Ritchie Blackmore before he was famous

The nobody years

1. 

   1956 A guitar with conditions

   His father gave him a guitar, provided he learned it properly.

   At eleven his father gave him a guitar, on condition he learn it properly. Source

2. 

   1960 Heathrow radio apprentice

   At fifteen, he became an apprentice radio mechanic at Heathrow.

   He left school at fifteen to become an apprentice radio mechanic at Heathrow Airport. Source

3. 

   1960 Big Jim's lessons

   He took electric guitar lessons from Big Jim Sullivan.

   Took electric guitar lessons from session player Big Jim Sullivan. Source

4. 

   1968 His grandmother's favourite song

   He named Deep Purple after his grandmother's favourite song.

   He named it Deep Purple, after his grandmother's favourite song. Source

5. 1945

   Was born in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. Source

6. 1947

   At two, the family moved to Heston, near London. Source

7. 1950s

   He started guitar because he wanted to jump around like Tommy Steele. Source

8. 1950s

   He was caned so often for talking in class that he struggled to talk to people. Source

9. 1960s

   Played sessions for producer Joe Meek and backed Screaming Lord Sutch on stage. Source

10. 1967

    He was living in Hamburg when a call came to join a new band. Source

Reconstructions of documented moments, generated with AI. Not archive photographs, and not depictions of real people. © The Nobody Years