David Coverdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Coverdale
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Coverdale in 2015
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| Born | 22 September 1951 Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Riding of Yorkshire, England |
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| Years active | 1966–present |
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David Coverdale (born 22 September 1951) is a famous English singer and songwriter. He is best known as the person who started and sings for the hard rock band Whitesnake.
Before Whitesnake, he was the lead singer for the band Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976. After leaving Deep Purple, he made two solo albums. These were White Snake (1977) and Northwinds (1978). He then formed Whitesnake in 1978.
Later, from 1991 to 1993, Whitesnake took a break. During this time, David worked with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page on an album called Coverdale–Page. This album sold a lot of copies. In 1997, his album Restless Heart was released as "David Coverdale & Whitesnake." In 2000, he released another solo album, Into the Light.
In 2016, David Coverdale was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was for his time as a member of Deep Purple. He is especially known for his strong, blues-style singing voice.
Early Life and Music
David Coverdale was born on 22 September 1951. His hometown is Saltburn-by-the-Sea in England. His parents were Thomas Joseph and Winnifred May Coverdale. David says his mother's side of the family were singers. His father's side were artists who liked to paint and sketch.
He started learning music at a young age. He learned to play guitar and piano. But drawing was his main hobby at first. David found out he had a strong singing voice early on. He started performing professionally around age 14. He learned to sing using his "stomach," which helped him project his voice.
Music Career
Early Bands and Deep Purple
David Coverdale sang in local bands before joining famous groups. These bands included Vintage 67, The Government, and Fabulosa Brothers. In 1973, he saw an ad in a music magazine. It said that Deep Purple was looking for a new singer.
David had played with Deep Purple before. He sent them a tape and later auditioned. He was chosen because of his singing and songwriting skills. Glenn Hughes also joined as a new bassist and singer.
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In February 1974, Deep Purple released their first album with David. It was called Burn. This album became very popular. In April 1974, David performed for over 200,000 fans in the United States. This was at a big music event called the California Jam.
Later that year, they released Stormbringer. This album also did very well. It had more funk and soul influences. Because of these changes, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left the band in 1975.
David helped convince the band to keep going. They brought in American guitarist Tommy Bolin. They released one more album with Bolin, Come Taste the Band, in 1975. In March 1976, Deep Purple decided to break up. David said he was scared to leave the band. But he also wanted to move on.
Solo Albums: White Snake and Northwinds
After Deep Purple, David started his own solo career. He released his first solo album, White Snake, in 1977. He wrote all the songs with guitarist Micky Moody. The music had funk, R&B, and jazz sounds.
David later said this first album was very personal. It was made after Deep Purple broke up. The album was not a big hit. But its title, White Snake, gave him the idea for his next band's name.
In 1978, he released his second solo album, Northwinds. This album was more successful. It had a blues and R&B hard rock style. Critics liked it much more than his first album. But before this album came out, he had already formed a new band.
Starting Whitesnake
After Northwinds, David Coverdale formed the band Whitesnake. Bernie Marsden and Micky Moody played guitar. At first, this was just a band for David's solo tours. But it quickly became a full-time band.
In 1978, they released an EP called Snakebite. This was later made into a full album. For their next album, Trouble, David's old Deep Purple bandmate, Jon Lord, joined. Another Deep Purple member, drummer Ian Paice, joined for the 1980 album, Ready an' Willing.
Ready an' Willing had their biggest hit song so far, "Fool for Your Loving." This song reached number 13 in the UK charts. Their 1981 album, Come an' Get It, was even more successful. David took a break from Whitesnake in 1982 to care for his sick daughter. When he returned, they recorded the album Saints & Sinners.
Whitesnake's Big Success
Whitesnake became very popular in the UK, Europe, and Asia. But they struggled to become famous in North America. In 1984, their album Slide It In started to get noticed in the US. David decided to change Whitesnake's sound and look. He brought in guitarist John Sykes. Sykes added a more modern and powerful guitar sound.
In 1985, David and Sykes started writing new songs. But David got a serious sinus infection. This made it very hard to record for most of 1986. Doctors even thought he might never sing again. David eventually got better, and they continued recording. But before the album was finished, David let Sykes go from the band.
David felt this next album was very important for Whitesnake. He said if it wasn't a hit, he would stop the band. In 1987 and 1988, Whitesnake finally became huge in North America. Their self-titled album, Whitesnake, sold millions of copies. Hit songs like "Here I Go Again" and "Is This Love" helped them become a major arena band.
Whitesnake continued to be successful through the late 1980s and early 1990s. Even with band member changes, they did well. In 1989, they released Slip of the Tongue. This album was also a success in Europe and the US.
In 1990, David sang a song called "The Last Note of Freedom." It was for the movie Days of Thunder. After their tour ended in Tokyo in September 1990, David decided to stop Whitesnake for a while. He was tired of the music business and touring. He wanted to take a break and think about his career. He felt Whitesnake had become something he didn't want it to be.
Coverdale and Page
In 1991, David started working with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Both musicians said this collaboration gave them new energy. Their album, Coverdale-Page, came out in March 1993. It was a hit around the world. It reached number 4 in the UK and number 5 in the US. The album sold enough copies to be certified Platinum in the US. They had a short tour in Japan before they went their separate ways.
Whitesnake Returns and Solo Work
In 1994, David put together a new Whitesnake lineup. They toured for the release of Whitesnake's Greatest Hits album. After this, David took another break from music for three years.
In 1997, David returned with the album Restless Heart. It was meant to be a solo album. But the record company wanted it released as "David Coverdale & Whitesnake." The tour for this album was called Whitesnake's farewell tour. David and guitarist Adrian Vandenberg also played two acoustic shows. One of these shows was released as Starkers in Tokyo. After the tour, David stopped Whitesnake again for a short time.
In 2000, David released his first solo album in 22 years. It was called Into The Light. It had songs like "Love is Blind" and "Slave." While not a huge commercial hit, it was well-received. It helped David get back into making music. In 2003, a collection of his early solo albums, The Early Years, was released.
Whitesnake Today
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In December 2002, David brought Whitesnake back together. They toured with The Scorpions in 2003. The band included Tommy Aldridge on drums, Marco Mendoza on bass, Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach on guitar, and Timothy Drury on keyboards.
In April 2008, Whitesnake released their first new studio album in over 11 years. It was called Good to Be Bad and was very successful. In 2009, David had a vocal injury during a show. This led to the cancellation of their tour. In March 2011, the band released their eleventh studio album, Forevermore.
In May 2015, the band released The Purple Album. This album featured new versions of songs David sang with Deep Purple. They followed it with a tour. In May 2019, the band released a new studio album, Flesh & Blood.
In 2022, Whitesnake started a farewell tour. However, they had to cancel many shows due to health problems affecting band members, including David himself.
Legacy and Impact
David Coverdale is highly respected in the rock music world. In 2006, Hit Parader magazine listed him as one of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time. In 2009, a UK radio station poll voted him the 5th greatest voice in rock.
Music critics have praised his talent. PopMatters called him the "crown prince of '70s rock." Classic Rock said Whitesnake is one of the great British bands. They also called Coverdale one of the best "blue-eyed soul" singers. Many see him as a very talented, charming, and humble artist.
In 2016, David Coverdale was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was for his work as a member of Deep Purple.
Personal Life
David Coverdale has been married three times. His first marriage was to Julia Borkowski in 1974. They had a daughter named Jessica in 1978. They divorced in 1982.
His second marriage was to model and actress Tawny Kitaen. They were married from 1989 to 1991. Tawny Kitaen was famous for appearing in Whitesnake's music videos. These included "Here I Go Again" and "Is This Love."
Since 1997, he has been married to his third wife, Cindy. She is an author. They have one son together.
On 1 March 2007, David Coverdale became a US citizen. He now has dual citizenship in both the UK and the US. Since 1988, he has lived in a large house in Incline Village, Nevada. He sold this house in 2021. David practices meditation regularly. He considers himself more spiritual than religious.
Discography
Solo Albums
- 1977 White Snake
- 1978 Northwinds
- 1990 "The Last Note of Freedom" – song from the Days of Thunder soundtrack
- 1993 Coverdale–Page (with Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page)
- 2000 Into the Light
Guest Performances
- 1974 Roger Glover – The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast ("Behind the Smile")
- 1974 Jon Lord – Windows – 2nd Movement, Gemini
- 1976 Eddie Hardin – Wizard's Convention ("Money To Burn")
- 1978 Barbi Benton – Ain't That Just The Way (co-writer of "Up in the Air")
- 1983 Cozy Powell – Octopuss (co-writer of The Rattler)
- 1990 Steve Vai – Passion and Warfare ("For the Love of God")
- 1992 Bernie Marsden – The Friday Rock Show Sessions (four live recordings from 1981)
- 1995 Young & Moody – The Nearest Hits Album (co-writer of "Sunrise To Sunset")
- 2000 Bernie Marsden – And About Time Too ("Who's Fooling Who", live recording from '81)
- 2003 Tony Franklin – Wonderland ("Sunshine Lady")
- 2014 Adrian Vandenberg – Moonkings ("Sailing Ships")
- 2014 Bernie Marsden – Shine ("Trouble")
- 2015 Phil Collen's Delta Deep – Delta Deep ("Private Number")
Film and TV Appearances
- 1977 The Butterfly Ball
- 1990 Days of Thunder
- 2011 Metal Evolution
- 2012 A Passion for the Vine
- 2013 Behind The Music Remastered, ep. Deep Purple
- 2016 Here I Go Again: David Coverdale
See also
In Spanish: David Coverdale para niños
