List of Rainbow band members

Two line-ups of Rainbow performing in 1977 and 2017

Rainbow are an English-American hard rock band originally from Hertford, Hertfordshire. Formed in January 1975 by then-Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, the original lineup of the group also included former Elf members Ronnie James Dio (lead vocals), Craig Gruber (bass), Gary Driscoll (drums) and Micky Lee Soule (keyboards), who recorded and released the self-titled album Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow that year.[1] The most recent line-up consisted of Blackmore (the sole continuous member), backing vocalist Candice Night (since 1994), singer Ronnie Romero, bassist Bob Nouveau, drummer David Keith and keyboardist Jens Johansson (all since 2015).

## History

[edit]

After the release of the band’s debut album, Blackmore replaced Gruber, Driscoll and Soule in September 1975, with Jimmy Bain, Cozy Powell and Tony Carey, respectively.[2] This lineup would release the studio album Rising and the live album On Stage, before Bain and Carey were sacked by Blackmore, on 3 January 1977.[3] Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, released in 1978, featured bassist Bob Daisley and keyboardist David Stone, in addition to Powell.[4]

After the release of Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, Dio left due to disagreements with Blackmore.[5] Graham Bonnet replaced Dio for 1979's Down to Earth, which also saw the addition of bassist Roger Glover and keyboardist Don Airey.[6] Bonnet left after the album's release and was replaced by Joe Lynn Turner, while Powell also left the group to be replaced by Bobby Rondinelli; both new members played on Difficult to Cure.[7] Keyboardist David Rosenthal replaced Airey for 1982's Straight Between the Eyes, while 1983's Bent Out of Shape, featured drummer Chuck Burgi replacing Rondinelli.[7] Rainbow disbanded for the first time in 1984.[7]

After Blackmore left Deep Purple for the second time in 1993,[8] Rainbow reformed with vocalist Doogie White, bassist Greg Smith, drummer John O'Reilly and keyboardist Paul Morris, releasing the album Stranger in Us All in 1995.[9] The band's return was short-lived, however, as they broke up again in 1997, when Blackmore shifted focus to Blackmore's Night.[10] In November 2015, it was revealed that Blackmore would be returning to the Rainbow moniker for a number of shows in 2016 with vocalist Ronnie Romero, bassist Bob Nouveau (Bob Curiano), drummer David Keith and keyboardist Jens Johansson.[11] This lineup remained active until 2019, releasing three new live albums and a number of singles, before Romero confirmed his departure from the group in October 2023.[12]

## Members

[edit]

### Current

[edit]

Image  | Name  | Years active  | Instruments  | Release contributions

|
|
|
|

| Ritchie Blackmore |

* 1975–1984
* 1993–1997
* 2015–present

* guitars
* bass (studio 1977)

| all Rainbow releases

| Bob Nouveau
(Bob Curiano) | 2015–present  |

* bass
* backing vocals

* Memories in Rock: Live in Germany (2016)
* "Land of Hope and Glory" (2017)
* "I Surrender" (2017)
* Live in Birmingham 2016 (2017)
* Memories in Rock II Live (2018)
* "Black Sheep of the Family" (2019)
* "The Storm" (2019)

| David Keith | drums

| Jens Johansson | keyboards

### Former

[edit]

Image  | Name  | Years active  | Instruments  | Release contributions

|
|
|
|

| Ronnie James Dio
(Ronald Padavona)[13] | 1975–1979 (died 2010) | lead and backing vocals  |

* all Rainbow releases from Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975) to Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978)
* Live in Germany 1976 (1990)
* Deutschland Tournee 1976 (2006)
* Live in Munich 1977 (2006)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)

| Craig Gruber |

* 1975
* 1977 (died 2015)

| bass  | Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)
| Micky Lee Soule | 1975  | keyboards
| Gary Driscoll | 1975 (died 1987) | drums

| Cozy Powell
(Colin Flooks) | 1975–1980 (died 1998) |

* all Rainbow releases from Rising (1976) to Down to Earth (1979)
* Live in Germany 1976 (1990)
* Deutschland Tournee 1976 (2006)
* Live in Munich 1977 (2006)
* Denver 1979: Down to Earth Tour (2015)
* Long Island 1979: Down to Earth Tour (2015)
* Down to Earth Tour 1979 (Box set) (2015)
* Monsters of Rock - Live at Donington 1980 (2016)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)

| Jimmy Bain | 1975–1977 (died 2016) |

* bass
* backing vocals

* Rising (1976)
* On Stage (1977)
* Live in Germany 1976 (1990)
* Deutschland Tournee 1976 (2006)

| Tony Carey | 1975–1977  | keyboards

| David Stone
(Michael Stoyanoff) | 1977–1978  |

* Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978)
* Live in Munich 1977 (2006)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)

| Mark Clarke | 1977  |

* bass
* backing vocals

| none
| Bob Daisley | 1977–1978  |

* Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978)
* Live in Munich 1977 (2006)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)

| Jack Green[13] | 1978 (died 2024) | none

| Roger Glover | 1979–1984  |

* bass
* backing vocals
* percussion (studio, 1983)

* all Rainbow releases from Down to Earth (1979) to Bent Out of Shape (1983), and from Denver 1979: Down to Earth Tour (2015) to Boston 1981 (2016)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)
* Live Between The Eyes (1982)

| Don Airey | 1979–1981  |

* keyboards
* backing vocals

* Down to Earth (1979)
* Difficult to Cure (1981)
* Denver 1979: Down to Earth Tour (2015)
* Long Island 1979: Down to Earth Tour (2015)
* Monsters of Rock: Live at Donington 1980 (2016)
* Boston 1981 (2016)
* Down to Earth Tour 1979 (Box set) (2015)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)

| Graham Bonnet | 1979–1980  | lead vocals  |

* Down to Earth (1979)
* Denver 1979: Down to Earth Tour (2015)
* Long Island 1979: Down to Earth Tour (2015)
* Monsters of Rock: Live at Donington 1980 (2016)
* Down to Earth Tour 1979 (Box set) (2015)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)

| Joe Lynn Turner
(Joseph Linquito) | 1980–1984  |

* all Rainbow releases from Difficult to Cure (1981) to Bent Out of Shape (1983)
* Live in Japan (2015)
* Boston 1981 (2016)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)
* Live Between the Eyes (1982)

| Bobby Rondinelli | 1980–1983  | drums  |

* Difficult to Cure (1981)
* Straight Between the Eyes (1982)
* Boston 1981 (2016)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)
* Live Between the Eyes (1982)

| David Rosenthal | 1981–1984  |

* keyboards
* backing vocals

* Straight Between the Eyes (1982)
* Bent Out of Shape (1983)
* Live in Japan (2015)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)
* Live Between the Eyes (1982)

| Chuck Burgi |

* 1983–1984
* 1995–1996

| drums  |

* Bent Out of Shape (1983)
* Black Masquerade (2013)
* Live in Japan (2015)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)

| Paul Morris | 1993–1997  | keyboards  |

* Stranger in Us All (1995)
* Black Masquerade (2013)

| Greg Smith |

* bass
* backing vocals

| Doogie White
(Douglas White) | lead vocals

| John O'Reilly  | 1993–1995  | drums  | Stranger in Us All (1995)
| John Miceli | 1997  | none

| Ronnie Romero | 2015–2023  | lead vocals  |

* Memories in Rock: Live in Germany (2016)
* "Land of Hope and Glory" (2017)
* "I Surrender" (2017)
* Live in Birmingham 2016 (2017)
* Memories in Rock II Live (2018)
* "Black Sheep of the Family" (2019)
* "The Storm" (2019)

### Touring

[edit]

Image  | Name  | Years active  | Instruments  | Release contributions  | Details

|
|
|
|
|

| Lin Robinson  | 1981–1984  | backing vocals  |

* Live Between the Eyes (1982)
* Live in Japan (2015)
* Finyl Vinyl (1986)
* Boston 1981 (2016)

| Robinson and Beale toured with Rainbow from the Difficult to Cure tour until the group disbanded in 1984.[14]
| Dee Beale

| Candice Night |

* 1994–1997
* 2015–present

* Stranger in Us All (1995)
* Memories in Rock: Live in Germany (2016)
* Land of Hope and Glory (2017)
* "I Surrender" (2017)
* Live in Birmingham 2016 (2017)
* Memories in Rock II Live (2018)
* "Black Sheep of the Family" (2019)
* "The Storm" (2019)

| Night joined the band on tour in 1994, and also returned in 2015.
| Lady Lynn
(Christina Lynn Skleros) | 2015–present  |

* Memories in Rock - Live in Germany (2016)
* Live in Birmingham 2016 (2017)
* Memories in Rock II (2018)

| Skleros, a member of Blackmore and Night's other group Blackmore's Night, joined Rainbow on tour in 2015.[14]

## Timeline

[edit]

### Recording Timeline

[edit]

Role  | Album

|

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
(1975) | Rising
(1976) | Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
(1978) | Down to Earth
(1979) | Difficult to Cure
(1981) | Straight Between the Eyes
(1982) | Bent Out of Shape
(1983) | Stranger in Us All
(1995)
Lead vocals | Ronnie James Dio | Graham Bonnet | Joe Lynn Turner | Doogie White
Guitars | Ritchie Blackmore
Bass | Craig Gruber | Jimmy Bain | Ritchie Blackmore
Bob Daisley | Roger Glover | Greg Smith
Keyboards | Micky Lee Soule | Tony Carey | Tony Carey
David Stone | Don Airey | David Rosenthal | Paul Morris
Drums | Gary Driscoll | Cozy Powell | Bobby Rondinelli | Chuck Burgi | John O'Reilly
Backing vocals | Ronnie James Dio  | —  | Roger Glover Don Airey  | Joe Lynn Turner | —  | Candice Night

## Lineups

[edit]

Period  | Members  | Releases

|
|

February – July 1975  |

* Ronnie James Dio – vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Craig Gruber – bass
* Micky Lee Soule – keyboards
* Gary Driscoll – drums

* Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)

August 1975 – January 1977  |

* Ronnie James Dio – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Jimmy Bain – bass, backing vocals
* Tony Carey – keyboards
* Cozy Powell – drums

* Rising (1976)
* On Stage (1977)

January – February 1977  |

* Ronnie James Dio – vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Craig Gruber – bass
* Tony Carey – keyboards
* Cozy Powell – drums

| none
February – May 1977  |

* Ronnie James Dio – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Mark Clarke – bass, backing vocals
* Tony Carey – keyboards
* Cozy Powell – drums

May – September 1977  |

* Ronnie James Dio – vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars, bass
* Tony Carey – keyboards
* Cozy Powell – drums

September 1977 –September 1978  |

* Ronnie James Dio – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Bob Daisley – bass, backing vocals
* David Stone – keyboards
* Cozy Powell – drums

* Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978)
* Live in Munich 1977 (2006)

October 1978 - January 1979  |

* Ronnie James Dio – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Jack Green – bass, backing vocals
* David Stone – keyboards
* Cozy Powell – drums

| none
March 1979 – August 1980  |

* Graham Bonnet – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals
* Don Airey – keyboards, backing vocals
* Cozy Powell – drums

* Down to Earth (1979)
* Denver 1979: Down to Earth Tour (2015)
* Long Island 1979: Down to Earth Tour (2015)
* Down to Earth Tour 1979 (Box set) (2015)

October 1980 – September 1981  |

* Joe Lynn Turner – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals
* Don Airey – keyboards, backing vocals
* Bobby Rondinelli – drums

* Difficult to Cure (1981)
* Jealous Lover (1981)
* Boston 1981 (2016)

October 1981 – June 1983  |

* Joe Lynn Turner – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals
* David Rosenthal – keyboards
* Bobby Rondinelli – drums

* Straight Between the Eyes (1982)

August 1983 – March 1984  |

* Joe Lynn Turner – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Roger Glover – bass, backing vocals
* David Rosenthal – keyboards
* Chuck Burgi – drums

* Bent Out of Shape (1983)
* Live in Japan (2015)

Band inactive March 1984 – August 1994
August 1994 – September 1995  |

* Doogie White – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Greg Smith – bass, backing vocals
* Paul Morris – keyboards
* John O'Reilly – drums
* Candice Night – backing vocals

* Stranger in Us All (1995)

September 1995 – December 1996  |

* Doogie White – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Greg Smith – bass, backing vocals
* Paul Morris – keyboards
* Chuck Burgi – drums
* Candice Night – backing vocals

* Black Masquerade (2013)

January – May 1997  |

* Doogie White – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Greg Smith – bass, backing vocals
* Paul Morris – keyboards
* John Miceli – drums
* Candice Night – backing vocals

| none
Band inactive May 1997 – November 2015
November 2015 – October 2023  |

* Ronnie Romero – lead vocals
* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Bob Nouveau – bass, backing vocals
* Jens Johansson – keyboards
* David Keith – drums
* Candice Night – backing vocals

* Memories in Rock: Live in Germany (2016)
* Land of Hope and Glory (2017)
* "I Surrender" (2017)
* Live in Birmingham 2016 (2017)
* Memories in Rock II Live (2018)
* "Black Sheep of the Family" (2019)
* "The Storm" (2019)

October 2023 – present  |

* Ritchie Blackmore – guitars
* Bob Nouveau – bass, backing vocals
* Jens Johansson – keyboards
* David Keith – drums
* Candice Night – backing vocals

| none

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo (4 August 2015). "The Story Of Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow And Their Debut Album". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
2. ^ Makowski, Peter (14 April 2014). "Rainbow Rising: how Ritchie Blackmore aimed for the stars". Classic Rock. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
3. ^ Makowski, Peter (14 April 2014). "Ritchie Blackmore on Rainbow's Classic Album 'Rising'". TeamRock. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
4. ^ Ginsberg, Geoff. "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll - Rainbow: Songs, Credits, Reviews". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
5. ^ Sweeting, Adam (17 May 2010). "Ronnie James Dio obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
6. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Down to Earth - Rainbow: Songs, Credits, Reviews". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
7. ^ a b c Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Rainbow: Biography & History". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
8. ^ DeRiso, Nick (5 July 2015). "Ritchie Blackmore Is Considering a Return to Rock". Ultimate Classic Rock. Diffuser Network. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
9. ^ Adams, Bret. "Stranger in Us All - Rainbow: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
10. ^ Kielty, Martin (6 July 2015). "Blackmore Plans Return to Rock". TeamRock. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
11. ^ DiVita, Joe (7 November 2015). "Ritchie Blackmore Unveils Lineup for Rock Shows". Loudwire. Townsquare Media. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
12. ^ "RONNIE ROMERO Says His Time With RAINBOW Is Over: 'I Don't Think That's My Place Anymore'". Blabbermouth.net. 22 October 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
13. ^ a b "Ritchie Blackmore". Guitarmasterclass.net. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
14. ^ a b "Rainbow Members: Now And Then". The Rainbow Fanclan Legacy. Retrieved 18 May 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Ritchie Blackmore official website

* v
* t
* e

Rainbow

* Ritchie Blackmore
* Candice Night
* Jens Johansson
* David Keith
* Bob Nouveau

* Ronnie James Dio
* Gary Driscoll
* Craig Gruber
* Micky Lee Soule
* Cozy Powell
* Jimmy Bain
* Mark Clarke
* Tony Carey
* David Stone
* Bob Daisley
* Roger Glover
* Don Airey
* Graham Bonnet
* Joe Lynn Turner
* Bobby Rondinelli
* David Rosenthal
* Chuck Burgi
* Paul Morris
* Greg Smith
* Doogie White
* John O'Reilly
* John Miceli
* Ronnie Romero

Studio albums|

* Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow
* Rising
* Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
* Down to Earth
* Difficult to Cure
* Straight Between the Eyes
* Bent Out of Shape
* Stranger in Us All

EPs|

* Jealous Lover

Live albums|

* On Stage
* Finyl Vinyl
* Live in Germany 1976 / Live in Europe
* Deutschland Tournee 1976
* Live in Munich 1977

Compilation albums|

* The Best of Rainbow
* The Very Best of Rainbow
* 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rainbow
* Pot of Gold
* All Night Long: An Introduction
* Catch the Rainbow: The Anthology
* Winning Combinations: Deep Purple and Rainbow

Video albums|

* Live in Munich 1977

Songs|

* "Man on the Silver Mountain"
* "Stargazer"
* "Since You Been Gone"
* "All Night Long"
* "I Surrender"
* "Stone Cold"
* "Street of Dreams"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Members
* Blackmore's Night
* Elf
* Deep Purple
* Black Sabbath
* Whitesnake
* Dio
* Heaven & Hell
* Yngwie Malmsteen
* Elegant Weapons

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