David Coverdale is finally retiring from performing at the age of 74 after half a century of making music.
The Whitesnake front man who was also lead singer for Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976 shared the news with his fans in a video posted to YouTube on Thursday.
‘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 veteran British rocker declared.
‘I thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey: all the musicians, the crew, the fans, the family. It’s amazing. But it really is time for me to just enjoy my retirement and I hope you can appreciate that.’
Coverdale went on: ‘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.’
Whitesnake founder and frontman David Coverdale announced Thursday that he’s finally retiring at the age of 74 after five decades of making music
The legendary British rocker who was also lead singer for Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976 shared the news with his fans in a video posted to YouTube on Thursday
The musician included a montage of some of his favorite onstage memories in the video which were set to a new remix of Whitesnake’s 2011 song Forevermore.
Coverdale, who was born and raised in the north of England, founded Whitesnake after leaving Deep Purple.
After enjoying success in the UK and Europe, the band finally made it in America in 1987 with two mega hits – Is This Love, which reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and Here I Go Again, which topped the chart.
Both music videos starred Julie ‘Tawny’ Kitaen who became his second wife in 1989.
The couple divorced just two years later and Kitaen passed away at age 59 from heart issues and drug ingestion in 2021.
‘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 ,’ he declared (pictured in 1988)
After enjoying success in the UK and Europe, Whitesnake finally made it in America in 1987 with two mega hits – Is This Love, which reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and Here I Go Again, which topped the chart
Both music videos starred Julie ‘Tawny’ Kitaen who became his second wife in 1989
The couple divorced just two years later and Kitaen passed away at age 59 from heart issues and drug ingestion in 2021 (pictured in 1988)
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,’ he told Ultimate Classic Rock in 2023. ‘For seven months, I was taking ever-increasingly strong antibiotics and horrifying Prednisone steroids.’
In 2016, Coverdale was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Deep Purple.
Coverdale hadn’t toured with Whitesnake since 2022 – the same year he suffered ‘the worst sinus infection I’ve ever had in my life
Coverdale’s third wife, Cindy – whom he met 35 years ago – took to social media to praise his decision to retire
‘So proud of you, Baby!’ the 59-year-old wrote. ‘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 couple’s son Jasper, 29, shared a snap of himself with his famous dad and paid tribute to him: ‘I know no greater man nor any better father’
Coverdale’s third wife, Cindy – whom he met 35 years ago – took to social media to praise his decision to retire.
‘So proud of you, Baby!’ the 59-year-old wrote.
‘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 couple’s son Jasper, 29, shared a snap of himself having dinner with his famous father and paid tribute to him: ‘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.’
‘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, is also dad to daughter Jessica, 47, from his first marriage to Julia Borkowski.