Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale has announced his retirement.
The English rocker, 74, shared the news in a video posted on his social media accounts on Thursday 13 November.
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the Snake, a special announcement for you,” he began.
After 50-plus years of an incredible journey with you – with Deep Purple, with Whitesnake, with Jimmy Page – the last few years it has been very evident to me that it’s time really for me to hang up my rock’n’roll platform shoes and my skintight jeans.”
He continued: “As you can see, we’ve taken care of the lion’s wig. But it’s time for me to call it a day. I love you dearly. I thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey … but it really is time for me to just enjoy my retirement, and I hope you can appreciate that.”
The announcement was accompanied by a video montage of Coverdale’s career, which was set to the Whitesnake song “Fare Thee Well” from their 2011 album Forevermore.
Before forming Whitesnake in London in 1978, Coverdale was known as the singer for Deep Purple between 1973 to 1976. He appeared on three of the band’s albums: 1974’s Burn and Stormbringer, and 1975’s Come Taste the Band.
He and the other members of Deep Purple were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. Coverdale also collaborated with Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page on the 1993 album Coverdale-Page.
“People go, ‘Oh my God, how was it going to Madison Square Garden?’” he recalled in an interview with The Independent in 2021. “When you’re playing Wingate Constitutional Club on a Tuesday night, or Stillington Working Men’s Club following a stripper at lunchtime, Madison Square Garden is a walk in the park!”
With Whitesnake, Coverdale achieved huge popularity with hits such as “Here I Go Again” and “Is This Love” during the Eighties.
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Coverdale expressed doubt in a 2023 interview as to whether Whitesnake would ever return to the stage, as he revealed he was “incredibly compromised” the previous year by “the worst sinus infection I’ve ever had in my life”.
Their latest album, Flesh and Blood, was released in 2019. Whitesnake were forced to cancel the remainder of their European farewell tour dates in 2022 due to health challenges among their members.