List of Deep Purple members

Formed in March 1968, the group originally included vocalist Rod Evans, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist Nick Simper, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice ("Mark I").

Deep Purple were formed under the name Roundabout in March 1968 by vocalist Rod Evans, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist Nick Simper, keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice.

[4] After The Book of Taliesyn and Deep Purple, Blackmore, Lord and Paice made the decision in May 1969 to dismiss Evans and Simper, wanting to pursue a heavier direction that they deemed the pair unsuitable for.

[5] By the time the original lineup, subsequently dubbed "Mark I", played their last show on 4 July 1969, new vocalist Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover had already been recruited from Episode Six.

[20] After auditioning and rehearsing with numerous potential replacements for the vocalist, the band eventually enlisted Joe Lynn Turner, who had previously worked with Blackmore and Glover in Rainbow, to take Gillan's place in December 1989.

[22] Gillan subsequently returned for a third stint as lead vocalist, as management wanted the classic "Mark II" lineup back together for a planned 25th anniversary tour, and the band issued The Battle Rages On... in 1993.

[26] After briefly considering disbanding, the band added Joe Satriani in Blackmore's place for a string of pre-arranged tour dates, including shows in Japan and Europe starting in December.

[27] Blackmore was eventually officially replaced by former Dixie Dregs and Kansas guitarist Steve Morse on August 17, 1994, who debuted with the band at three low-key gigs in November 1994 and was later offered the position permanently.

[31] The lineup remained active until March 2022, when the band announced that Steve Morse would go on a hiatus and be replaced by Simon McBride,[32] who has previously toured with both Ian Gillan and Don Airey.

Ian Gillan replaced original lead vocalist Rod Evans in 1969 and stayed until 1973. He re-joined the band in 1984 but was fired in 1989. In 1992, he returned to the band and is still with them to this day.
Joe Lynn Turner , formerly of Rainbow (Blackmore's other band) replaced Ian Gillan in 1989 before being replaced by Gillan in 1992.
Steve Morse replaced temporary guitarist Joe Satriani in 1994 and stayed with the band until 2022 when he left to care for his ill wife and was replaced by Simon McBride .