Concerns over Ritchie Blackmore’s health were raised after he canceled Blackmore’s Night’s fall tour on November 15 for medical concerns.
In a social media post on Sunday, November 23, Blackmore revealed that he’d been suffering from migraines.
"Very quick history, for those who have nothing better to do: I have a long history of lumbar and neck herniated discs. Consequently, I would have back injections before a tour to help me over the pain.
“Recently, I have acquired debilitating migraines. They come and go very quickly. When I see the visual disturbance of these ocular migraines, I know they are coming.
“When we did the long drive from Pennsylvania to Newton NJ we were booked into a hotel that had a wedding party going all night in the corridors. There was no heat in the room and the sheets were still damp. Which I assume culminated in me having a severe migraine attack. I couldn't stop vomiting. The room wouldn't stop spinning and I was extremely dizzy to the point of not being able to stand.
“Ambulance was called. I was taken to hospital and they gave me CAT scans and other tests.”
Blackmore says the “official diagnosis was severe vertigo. The results of this went on for days on end.”
He’s now following up with doctors to get back to health and says he hopes to return to the road.
Blackmore’s wife and bandmate, Candice Night, spoke up about the electric guitar icon’s health in August, citing three issues he’s had to deal with.
"He has a heart issue — he had a heart attack a couple of years ago, so we stay on top of that.
“He's got gout, so that's difficult,” she adds. “It's affecting his feet really badly. And it's starting in his forefinger, so it's hurting the mobility in that. He just had an injection for that. And his back, of course, which has always been an issue.”
Last year, Blackmore launched the video series Tales from the Tavern on YouTube, where he delivers anecdotes about his career with Deep Purple, Rainbow and Blackmore’s Night, his Renaissance folk-rock outfit They include his recollections of writing “Smoke on the Water,” Deep Purple’s 1972 hit, and why he and Ian Gillan couldn't remain together in that band.
