Whitesnake and Deep Purple legend David Coverdale announces his retirement
He has shared a video with fans
Last updated 13th Nov 2025
Legendary Whitesnake and Deep Purple vocalist David Coverdale has announced his retirement.
The 74-year-old Saltburn-by-the-Sea rocker posted a video to Whitesnake’s official YouTube channel confirming his glorious six-decade career is coming to an end.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the Snake, a special announcement for you. After 50 years-plus of an incredible journey with you, with Deep Purple, with Whitesnake, Jimmy Page, the last few years 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.
“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; 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.
"Once again, I love you with all my heart. Fare thee well."
Soundtracked by the newly remixed version of Whitesnake’s track ‘Fare Thee Well’, the final five minutes of the video features video and photo highlights from Coverdale’s fabled career.
After playing dates across the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe in May and June 2022, Whitesnake abandoned the rest of the European tour early due to David Coverdale’s “continuing health challenges” following an “infection of the sinus and trachea.”
A month after the European tour was axed, Whitesnake cancelled their planned North American tour as special guests to Scorpions because of Coverdale’s “persistent upper respiratory infection.”
David Coverdale hasn't performed live since, with all his Whitesnake band mates pursuing their other musical ventures.
Aged just 22, an unknown David Coverdale joined Deep Purple in 1973 alongside newly recruited bassist Glenn Hughes.
As frontman during the Mark III and Mark IV eras of Deep Purple, Coverdale lent his idiosyncratic, powerful rock vocals to three albums – the masterpiece ‘Burn’, ‘Stormbringer’ and ‘Come Taste the Band’.
Coverdale founded Whitesnake in 1978, and throughout dozens of line-up changes over the decades he remained the one sole constant member and the band’s driving force.
Initially melding blues and hard rock, Whitesnake achieved significant early success in the UK, Europe and Asia with seminal albums including ‘Lovehunter’ and ‘Ready an’ Willing’ and ‘Come an’ Get It’. Many Whitesnake purists believe this is the band’s defining era.
Following several line-up changes, Coverdale shifted Whitesnake’s sound to cater for American audiences in 1984 with ‘Slide It In’.
Thanks to the advent of the MTV era, Whitesnake became household names by the late 80s with their albums ‘1987’ and ‘Slip of the Tongue’.
Starring David Coverdale's former wife Tawny Kitaen, Whitesnake videos including ‘Still of the Night’, ‘Is This Love’, the second version of ‘Here I Go Again' and 'The Deeper the Love’ were mainstays on MTV as Whitesnake conquered the US and the whole globe.
In 1993, Coverdale also achieved significant success with the 'Coverdale–Page' album alongside Jimmy Page.
David Coverdale has sold more than 40 million albums throughout his career, and he performed his last ever Whitesnake show at Hellfest in Clisson, France on 23rd June 2022.
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