A legend in his own lifetime, David Coverdale had risen to the very top of the Rock tree with DEEP PURPLE and, latterly, WHITESNAKE.

The vocalist had released a brace of albums under his own name through Purple in 1977's 'Whitesnake' and follow up 'Northwinds' during 1978. Coverdale had also dabbled with the idea of URIAH HEEP but opted to create his own project. His move into solo-dom led to the formation of WHITESNAKE, a Blues Rock band of the highest order that spawned numerous gold and platinum albums.

The singer was born on September 22nd 1951 and raised at Saltburn-on-Sea in the Tees Valley, North Yorkshire. Throughout the late sixties he would front a succession of local Rock acts such as DENVER MULE, THE SKYLINERS and THE GOVERNMENT. This latter act would actually land a support gig to DEEP PURPLE's August 1969 show in Sheffield. As the 70's drew in Coverdale sang for HARVEST, RIVER'S INVITATION and THE FABULOSA BROTHERS. His day time job in a local boutique would be surrendered though when, at the age of 21, he answered an audition call through 'Melody Maker' magazine for DEEP PURPLE and landed the job. During 1973 he recorded the 'Burn' album, the band capitalising on this swiftly with 'Stormbringer' before RITCHIE BLACKMORE defected.

Although Coverdale fronted the band through some of its most chaotic years, he spearheaded an axis of bassist GLENN HUGHES and guitarist TOMMY BOLIN to international critical acclaim. During his tenure with the band he would also guest on bassist ROGER GLOVER's 1974 'Butterfly Ball' collection, vocalising on the song 'Behind The Smile'. Another concept piece, EDDIE HARDIN's 'Wizard's Convention' found Coverdale making his mark on 'Money To Burn'.

When DEEP PURPLE imploded after a concert in Liverpool to promote his third record with them, 'Come Taste The Band', he duly forged WHITESNAKE, soon putting himself straight back into the upper echelons of Rock's elite. The band, at stages including former DEEP PURPLE cohorts Ian Paice and JON LORD, achieved major success in Europe, scoring a swathe of hit singles and conducting numerous sell out tours before, after a drastic re-vamp of the membership, cracked North America wide open with the multi-platinum '1987' blockbuster.

Coverdale returned to the role of a solo artist after announcing his decision to put WHITESNAKE on ice in 1990. He promptly released the Trevor Horn produced 'Last Note Of Freedom' single, which was specially recorded for the soundtrack of the Tom Cruise NASCAR based movie 'Days Of Thunder'. The track featured YES guitarist TREVOR RABIN, but would remain a one-off as David eschewed similar work in favour of an alliance with former LED ZEPPELIN guitar god JIMMY PAGE, whom he had met in New York in the early part of 1991.

With his announcement in 1997 that the WHITESNAKE album 'Restless Heart' would be the last under this band name, Coverdale duly resurfaced in 2000 with 'Into The Light' offering, an album which included a reworking of WHITESNAKE's 'Too Many Tears'. Featured musicians included guitarist EARL SLICK, keyboard player Mike Finnigan, THIN LIZZY bassist Marco Mendoza, former WHITESNAKE and HEART drummer Denny Carmassi and guitarist Doug Bossi.

Coverdale put in a one off radio gig in Los Angeles to promote the album pulling in a live band of TOTO keyboard player Steve Porcaro, second keyboards man Ed Roth of IMPELLITERRI, TESLA drummer Troy Lucketta, ELTON JOHN bassist Bob Birch and guitarists MARC BONILLA and Mike Wallace. The session would be rounded off with a version of DEEP PURPLE's 'Burn' featuring RONNIE MONTROSE and also reuniting Coverdale with his ex-DEEP PURPLE sparring partner GLENN HUGHES. The first time in 25 years the two had sung together.

Rumours abounded in early 2000 that Coverdale had been approached to front VAN HALEN, hotly denied by both parties. It emerged in October of 2001 that Coverdale was working at the singer's Lake Tahoe residence in alliance with erstwhile BLUE MURDER and THE FIRM bassist TONY FRANKLIN on fresh material.

By mid 2002 the rumour mill was back in action foreseeing not only the return of WHITESNAKE for European tour dates later in the year but predicting a reunion between Coverdale and JOHN SYKES. By October official sources, without revealing details of a band line up, were stating that WHITESNAKE was set to tour the following year. Speculation of Sykes involvement would be rife, especially after Coverdale's longstanding most recent guitar partner Adrian Vandenberg revealed he had reformed his 80s act VANDENBERG. However, Sykes denied any such affiliation as rumours surfaced that former MR. BIG man PAUL GILBERT was in the frame. WHITESNAKE revealed North American tour plans set for January of 2003 in alliance with the heavyweight combination of DOKKEN and the SCORPIONS.

Meantime sources put the all new look WHITESNAKE at comprising David Coverdale, THIN LIZZY, TED NUGENT and BLUE MURDER bassist Marco Mendoza, LION, BURNING RAIN and DIO guitarist Doug Aldrich, RATT man WARREN DiMARTINI on second guitar with the veteran erstwhile BLACK OAK ARKANSAS, OZZY OSBOURNE, TED NUGENT and THIN LIZZY man Tommy Aldridge on the drums. Both DiMartini and Aldridge would, of course, be apparently making a return to the WHITESNAKE camp. However, as it transpired joining Aldrich on guitar would in fact be former WINGER and DOKKEN man REB BEACH. UK dates in May had the band hooked up with GARY MOORE and Y&T on the 'Monsters Of Rock' package tour. Longstanding ally and guitarist Adrian Vandenberg was apparently still in collaboration with Coverdale on the songwriting front but forced out of the band situation due to injury.

In a rather unique diversion in March of 2004, the singer would conduct signing sessions at Hollywood's Virgin Megastore to promote his wife Cindy's Rock n' Roll cookbook 'Food That Rocks'.

Although Coverdale and his former band mate GLENN HUGHES maintained a high profile with their own projects in 2007, both voiced a desire to pursue a DEEP PURPLE MK III reunion at some point in the future, Hughes revealing both JON LORD and Ritchie Blackmore had entered into these discussions. However, shortly afterwards, Coverdale back tracked by announcing he had "not agreed in any way, shape or form, to a reformation of DEEP PURPLE Mark III. The only consideration would be my willingness to be involved in a 'one-off' charity show which would feature all surviving members of DEEP PURPLE."