Ride the Rainbow: The Ultimate Tribute to Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow

Ride the Rainbow: The Ultimate Tribute to Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow arrives with the kind of lineup that reads like a hard rock fantasy draft. Released by Cleopatra Records, this ambitious tribute gathers Rainbow alumni, legendary guest musicians, and even Blackmore’s Night vocalist Candice Night to celebrate one of the most influential catalogs in rock history.

Featuring 14 powerful reinterpretations, the album spans every era of Rainbow’s remarkable journey. Classics such as “Man on the Silver Mountain,” “Kill the King,” “Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll,” “Stargazer,” “Temple of the King,” “Stone Cold,” and “Street of Dreams” receive fresh energy while remaining faithful to the spirit that made them timeless. For longtime fans, it is both a celebration and a reminder of just how deep Rainbow’s catalog runs.

What makes this project particularly noteworthy is the sheer number of musicians connected to Rainbow’s legacy. Former members Bob Daisley, Graham Bonnet, Don Airey, Joe Lynn Turner, and Doogie White all contribute, while modern rock and metal heavyweights including Sebastian Bach, Steve Morse, Derek Sherinian, Marty Friedman, Rick Wakeman, George Lynch, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, and Jonathan Cain add their own distinctive touches.

Candice Night delivers a beautifully reimagined acoustic version of “I Surrender,” while Joe Lynn Turner revisits “Stone Cold,” one of the defining songs from his Rainbow tenure. Ronnie Romero tackles the monumental “Stargazer” and “Temple of the King,” and Graham Bonnet returns to songs closely associated with his era, including “Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll” and “Since You Been Gone.” Throughout the album, veterans Bob Daisley and Don Airey provide the connective tissue that helps tie these performances back to Rainbow’s original magic.

Given Ritchie Blackmore’s well-known commitment to protecting his musical legacy, a project of this scope would never have happened without his approval. Candice Night’s involvement alone speaks volumes. While Blackmore himself does not perform on the record, this is arguably the closest fans will come to experiencing a new Rainbow-related release blessed by the legendary guitarist.

More than a tribute album, Ride the Rainbow is a celebration of a band whose influence continues to echo through hard rock and heavy metal decades later. The songs remain as powerful as ever, and the performers approach the material with the respect it deserves. Whether you discovered Rainbow through Ronnie James Dio, Graham Bonnet, Joe Lynn Turner, or the later lineups, there is something here that captures the spirit of what made the band special in the first place.

These performances honor a catalog that helped shape the sound of hard rock and metal while proving that great songs never lose their power. As Ronnie James Dio famously proclaimed, there is only one fitting way to close the book on this tribute: Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll.