (reaching #40), but not enough to be considered a hit. In time for the US release of Slide It In, Coverdale made a calculated attempt at updating Whitesnake's sound and look by recruiting guitarist John Sykes
John Sykes
John James Sykes , is an English rock guitarist, who has played with Streetfighter, Tygers of Pan Tang, John Sloman's Badlands, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder, in addition to having a notable solo career....

 from the remnants of Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy
Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...

. Sykes brought a more contemporary, aggressive guitar sound with him and had stage manners to match. In 1985, Sykes and Coverdale started working on new songs for the next album, but Coverdale soon contracted a serious sinus infection
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, which may be due to infection, allergy, or autoimmune issues. Most cases are due to a viral infection and resolve over the course of 10 days...

 that made recording close to impossible for much of 1986 and which had doctors thinking he might never sing again. Coverdale eventually recovered, and recordings were continued. But before their upcoming album was fully recorded and released, Coverdale had dismissed Sykes from the band. The split with Sykes was, reportedly, not amicable.

In many period interviews, Coverdale stated that the next album was a make-or-break album for Whitesnake, and if not successful he would disband Whitesnake altogether. During 1987 and 1988, North America was finally won over, with the multi-platinum self-titled Whitesnake
Whitesnake (album)
Tracks 12-15 taken from Live: In the Shadow of the Blues-20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Here I Go Again" *"Is This Love"*"Still of the Night"*"Crying in the Rain" *"Give Me All Your Love"-Personnel:...

album, co-written for the most part with now-departed Sykes, but including guitar from virtuoso Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian van den Berg is a Dutch rock guitarist, best known for his tenure as one of the guitarists in Whitesnake during their successful late 1980s period.-Early years:...

, as a session musician.

The 1987 album has sold 8 times platinum since its release, propelled by hit singles such as "Here I Go Again
Here I Go Again
"Here I Go Again" is a #1 hit song recorded by Whitesnake. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the song was re-recorded for their eponymous 1987 album Whitesnake. The song was re-recorded yet another time that year in a new "radio-mix" version...

" and "Is This Love
Is This Love (Whitesnake song)
"Is This Love" is a song by the English hard rock band Whitesnake. The song is taken from their self-titled album, which released in 1987.The song was written by vocalist David Coverdale and guitarist John Sykes during the albums early writing process , but it was long rumored that the song had...

", and finally made Whitesnake a bona fide concert headliner in North America. Through the late 80s and early 90s, caught in the "hair-band
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...

" era, Coverdale kept Whitesnake going with great success despite changing lineups.

In 1989 Coverdale recruited Vandenberg to recorded a new album, Slip of the Tongue
Slip of the Tongue
-20th Anniversary Edition DVD:-Singles:*"Fool for Your Loving"*"Now You're Gone"*"The Deeper the Love"-Personnel:*David Coverdale – vocals*Steve Vai – All Guitars*Adrian Vandenberg - Guitars *Rudy Sarzo – bass...

. Vandenberg co-wrote the entire album with Coverdale, but a wrist injury sidelined him from contributing the solo guitar work. Fellow virtuoso Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....

 was recruited, re-recording most of Vandenberg's existing parts and finishing the album. Upon release, it was a great success in Europe and the U.S.

The following tour, for which Vandenberg returned to play along with Vai, cemented Whitesnake's reputation as a giant in the world of hard rock. The album peaked at number 10 in the U.S., and has achieved platinum status. Critical response was mixed. The tour continued until the end of 1990.

It is no secret that Coverdale wanted out of the business at that point. He had grown uncomfortable with the entity he then felt Whitesnake had become, and admits that he got "caught up in it". In a candid period interview, Coverdale sums it up in one sentence:
"It got louder and louder, and so did I, to the point now where I have to get dressed up like a "girly man" and tease ones questionable bangs or hair and it's all becoming a bit... boring."


In 1990 Coverdale sang and co-wrote (with Hans Zimmer
Hans Zimmer
Hans Florian Zimmer is a German film composer and music producer. He has composed music for over 100 films, including critically acclaimed film scores for The Lion King , Crimson Tide , The Thin Red Line , Gladiator , The Dark Knight and Inception .Zimmer spent the early part of his career in the...

 and Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...

) the song "The Last Note of Freedom" for the Tony Scott
Tony Scott
Anthony D. L. "Tony" Scott is an English film director. His films include Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Last Boy Scout, True Romance, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Spy Game, Man on Fire, Déjà Vu, The Taking of Pelham 123, and Unstoppable...

-film Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder is a 1990 American auto racing film released by Paramount Pictures, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances...

.

On 26 September 1990, after the last show on the Slip of the Tongue tour in Tokyo, Coverdale disbanded Whitesnake indefinitely. Tired of the business in general, the rigors of touring and troubled by his separation and later divorce from Tawny Kitaen
Tawny Kitaen
Julie "Tawny" Kitaen is an American actress and media personality. She became famous in the 1980s for appearing in several hard rock videos for the band Whitesnake, including the hit "Here I Go Again". Kitaen was married to Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale from 1989–1991...

, Coverdale wanted to find other values in life and took "private time to reflect" and re-assess his career direction.

Coverdale and Page (1991-1993)

The hiatus did not last long. In the early spring of 1991, a collaboration was set up with guitarist Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...

 of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

 fame. Both parties have said that the collaboration revitalized them on many levels. This collaboration resulted in the Coverdale-Page album released in March 1993. The album was a hit all over the world reaching number 4 in the UK and number 5 in the US, but the US tour for the album had to be cancelled due to slow ticket sales and after only a limited Japanese tour, Coverdale and Page parted ways. In part, the problem had been the comparison to Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...

 who had fronted Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

, as vocalist, with Jimmy Page. Some of their audience criticized Coverdale, feeling he was merely a Plant clone. Others felt the short-lived collaboration only served to inspire Page to once again hook up with Plant, a year later.

Return of Whitesnake (1994, 1997–1998)

In 1994 Coverdale assembled a new line-up of Whitesnake (with the exception of Coverdale's musical partner, guitarist Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian Vandenberg
Adrian van den Berg is a Dutch rock guitarist, best known for his tenure as one of the guitarists in Whitesnake during their successful late 1980s period.-Early years:...

 and bassist Rudy Sarzo, both of whom had been in Whitesnake since 1987) to tour for the release of Whitesnake's Greatest Hits
Whitesnake's Greatest Hits
Whitesnake's Greatest Hits is a compilation of Whitesnake's biggest hits from the 1980s. It features hit singles from their albums Slide It In, Whitesnake and Slip of the Tongue. The album also contains three tracks previously unavailable in the USA.The compilation charted at number 161 on The...

album. The band again broke-up after the tour. After this Coverdale once again retreated from the music business, for three years. In 1997 Coverdale returned and released Restless Heart
Restless Heart (Whitesnake album)
Restless Heart is the ninth studio album recorded by Whitesnake. This was their first new studio album since 1989's Slip of the Tongue. The CD remains unreleased in the U.S...

(with Vandenberg on guitar). The album was originally supposed to be Coverdale's solo album
Solo album
A solo album, in popular music, is an album headlined by a current or former member of a band. A solo album may feature simply one person performing all instruments, but typically features the work of other collaborators; rather, it may be made with different collaborators than the artist is...

, but the record company forced it to be released under the moniker "David Coverdale & Whitesnake". The tour was billed as Whitesnake's farewell tour, during which Coverdale and Vandenberg played two unplugged shows (one in Japan and the other for VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...

). The first of the two shows was released the next year under the title Starkers in Tokyo
Starkers In Tokyo
Starkers in Tokyo is a live acoustic album by Whitesnake released only in Japan on September 9, 1997. It is performed in the style of the Unplugged series and simply features David Coverdale on vocals and Adrian Vandenberg on acoustic guitar. The performance was recorded at the EMI studios in...

. After the Restless Heart-tour ended, Coverdale once again folded Whitesnake and took another short break from music.

Back to solo (1999-2002)

In 2000 Coverdale released his first solo album in 22 years, titled Into The Light
Into the Light (David Coverdale album)
Into the Light is the third solo album by David Coverdale. In between 1978 and 1997, Coverdale and his band Whitesnake produced 10 studio albums...

. Even though the album wasn't a hit, it did return Coverdale to the music business.

Re-formation of Whitesnake (2002-present)

In December 2002, Coverdale re-reformed Whitesnake for an American and European tour, with Tommy Aldridge
Tommy Aldridge
Tommy Aldridge is a veteran heavy metal and hard rock drummer. Aldridge is noted for his work with numerous bands and vocalists, most notable being Black Oak Arkansas, Pat Travers Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Whitesnake, Ted Nugent and Thin Lizzy.Self taught, Aldridge was inspired by Cream,...

 on drums, Marco Mendoza
Marco Mendoza
Marco Mendoza is an American musician. He spent his formative years living with his grandmother in Tijuana, Mexico. He started playing the guitar at an early age, adopting the bass when he was invited to join a band that needed a player....

 (bass), Doug Aldrich
Doug Aldrich
Doug Aldrich , is a Los Angeles-based hard rock guitarist, since 2003 a member of Whitesnake. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St.John in 1998 and has played previously with the bands Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, and Bad Moon Rising...

 (guitar), Reb Beach
Reb Beach
Reb Beach is an American rock guitarist. He is a member of the bands Winger and Whitesnake...

 (guitar) and keyboardist Timothy Drury
Timothy Drury
Timothy Drury is a keyboardist, guitarist and vocalist. He was the keyboard player in rock band Whitesnake up until September 2010.He is the son of actor James Drury....

. 2004-2005 saw Whitesnake embark on a tour of the United States, South America and Europe. A live DVD, shot during the 2005 tour at the legendary Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo
Hammersmith Apollo is a major entertainment venue located in Hammersmith, London. Designed by Robert Cromie in Art Deco style, it opened in 1932 as the Gaumont Palace cinema, being re-named the Hammersmith Odeon in 1962...

 was released in February 2006. In June 2006, Coverdale signed a new record deal with Steamhammer Records
SPV GmbH
SPV GmbH is an independent German record label.Founded on January 1, 1984, it has slowly grown to be one of the largest independent distributors and record labels worldwide....

. The first release under the new contract was the double live album Live: In the Shadow of the Blues
Live: In the Shadow of the Blues
Live: In The Shadow Of The Blues is a live album by the band Whitesnake Live: In The Shadow Of The Blues is a live album by the band Whitesnake Live: In The Shadow Of The Blues is a live album by the band Whitesnake (the second live album under the Whitesnake band name and includes 4 bonus new...

(released 27 November 2006), the album also contained 4 brand new studio tracks written by Coverdale and Aldrich.

In 2008 the band (with new bassist and drummer) released its first new studio album in over 10 years titled Good to Be Bad
Good to Be Bad
-European Bonus Disc:-US/Canadian Bonus CD:All tracks taken from 2006's Live: In the Shadow of the Blues-Still Good To Be Bad :-Personnel:*David Coverdale - vocals*Doug Aldrich - guitars...

. The band toured the album extensively. Also in 2008, Whitesnake embarked on a European Tour as part of a double bill with fellow Yorkshire rockers Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...

.

In 2009, Whitesnake toured with Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...

 on the British Steel
British Steel (album)
British Steel is the sixth album by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 14 April 1980. It saw the band reprise the commercial sound they had established on Killing Machine however; this time, they abandoned many of the dark lyrical themes which had been prominent on their...

Anniversary Tour. On 11 August 2009, Whitesnake was playing a show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...

 in Morrison, Colorado
Morrison, Colorado
The historic Town of Morrison is a Home Rule Municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 430 at the 2000 census...

, when Coverdale suffered a vocal injury. After seeing a specialist, it was announced on 12 August 2009 that Coverdale is suffering from severe vocal fold edema and a left vocal fold vascular lesion. The remainder of their tour with Judas Priest was cancelled.

In early February 2010, David Coverdale has announced his voice seems to have fully recovered from the trauma that sidelined him and the band on the Priest tour. He states he's been recording new demos, aiming for a new Whitesnake album, and on tape his voice is sounding full and strong. The latest Whitesnake studio album "Forevermore" was released on 25 March 2011, with Aldrich and Beach on board.

Personal life

Coverdale was first married in 1974 to Julia, and their daughter Jessica was born in 1978. Coverdale's second marriage was to actress Tawny Kitaen
Tawny Kitaen
Julie "Tawny" Kitaen is an American actress and media personality. She became famous in the 1980s for appearing in several hard rock videos for the band Whitesnake, including the hit "Here I Go Again". Kitaen was married to Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale from 1989–1991...

, from 17 February 1989 until their divorce in April 1991. Kitaen was known for her provocative appearances in Whitesnake's music videos for "Here I Go Again
Here I Go Again
"Here I Go Again" is a #1 hit song recorded by Whitesnake. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the song was re-recorded for their eponymous 1987 album Whitesnake. The song was re-recorded yet another time that year in a new "radio-mix" version...

", "Is This Love
Is This Love (Whitesnake song)
"Is This Love" is a song by the English hard rock band Whitesnake. The song is taken from their self-titled album, which released in 1987.The song was written by vocalist David Coverdale and guitarist John Sykes during the albums early writing process , but it was long rumored that the song had...

" and "Still of the Night
Still of the Night (song)
"Still of the Night" is a single released by Whitesnake, from their hugely successful self titled 1987 album. It reached #16 in the U.K., #18 on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks and #79 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released on March 9, 1987...

." Since 1997, he has been married to Cindy, an author with works such as The Food That Rocks. They have a son, Jasper (born 1996). Coverdale is also a grandfather to his daughter Jessica's two children, Georgina and Mathilda.

On 1 March 2007, Coverdale became a U.S. citizen, in a ceremony in Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...

, and now holds dual US
United States nationality law
Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the United States Constitution expressly gives the United States Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. The Immigration and Naturalization Act sets forth the legal requirements for the acquisition of, and divestiture from, citizenship of...

/UK citizenship
British nationality law
British nationality law is the law of the United Kingdom that concerns citizenship and other categories of British nationality. The law is complex because of the United Kingdom's former status as an imperial power.-History:...

. He has lived near Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...

 for more than 20 years.

Band membership

Coverdale has been the lead vocalist for Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...

 as well as four various stints in Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...

. In addition, he has been the vocalist for the following bands:
  • The Government (1968–1972)
  • Fabulosa Brothers (1972–73)
  • Deep Purple
    Deep Purple
    Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...

     (1973–1976)
  • Solo (1976–77; 1999–2002)
  • Whitesnake
    Whitesnake
    Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...

     (1978–1991; 1994; 1997–98; 2002–present)
  • Coverdale and Page (1991–93)

Guitarists

Over his 40 plus year career, Coverdale has worked with many of rock music's most accomplished guitarists:
  • Ritchie Blackmore
    Ritchie Blackmore
    Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, who was known as one of the first guitarists to fuse Classical music elements with rock. He fronted his own band Rainbow after leaving Deep Purple where he was unhappy because his favourite musical style wasn't adequately...

     (Deep Purple
    Deep Purple
    Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...

    , Rainbow
    Rainbow (band)
    Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...

    , Blackmore's Night
    Blackmore's Night
    Blackmore's Night is an English-American traditional folk rock duo led by Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night .-Early:...

    ) - in Deep Purple (1973–1975)
  • Tommy Bolin
    Tommy Bolin
    Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin was an American-born guitarist who played with Zephyr , The James Gang , and Deep Purple , in addition to doing solo work...

     (Zephyr
    Zephyr (band)
    Zephyr was a blues-based hard rock band formed in 1969 in Boulder, Colorado by guitarist Tommy Bolin, keyboardist John Faris, David Givens on bass guitar, Robbie Chamberlin on drums and Candy Givens on vocals. Although the charismatic performances by Candy Givens were originally the focal point for...

    , The James Gang
    James Gang
    The James Gang was a rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. Though the band was not a huge commercial success, except in the Northeast Ohio area, the fame garnered by guitarist Joe Walsh has since made the group more notable.- History :...

    , Deep Purple) - in Deep Purple (1975–1976)
  • Micky Moody
    Micky Moody
    Michael Joseph "Micky" Moody is an English guitarist, and a former member of the rock bands Juicy Lucy and Whitesnake. He was also a founder-member of Snafu. Together with his former Whitesnake colleague Bernie Marsden he founded the Moody Marsden Band, and later, The Snakes...

     (Juicy Lucy
    Juicy Lucy (band)
    Juicy Lucy is a blues-rock band formed on April 1, 1969. After the demise of The Misunderstood, vocalist Ray Owen, steel guitarist Glenn Ross Campbell, and saxophone player Chris Mercer formed Juicy Lucy...

    , Whitesnake
    Whitesnake
    Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...

    , Company of Snakes
    Company of Snakes
    The Company of Snakes were an English rock band formed in 1998, by former members of the English rock band Whitesnake who were also members of The Snakes. They released two albums before morphing into M3 during 2004.- History:...

    , M3
    M3
    M3, M-3 or M03 may refer to:* M3 , a measure of the money supply* Metribolone* M3, a metric screw size- Science :* Cubic meter , a unit of volume* Messier 3 , a globular cluster in the constellation Canes Venatici...

    ) - in Whitesnake (1976–1983)
  • Bernie Marsden
    Bernie Marsden
    -External links:*...

     (UFO, Whitesnake, Bernie Marsden SOS, Company of Snakes, M3) - in Whitesnake (1977–1982)
  • Mel Galley
    Mel Galley
    Mel Galley was an English guitarist and a former member of the Hard rock bands Whitesnake, Trapeze, Finders Keepers and Phenomena. He was born in Cannock, Staffordshire, England...

     (Trapeze
    Trapeze
    A trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances...

    , Whitesnake) - in Whitesnake (1982–1984)
  • John Sykes
    John Sykes
    John James Sykes , is an English rock guitarist, who has played with Streetfighter, Tygers of Pan Tang, John Sloman's Badlands, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, and Blue Murder, in addition to having a notable solo career....

     (Tygers Of Pan Tang
    Tygers Of Pan Tang
    Tygers of Pan Tang are a heavy metal band, formed in 1978 and originating from Whitley Bay, England. They are a notable band of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement...

    , Badlands
    Badlands
    A badlands is a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded by wind and water. It can resemble malpaís, a terrain of volcanic rock. Canyons, ravines, gullies, hoodoos and other such geological forms are common in badlands. They are often...

     (UK), Thin Lizzy
    Thin Lizzy
    Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Two of the founding members, drummer Brian Downey and bass guitarist/vocalist Phil Lynott met while still in school. Lynott assumed the role of frontman and led them throughout their recording career of thirteen studio albums...

    , Whitesnake, Blue Murder, Sykes) - in Whitesnake (1984–1987)
  • Adrian Vandenberg
    Adrian Vandenberg
    Adrian van den Berg is a Dutch rock guitarist, best known for his tenure as one of the guitarists in Whitesnake during their successful late 1980s period.-Early years:...

     (Vandenberg, Whitesnake, Manic Eden
    Manic Eden
    Manic Eden were a short-lived hard rock band featuring former Whitesnake members Adrian Vandenberg, Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge. At first, the band featured singer James Christian of House of Lords, but he was already fired shortly after the founding of Manic Eden and replaced by former Little...

    ) - in Whitesnake (1987–1991, 1994, 1997–1998)
  • Vivian Campbell
    Vivian Campbell
    Vivian Patrick Campbell is a Northern Irish rock guitarist who is a member of Def Leppard and was, from May 2010 to November 2011, a member of Thin Lizzy. Prior to joining Def Leppard in April 1992, he had been a member of Whitesnake, Sweet Savage, Trinity, Riverdogs, and Shadow King...

     (Sweet Savage, Dio
    Dio (band)
    Dio was an American heavy metal band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice. Naming the band Dio made sense from a commercial...

    , Whitesnake, Riverdogs
    Riverdogs
    - Band members :The band has featured singer Rob Lamothe, several guitarists, bass guitarists and drummers at different times.Past and present Riverdogs musicians include:Guitarists: Vivian Campbell, Nick Brophy...

    , Shadow King
    Shadow King
    The Shadow King, also known as Amahl Farouk, is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shadow King exists as an entity of pure psychic energy that feeds on the hatred of humanity...

    , Def Leppard
    Def Leppard
    Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...

    ) - in Whitesnake (1987–1988)
  • Steve Vai
    Steve Vai
    Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....

     (Frank Zappa
    Frank Zappa
    Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...

    , Alcatrazz
    Alcatrazz
    Alcatrazz is an American heavy metal band formed in 1983 by Graham Bonnet, Jimmy Waldo and Gary Shea.-History:The band's initial line-up consisted of former Rainbow frontman Graham Bonnet, young Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen who had recently left American band Steeler, Gary Shea and Jimmy...

    , David Lee Roth
    David Lee Roth
    David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....

    , Whitesnake) - in Whitesnake (1988–1991)
  • Jimmy Page
    Jimmy Page
    James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...

     (Led Zeppelin
    Led Zeppelin
    Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

    , The Firm, The Yardbirds
    The Yardbirds
    - Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...

    ) - in Coverdale and Page (1992–1993)
  • Warren DeMartini
    Warren DeMartini
    Warren Justin DeMartini , nicknamed Torch, is the lead guitarist for Ratt, a popular American band during the mid-to-late 1980s Los Angeles glam metal scene.-Early life:...

     (Ratt
    Ratt
    Ratt is an American heavy metal band that had significant commercial success in the 1980s. The band is best known for songs such as "Round and Round," "Wanted Man," "Lay It Down," "You're in Love", "Slip of the Lip", "Back For More", "Dance", "Body Talk", "I Want a Woman", and "Way Cool Jr." Ratt...

    ) - in Whitesnake (1994)
  • Earl Slick
    Earl Slick
    Earl Slick is a guitarist best known for his collaborations with David Bowie, Jim Diamond and Robert Smith, although he has also worked with other artists , John Waite, and even released some solo recordings.In the early 1970s, Earl Slick gained his...

     (David Bowie
    David Bowie
    David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...

    , John Lennon
    John Lennon
    John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...

    , Phantom, Rocker & Slick
    Phantom, Rocker & Slick
    Phantom, Rocker & Slick was an American rock band active in the mid-1980s. The bandmembers were drummer Slim Jim Phantom, bassist Lee Rocker, and guitarist Earl Slick. Phantom and Rocker had previously played together as members of the Stray Cats...

    , and Slick) - in David Coverdale's solo work (2000)
  • Doug Aldrich
    Doug Aldrich
    Doug Aldrich , is a Los Angeles-based hard rock guitarist, since 2003 a member of Whitesnake. He founded the band Burning Rain with Keith St.John in 1998 and has played previously with the bands Dio, Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords, and Bad Moon Rising...

     (Lion, Hurricane, House of Lords
    House of Lords
    The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

    , Bad Moon Rising
    Bad Moon Rising (band)
    Bad Moon Rising were a rock band that rose to superstar status in Japan with a series of hard rock albums led by Scottish born vocalist Kal Swan and guitarist Doug Aldrich....

    , Burning Rain
    Burning Rain
    Burning Rain is a band formed by guitarist Doug Aldrich and singer Keith St. John in 1998. Joining the group were drummer Alex Makarovich and Ian Mayo on bass...

    , Dio, Whitesnake) - in Whitesnake (since 2002)
  • Reb Beach
    Reb Beach
    Reb Beach is an American rock guitarist. He is a member of the bands Winger and Whitesnake...

     (Winger, Dokken
    Dokken
    Dokken is an American heavy metal and hard rock band formed in 1978. They split up in 1989 but reformed four years later. The group accumulated numerous charting singles and has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide...

    , Alice Cooper
    Alice Cooper
    Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...

    , The Mob
    The Mob (American rock band)
    The Mob is an American hard rock band formed in 2005. Their self-titled debut album was released by Frontiers Records the same year.-Line-up:* Reb Beach – guitars, backing vocals* Doug Pinnick – lead vocals* Timothy Drury – keyboards, backing vocals...

    ) - in Whitesnake (since 2002)

Solo

1977 White Snake

1978 Northwinds
Northwinds
Northwinds is the title of the second solo album by David Coverdale, released in early 1978. The original release contained eight tracks, with two more tracks added on recent reissues...


The first two solo albums were also released as one 2-disc album The Early Years
The Early Years (David Coverdale album)
The Early Years is a double CD compilation album released in 2003 by David Coverdale of Deep Purple and Whitesnake fame. It contains his first two solo releases, White Snake, and Northwinds, released in 1977 and 1978, respectively...

in 2003

1990 "The Last Note Of Freedom" - song featured on Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder
Days of Thunder is a 1990 American auto racing film released by Paramount Pictures, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances...

soundtrack

1993 Coverdale and Page (with Jimmy Page)

2000 Into the Light
Into the Light (David Coverdale album)
Into the Light is the third solo album by David Coverdale. In between 1978 and 1997, Coverdale and his band Whitesnake produced 10 studio albums...


Guest appearances & other projects

1974 Roger Glover
Roger Glover
Roger David Glover is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. Glover is best known as the bassist and lyricist for the hard rock band, Deep Purple.-Early career:...

 - The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast ("Behind the Smile")

1974 Jon Lord
Jon Lord
Jonathan Douglas "Jon" Lord is an English composer, pianist and Hammond organ player.Jon Lord, also known as 'Hammond Lord', is a classically trained piano player. He is recognised for his Hammond organ blues-rock sound and for his pioneering work in fusing rock and classical or baroque forms...

 - Windows - 2nd Movement, Gemini

1976 Eddie Hardin
Eddie Hardin
Eddie Hardin , is an English rock pianist and singer-songwriter. He is best known for his associations with the Spencer Davis Group, Axis Point also Hardin and York...

 - Wizard's Convention ("Money To Burn")

1978 Barbi Benton
Barbi Benton
Barbi Benton is an American model, actress and singer.-Career:She was featured on the cover of Playboy several times and in nude photo layouts in the March 1970, December 1973, and January 1975 issues, although she was never one of the magazine's "Playmates of the Month".Benton is known for her...

 - Ain't That Just The Way (co-writer of "Up In The Air")

1989 Steve Vai
Steve Vai
Steven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....

 - Passion and Warfare
Passion and Warfare
Passion and Warfare is a 1990 instrumental album from guitarist Steve Vai. It has been certified Gold by the RIAA. It was written based on a series of dream sequences that Vai had when he was younger, and in the guitar music book of the album, Vai sums it up as 'Jimi Hendrix meets Jesus Christ at a...

("For the Love of God")

2000 Bernie Marsden
Bernie Marsden
-External links:*...

 - And About Time Too ("Who's Fooling Who", live recording from '81, only on reissue of the album)

2003 Tony Franklin
Tony Franklin (musician)
Anthony James "Tony" Franklin is an English rock musician, best known for his work on the fretless bass guitar with Roy Harper, The Firm, Jimmy Page, John Sykes' Blue Murder, Whitesnake and briefly, with Quiet Riot.-Fretless bass:...

 - Wonderland ("Sunshine Lady")

Quotation

NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...

- March 1984

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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