Members of Rainbow have included four different lead singers, six bassists, five drummers and six keyboardists across five decades, with guitarist Ritchie Blackmore standing as the only constant.
Formed in the wake of Blackmore’s first exit from Deep Purple, Rainbow became one of hard rock’s great revolving doors, a band whose lineup changed almost every album yet somehow never lost its identity.
This guide covers every era, every singer and every musician who ever carried the Rainbow name, from the mystical Ronnie James Dio years through the modern Ronnie Romero lineup.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
📋 Table of Contents [+]
How Rainbow Formed in 1975
Ritchie Blackmore had grown tired of the internal fighting inside Deep Purple by early 1975 and decided to strike out on his own.
Deep Purple had toured with an American band called Elf, and Blackmore had been consistently impressed by Elf’s singer, Ronnie James Dio.
He asked Dio to record a solo single with him called “Black Sheep of the Family,” and the sessions went so well that a full album took shape.
Blackmore and Dio recorded that album, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, at Musicland Studios in Munich between February and March 1975 using Dio’s Elf bandmates as the backing band.
The name Rainbow came from the Rainbow Bar and Grill in West Hollywood, a rock club where Blackmore spent much of his time off the road.
You can read more about Blackmore’s Deep Purple years, including his work on the Deep Purple Burn sessions, for context on what he was leaving behind.
Full details on the band’s formation and complete discography are available on Wikipedia’s Rainbow band page.
The Original Members of Rainbow
The first members of Rainbow were essentially Elf minus their guitarist, recruited wholesale by Blackmore for the debut album.
Ronnie James Dio sang lead vocals and also wrote every lyric on the record, drawing on medieval and fantasy themes that would define the band’s early sound.
Craig Gruber played bass, Gary Driscoll played drums, and Micky Lee Soule played keyboards, all carried over directly from Elf.
The debut album Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow was released in August 1975 and included the minor hit “Man on the Silver Mountain.”
This first lineup of the members of Rainbow never performed live together, since Blackmore fired everyone except Dio almost immediately after the record was finished.
Blackmore reportedly felt Driscoll’s drumming leaned too heavily on R&B and that Gruber’s bass style did not fit his vision for the band.
You can explore Blackmore’s full solo and band history on his dedicated Ritchie Blackmore biography.
Cozy Powell Joins for Rising
In September 1975, Blackmore rebuilt the band around three new members while keeping Dio on vocals.
Drummer Cozy Powell arrived from the Jeff Beck Group, bassist Jimmy Bain came aboard, and American keyboardist Tony Carey completed the new lineup.
This version of the members of Rainbow recorded Rising in February 1976, an album that readers of Kerrang magazine later voted the greatest heavy metal record of all time.
Rising contained only six tracks, all co-written by Blackmore and Dio, including the epics “Stargazer” and “A Light in the Black.”
The band’s live show became legendary during this era, built around a computer-controlled rainbow lighting rig that stretched 40 feet across the stage and used 3,000 bulbs.
The world tour supporting Rising opened in Montreal on November 10, 1975, and the resulting live document, On Stage, was released in 1977.
Bain and Carey were both let go on January 3, 1977, ending their run with the band.
Long Live Rock n Roll and Dio’s Exit
Blackmore replaced the departed bassist and keyboardist with Bob Daisley and David Stone, while Powell and Dio both stayed on.
This lineup of the members of Rainbow recorded Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll in 1978, an album that included “Kill the King,” “Gates of Babylon” and the title track.
Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll became the last studio album to feature Dio, whose partnership with Blackmore had defined the band’s identity for three straight records.
Blackmore wanted to steer Rainbow toward a more commercial, radio-friendly sound after the title track became a bigger hit than expected.
Dio disagreed strongly with that direction and left the band in 1979 to join Black Sabbath, where he would go on to record Heaven and Hell.
The complete lineup history for every era, including this transition, is documented on Wikipedia’s List of Rainbow band members.
Graham Bonnet and the Members of Rainbow Go Commercial
Blackmore and Powell rebuilt the band again in 1979, this time bringing in three new members at once.
Former Marbles vocalist Graham Bonnet took over lead vocals, Don Airey joined on keyboards, and former Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover signed on as both bassist and producer.
This lineup of the members of Rainbow recorded Down to Earth in 1979, the band’s fourth studio album and its commercial breakthrough.
Down to Earth produced two hit singles, “All Night Long” and the Russ Ballard-penned “Since You Been Gone,” both of which brought Rainbow to a much wider rock radio audience.
Cozy Powell left the band following the Down to Earth tour in 1980, frustrated by the increasingly commercial direction Blackmore was pushing.
Bonnet’s tenure as one of the members of Rainbow ended after just one album, and he was replaced within months.
Joe Lynn Turner: The Longest-Serving Era
American singer Joe Lynn Turner became Rainbow’s third lead vocalist in 1980, joining alongside new drummer Bobby Rondinelli.
Roger Glover and Don Airey remained from the Bonnet era, giving this incarnation of the members of Rainbow more stability than any lineup since the Dio years.
Difficult to Cure arrived in 1981 and delivered the band’s highest-charting single, “I Surrender,” another Russ Ballard composition.
Keyboardist David Rosenthal replaced Don Airey for 1982’s Straight Between the Eyes, which produced the chart-topping rock ballad “Stone Cold.”
Drummer Chuck Burgi then replaced Rondinelli just before the recording of Bent Out of Shape in 1983, the final album of the Turner era.
Bent Out of Shape featured the hit “Street of Dreams” and turned out to be the last studio album released by any version of the members of Rainbow before the band’s first breakup.
You can read the full story of where Turner’s career went next, including his time fronting Deep Purple, on his dedicated Joe Lynn Turner biography.
Why the Members of Rainbow Disbanded in 1984
Behind the scenes, Rainbow’s management had spent years quietly working to reunite Deep Purple’s classic Mark II lineup.
By April 1984, those efforts succeeded, and Blackmore agreed to rejoin Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice for a full Deep Purple reunion.
Rainbow was formally disbanded once that reunion was confirmed, closing the book on the band’s original nine-year run.
A final compilation called Finyl Vinyl was assembled from live tracks and single B-sides and released after the split.
For the complete picture of what came next for Blackmore and Glover, the Members of Deep Purple hub documents every lineup in that band’s history.
Doogie White and the 1995 Reunion
Blackmore left Deep Purple for good in 1993 and rebuilt Rainbow almost immediately with an entirely new group of musicians.
Scottish vocalist Doogie White became the new frontman after Blackmore’s future wife, Candice Night, gave him a demo tape of White’s singing.
Bassist Greg Smith, keyboardist Paul Morris and drummer John O’Reilly completed this version of the members of Rainbow.
The reunited band released Stranger in Us All in 1995, its first new studio album in twelve years.
An extensive world tour followed, with drummer Chuck Burgi eventually stepping in for live shows before the band quietly disbanded again in 1997.
Blackmore shifted his full attention afterward to Blackmore’s Night, the acoustic and renaissance-folk project he formed with Candice Night.
Ronnie Romero and the Modern Members of Rainbow
Blackmore announced a surprise return to hard rock in 2015, revealing plans for a limited run of shows under the Rainbow name.
Lords of Black vocalist Ronnie Romero was announced as the new lead singer in November 2015, joined by keyboardist Jens Johansson, drummer David Keith and bassist Bob Nouveau.
This modern version of the members of Rainbow debuted on June 17, 2016, at the Loreley Freilichtbühne in Germany in front of roughly 15,000 fans.
The band performed as part of the German edition of the Monsters of Rock festival before continuing with select European dates through 2016 and beyond.
Ronnie Romero has said in interviews that he remains in contact with his former Rainbow bandmates, though no new tour or recording has been confirmed since the 2019 European dates wrapped.
Every Bassist Among the Members of Rainbow
Six different bass players have held down the low end across Rainbow’s history.
Craig Gruber played on the 1975 debut album before being replaced within months of its release.
Jimmy Bain took over for Rising and its supporting tour, followed by Bob Daisley on Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Roger Glover joined in 1979 and became the longest-serving bassist among the members of Rainbow, staying through Down to Earth, Difficult to Cure, Straight Between the Eyes and Bent Out of Shape.
Greg Smith handled bass duties during the 1995 reunion lineup with Doogie White.
Bob Nouveau has played bass in every incarnation of the band since the 2015 reunion with Ronnie Romero.
Every Keyboardist Among the Members of Rainbow
Six keyboardists have passed through Rainbow’s lineup over the decades.
Micky Lee Soule played on the debut album before leaving to join the Ian Gillan Band.
Tony Carey took over for Rising and stayed through the On Stage live tour before departing amid tension with Blackmore in 1977.
David Stone played on Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Don Airey brought a classical-influenced style to Down to Earth in 1979.
David Rosenthal replaced Airey for Straight Between the Eyes and Bent Out of Shape, later going on to a long career with Billy Joel’s band.
Paul Morris played keyboards on the 1995 reunion album, and Jens Johansson has held the role since the 2015 Ronnie Romero lineup began.
Every Drummer Among the Members of Rainbow
Five drummers have sat behind the kit across Rainbow’s various lineups.
Gary Driscoll played on the 1975 debut before being let go along with the rest of the original Elf backing musicians.
Cozy Powell joined for Rising and remained through Down to Earth, giving the band its most recognizable rhythmic identity during the Dio and Bonnet years.
Bobby Rondinelli replaced Powell in 1980 and played on Difficult to Cure and Straight Between the Eyes.
Chuck Burgi took over just before Bent Out of Shape in 1983 and later contributed to select 1995 reunion tour dates.
David Keith has drummed for every Rainbow lineup since the band’s 2015 return with Ronnie Romero.
Complete Timeline of Members of Rainbow Lineups
| Years | Album | Vocals | Bass | Keyboards | Drums |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow | Ronnie James Dio | Craig Gruber | Micky Lee Soule | Gary Driscoll |
| 1975-1977 | Rising | Ronnie James Dio | Jimmy Bain | Tony Carey | Cozy Powell |
| 1977-1979 | Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll | Ronnie James Dio | Bob Daisley | David Stone | Cozy Powell |
| 1979-1980 | Down to Earth | Graham Bonnet | Roger Glover | Don Airey | Cozy Powell |
| 1981 | Difficult to Cure | Joe Lynn Turner | Roger Glover | Don Airey | Bobby Rondinelli |
| 1982 | Straight Between the Eyes | Joe Lynn Turner | Roger Glover | David Rosenthal | Bobby Rondinelli |
| 1983 | Bent Out of Shape | Joe Lynn Turner | Roger Glover | David Rosenthal | Chuck Burgi |
| 1993-1997 | Stranger in Us All | Doogie White | Greg Smith | Paul Morris | John O’Reilly |
| 2015-present | Live shows only | Ronnie Romero | Bob Nouveau | Jens Johansson | David Keith |
Touring Musicians Who Were Never Official Members of Rainbow
A handful of musicians played live with Rainbow without ever joining as full official members.
Bassist Mark Clarke filled in briefly during 1977 between the Rising and Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll eras.
Bassist Jack Green played some late 1978 club dates before Roger Glover was recruited for Down to Earth.
Session drummer credits during transitional tour dates have occasionally been disputed by fans, since Blackmore’s band moved through personnel so quickly that some historical accounts differ slightly on exact tour lineups.
People Also Ask About the Members of Rainbow
Who founded Rainbow?
Guitarist Ritchie Blackmore founded Rainbow in 1975 after leaving Deep Purple for the first time. He built the original lineup around Elf’s singer, Ronnie James Dio, and Dio’s Elf bandmates.
Who is the current singer of Rainbow?
Ronnie Romero has fronted Rainbow since Ritchie Blackmore revived the band for live shows in 2016. He previously sang for the Spanish hard rock band Lords of Black.
Is Ritchie Blackmore still in Rainbow?
Yes, Ritchie Blackmore remains the sole continuous member of Rainbow across all of its lineups since 1975. He has led every version of the band, including the current lineup with Ronnie Romero.
Who was Rainbow’s original lead singer?
Ronnie James Dio was Rainbow’s original lead singer, fronting the band from its 1975 debut through Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll in 1978. He left to join Black Sabbath in 1979.
Is Rainbow still touring in 2026?
Rainbow has not announced new tour dates since its 2019 European shows with Ronnie Romero. Romero has stated in interviews that he remains in contact with the band but that no new tour has been confirmed.
Which members of Rainbow also played in Deep Purple?
Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover and Joe Lynn Turner all moved between Rainbow and Deep Purple at different points in their careers. Blackmore and Glover eventually left Rainbow together in 1984 to reunite Deep Purple’s Mark II lineup.
Watch: Ranking Every Rainbow Singer
Essential Albums From the Members of Rainbow
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Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow
1975 debut album
The Dio-era debut that started it all.
Includes “Man on the Silver Mountain.”
Rainbow Rising
1976 album
Widely regarded as the band’s masterpiece.
Features “Stargazer” and “A Light in the Black.”
Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll
1978 album
The final Dio-era Rainbow record.
Includes “Kill the King” and “Gates of Babylon.”
The Very Best of Rainbow
Career-spanning compilation
Covers every era from Dio to Turner.
The best starting point for new fans.
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