"I've seen people younger than him in wheelchairs on stage, he probably doesn't want people to see him that way." Ritchie Blackmore's wife Candice Night says the guitarist had a heart attack 18 months ago, won't be onstage in Europe any time soon

(Image credit: Minstrel Hall Music)

Ritchie Blackmore, the legendary former Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist, suffered a heart attack 18 months ago, and is unlikely to return to European stages anytime soon, according to his wife Candice Night.

Night, who has been with Blackmore, 79, for 36 years, 17 of those as husband-and-wife, was interviewed by TotalRock from the couple's home in Long Island, and discussed the possibility of the pair returning to Europe to play shows with Blackmore's Night, their Medieval and folk-rock project.

Night revealed to interviewer Dawn Osborne that the pair have six shows lined up on America's East Coast, but added, "As far as flying anywhere right now, Ritchie has actually been told by his cardiologist not to get in a plane."

The singer, who first met the legendary musician when she was interning at a radio station, continues, "He had a heart attack about a year and a half ago: he's got six stents. I can't believe he's going to be 80 on April 14t which is crazy - he doesn't look it, still doesn't act it - but eventually medical things wind up catching up with you. So we've gotta make sure we keep him happy and healthy. And he's dealing with gout and some arthritic things. And, of course, his back has always been an issue for years. So it's getting harder for him - it's tricky.

"But, hey, I've seen people younger than him in wheelchairs on stage doing what they do,": she adds. "So I think he probably doesn't want people to see him that way. I see the other perspective - from a fan's perspective, I would think people would just be happy to be under the same roof with him and listen to him play whatever he comes up with. So, we kind of have this discussion, or argument - I'll say discussion - all the time. But he was just recently at his cardiologist and they said, 'Let's put traveling by plane on hold.' So, hopefully we'll get that all straightened out and that'll change. But I'll let you guys know if it does."

Blackmore will appear on Night's forthcoming solo album, Sea Glass, on a song called The Last Goodbye. Sea Glass is set for release on earMUSIC on April 25.

Watch the full interview below:

Candice Night on new solo album 'Sea Glass' featuring Ritchie Blackmore with Dawn Osborne/TotalRock - YouTube

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A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.