Classic Mark II Lineup of Deep Purple Honored With Ivor Novello Award

Deep Purple’s Mk II lineup recently received acclamation with the UK Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement on May 23 during an event in London. Lead vocalist Ian Gillan, bassist Roger Glover, and drummer Ian Paice presented themselves to receive the award in representation of the late Jon Lord, and former guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. The band was deemed by Ivors Academy as “an exceptional legacy that has inspired and shaped generations of hard rock musicians all over the world.”

The awarding ceremony was held at Grosvenor House, and aims at celebrating and rewarding British and Irish songwriting and compositional categories for the arts, and acknowledges the artists for their contribution to UK music.

“From heavyweights of rock, to gods of grime, jazz maestros to chart royalty, today’s celebrated music creators have been rightly recognized for their artistic merit and inspiring influence on their fellow creators. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners from The Ivors Academy,” says Ivors Academy Chair Crispin Hunt.

Deep Purple has recently announced the dates for their fall US tour, as a part of the current The Long Goodbye Tour, in which the additional dates will start on the 3rd of September, in Riverside, CA. Guitarist Steve Morse also reveals the band working on a new album, but hasn’t detailed the release dates or the album title.