Gitarist Richie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow en Blackmore’s Night) heeft op 23 februari de Lifetime Achievement Honor van het National Guitar Museum gekregen.
Net als de vijftien gitaristen die hem voorgingen, werd Blackmore de onderscheiding toegekend ‘for a lifetime of contributing to the legacy of the guitar and having a singular historical importance to the development and historical appreciation of the instrument.’
In het persbricht staat onder meer:
‘Most people know Ritchie from being the driving creative force behind two of the defining hard rock bands of all time—Deep Purple and Rainbow.
But before starting those bands, he had a long career as a London session musician, performing on records by numerous artists, including The Outlaws. And then—after helping to define hard rock guitar in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s—he formed Blackmore’s Night, incorporating medieval and Renaissance acoustic music into his immense repertoire.
It’s difficult to find any modern guitarist who has incorporated so many diverse styles into their playing—and then fused them all into something recognizably their own over their entire career. Ritchie was one of the first electric guitarists to add classical melodicism to his playing, along with classical speed and finesse.’
Voor Blackmore kregen onder anderen Tony Iommi, Al Di Meola, Roger McGuinn, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Glen Campbell, Bonnie Raitt, Jose Feliciano, Eddie Van Halen, Jeff Beck, en Alex Lifeson deze onderscheiding.