On Thursday, David Coverdale announced he was officially retiring after an ‘incredible’ 59-year career performing with rock bands like Whitesnake, Deep Purple and Jimmy Page.
‘The last few years it has become very evident to me that it’s time really for me to hang up my rock and roll platform shoes and my skin tight jeans,’ the 74-year-old Englishman admitted on YouTube.
‘It’s time for me to call it a day. I love you dearly, thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey. All the musicians, the crew, the fans the family it’s amazing.’
Raising his cocktail, Coverdale concluded: ‘It is time for me to enjoy my retirement and I hope you can appreciate that. Once again, I love you with all my heart. Fare thee well.’
The glam metal vocalist included a time-hopping montage of some of his favorite memories onstage, which was set to a new remix of Whitesnake’s 2011 song Forevermore.
Coverdale founded Whitesnake in 1978 but their biggest hits both happened in 1987 – Is This Love, which reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and Here I Go Again, which topped the chart.
On Thursday, David Coverdale (pictured in 1987) announced he was officially retiring after an ‘incredible’ 59-year career performing with rock bands like Whitesnake, Deep Purple and Jimmy Page
The 74-year-old Englishman admitted on YouTube:Â ‘The last few years it has become very evident to me that it’s time really for me to hang up my rock and roll platform shoes and my skin tight jeans’
Both music videos memorably starred his late second ex-wife Julie ‘Tawny’ Kitaen, whom he divorced in 1991 after only two years of marriage.
The trailblazing video vixen tragically passed away, at age 59, in 2021 from heart issues and drug ingestion.
Coverdale hadn’t toured with Whitesnake since 2022 – the same year he suffered ‘the worst sinus infection I’ve ever had in my life.’
‘And as a singer, I know them like f***ing relatives of mine,’ the silver-haired grandfather-of-two told Ultimate Classic Rock in 2023.
‘This was one of the ugliest illnesses I think I’ve [ever] had. For seven months, I was taking ever-increasingly strong antibiotics and horrifying Prednisone steroids.’
In August, Coverdale authorized the spin-off group – Whitesnake Experience by the Members of Whitesnake – to perform at a festival in Serbia, so perhaps the remaining members of his beloved band will continue his legacy in the future.
In 2016, the Saltburn-by-the-Sea-born singer – who’s sold over 40M records – was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Deep Purple, which he fronted from 1973-1976 after founding frontman Ian Gillan briefly quit.
And in 1993, he teamed up with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page for a short-lived collaboration called Coverdale-Page, which involved one album and a Japanese tour.
Reacting to Coverdale’s Instagram post was his third wife, Cindy Barker, with whom he celebrated the 35th anniversary of their meeting last Saturday.
He continued:Â ‘It’s time for me to call it a day. I love you dearly, thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey. All the musicians, the crew, the fans the family it’s amazing’
Raising his cocktail, Coverdale concluded: ‘It is time for me to enjoy my retirement and I hope you can appreciate that. Once again, I love you with all my heart. Fare thee well’
The glam metal vocalist founded Whitesnake in 1978 (pictured) but their biggest hits both happened in 1987 – Is This Love, which reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and Here I Go Again, which topped the chartÂ
Both music videos memorably starred Coverdale’s late second ex-wife Julie ‘Tawny’ Kitaen, whom he divorced in 1991 after only two years of marriage
The trailblazing video vixen tragically passed away, at age 59, in 2021 from heart issues and drug ingestion (pictured in 1988)Â
The silver-haired grandfather-of-two hadn’t toured with Whitesnake since 2022 – the same year he suffered ‘the worst sinus infection I’ve ever had in my life’Â
In 2016, Coverdale – who’s sold over 40M records – was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Deep Purple, which he fronted from 1973-1976 after founding frontman Ian Gillan briefly quit (pictured in 1988)
Reacting to the Saltburn-by-the-Sea-born singer’s Instagram post was his third wife, Cindy Barker, with whom he celebrated the 35th anniversary of their meeting last Saturday (pictured)
‘So proud of you, Baby!’ the 59-year-old Food That Rocks co-author gushed in the comments. ‘You gave so much of yourself, so freely, and with so much love and care. Now you get to do whatever you want to!’
On Thursday, the married couple’s 29-year-old son Jasper shared a snap of himself dining at Faena New York with the ‘legend’ whom he lauded for gracefully retiring:Â ‘I know no greater man’
Coverdale – who became a US citizen in 2007 – also fathered 47-year-old daughter Jessica (L, pictured in 2023) during his marriage to first ex-wife Julia Borkowski, whom he wed in 1974
‘So proud of you, Baby!’ the 59-year-old Food That Rocks co-author gushed in the comments.
‘You gave so much of yourself, so freely, and with so much love and care. Now you get to do whatever you want to!’
On Thursday, the married couple’s son Jasper shared a snap of himself dining at Faena New York with the ‘legend’ whom he lauded for gracefully retiring.
‘I know no greater man, nor any better father, for the family I was born into is one of international renown thanks to his empathy, talent and ability to connect with so many people the world over,’ the 29-year-old nepo baby gushed.
‘And now, the next step… whatever you bloody well desire, Sir! Here’s to you, David Coverdale — father, husband, storyteller, warrior, artist… hero. Bravo, Dada, for a thousand thousand jobs well done. Let the histories honor you forevermore.’
Coverdale – who became a US citizen in 2007 – also fathered 47-year-old daughter Jessica during his marriage to first ex-wife Julia Borkowski, whom he wed in 1974.
