- Don Airey
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Don Airey
Don Airey performing with Deep Purple in 2005Background information Birth name Donald Airey Born 21 June 1948
Sunderland, EnglandGenres Rock, hard rock, heavy metal, blues rock, progressive rock, jazz fusion Occupations Musician, songwriter Instruments Keyboards, organ, synthesizer, vocals Years active 1974–present Associated acts Deep Purple, Rainbow, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, Electric Light Orchestra, Gary Moore, Glenn Tipton, Judas Priest, Whitesnake, Ten, Jethro Tull Donald (Don) Airey (born 21 June 1948 in Sunderland, England) has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, succeeding Jon Lord. He has had a long and productive career, playing with such acts as Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Whitesnake, Colosseum II, Sinner, Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth, Rainbow, Ten, Divlje jagode and Living Loud. He has also worked with Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Contents
Early life
Inspired by his father, Norman Airey, Don Airey took a love for music at a young age and was trained in classical piano from the age of seven.[1] He continued his love for music by earning a degree at the University of Nottingham and a diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music.
Music career
1970s work
In 1974 he moved to London and joined Cozy Powell's band Hammer. Don worked on several albums with solo artists and was a session musician on the 1978 Black Sabbath album Never Say Die! Soon after, he joined guitarist Ritchie Blackmore's band, Rainbow, and featured on Gary Moore's solo debut Back on the Streets. With Rainbow he contributed to two hit albums, Down to Earth and Difficult to Cure. He was also part of the very influential jazz rock band Colosseum II with Jon Hiseman, Gary Moore and John Mole which also formed the core band that recorded Andrew Lloyd Webber's variations on a theme of Paganini, simply called Variations.
1980s work
After leaving Rainbow in 1981, Airey joined with Ozzy Osbourne for a three year stint where he helped with the albums Bark at the Moon and Speak of the Devil. He did play on the Diary of a Madman Tour from 1981–82 and appears on both Blizzard of Ozz & Diary of a Madman. Airey joined Jethro Tull in 1987 for their tour in support of Crest of a Knave. The same year also saw the release of Whitesnake's multi-platinum Whitesnake, on which Airey played keyboards. (The album is known as 1987 in Europe). Soon after he quit the band to record the solo album K2 - Tales of Triumph and Tragedy. In it he plays with Gary Moore, Keith Airey - guitars, Cozy Powell - drums, Laurence Cottle - bass, Chris (Hamlet) Thompson, Colin Blunstone, Mel Galley, Genki Hitomi - vocals.
1990s onwards
In 1990 Don Airey played keyboards on Judas Priest's Painkiller Album. Originally Airey played on all Painkiller tracks but they were cut out to make the album more brutal-like.[citation needed]
In 1997 he arranged and played on "Love Shine a Light" by Katrina And The Waves, conducting the accompanying orchestra at The Eurovision Song Contest. The song won the contest.
In 1999 he joined Manchester-based melodic hard rock band Ten where he played keyboards on the album Babylon which was released in 2000. He also toured with the band in support of the new album.
He also worked with Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson on one of Dickinson's solo albums, playing keyboards on "Darkness Be My Friend". Airey also played keyboards on At Vance's mastermind Olaf Lenk's first solo album Sunset Cruise. In 2006 Airey featured on Gary Moore's release Old New Ballads Blues contributing to all tracks.
In 2008 Airey released his second solo album, A Light In The Sky and recently it has been announced that another solo album from Airey is set to premiere in 2011.
Deep Purple
Airey went in semi-retirement until 2001, when he joined Deep Purple to fill in for an injured Jon Lord, who has since retired. Airey joined the band as a full time keyboardist in March 2002. He has recorded two studio albums with the band, Bananas and Rapture of the Deep.
Personal life
Airey lives with his wife, Doris, and their three children in South West Cambridgeshire. The first half of the 1990s saw Airey's son suffer from a serious illness, so his musical activity was largely on hiatus during this time.[2]
He has a brother, Keith Airey, who played guitar for the reformed version of The Zombies from 2001 to 2010.
He also has another brother, Paul Airey, who played piano for SlowBone and Rollups. He works with Robbie Gladwell at the moment.
He is currently writing a book about his experiences in the music business.[1]
Discography
- 1974 – Cozy Powell – "Na Na Na" (single)
- 1976 – Babe Ruth – Kid's Stuff
- 1976 – Colosseum II – Strange New Flesh
- 1977 – Colosseum II – Electric Savage
- 1977 – Colosseum II – War Dance
- 1977 – Andrew Lloyd Webber – Variations
- 1978 – Jim Rafferty – Don't Talk Back
- 1978 – Strife – Back to Thunder
- 1978 – Black Sabbath – Never Say Die!
- 1979 – Gary Moore – Back on the Streets
- 1979 – Rainbow – Down to Earth
- 1979 – Cozy Powell – Over the Top
- 1980 – Michael Schenker Group – The Michael Schenker Group
- 1980 – Bernie Marsden – And About Time Too
- 1981 – Ozzy Osbourne – Blizzard of Ozz
- 1981 – Cozy Powell – Tilt
- 1981 – Rainbow – Difficult to Cure
- 1981 – Rainbow – Finyl Vinyl (compilation album – 1986)
- 1982 - Gary Moore - Corridors of Power
- 1983 – Gary Moore – Dirty Fingers
- 1983 – Gary Moore – Rockin' Every Night - Live in Japan
- 1983 – Ozzy Osbourne – Bark at the Moon
- 1985 – Alaska – The Pack
- 1985 – Phenomena – Phenomena
- 1985 – Gary Moore – Run For Cover
- 1986 – Zeno – Zeno,[3][4]
- 1987 – Thin Lizzy – Soldier of Fortune (compilation)
- 1987 – Whitesnake – Whitesnake
- 1987 – Wild Strawberries – Wild Strawberries
- 1987 - Helix - Wild in the Streets
- 1988 – Fastway – Bad Bad Girls
- 1988 – Jethro Tull – 20 Years of Jethro Tull
- 1989 – Don Airey – K2
- 1989 – Gary Moore – After the War
- 1989 – Whitesnake – Slip of the Tongue
- 1989 – Crossbones – Crossbones
- 1990 – Perfect Crime – Blond on Blonde
- 1990 – Jagged Edge – You Don't Love Me
- 1990 – Judas Priest – Painkiller
- 1990 – Bruce Dickinson – Tattooed Millionaire
- 1990 – Forcefield – IV – Let the Wild Run Free
- 1990 – Gary Moore – Still Got the Blues
- 1990 – Tigertailz – "Bezerk"
- 1992 – Cozy Powell – Let the Wild Run Free
- 1992 – UFO – High Stakes & Dangerous Men
- 1992 – Anthem – Domestic Booty
- 1992 – Kaizoku – Kaizoku
- 1993 – Brian May – Back to the Light
- 1994 – Graham Bonnet – Here Comes the Night
- 1994 – The Kick – Tough Trip Thru Paradise
- 1994 – Katrina and the Waves – Turnaround
- 1997 – Quatarmass II – Long Road
- 1997 – Glenn Tipton – Baptizm of Fire
- 1998 – Colin Blunstone – The Light
- 1998 – The Cage – The Cage
- 1998 – Olaf Lenk – Sunset Cruise
- 1998 – Eddie Hardin – Wind in the Willows (live)
- 1998 – The Snakes – Live in Europe
- 1999 – Millennium – Millennium
- 2000 – Micky Moody – I Eat Them for Breakfast
- 2000 – Silver – Silver
- 2000 – Uli Jon Roth – Transcendental Sky Guitar
- 2000 – Olaf Lenk's F.O.O.D. – Fun Stuff
- 2000 – Ten – Babylon
- 2000 – Company of Snakes – Burst The Bubble
- 2001 – Mario Fasciano – E-Thnic
- 2001 – Judas Priest – Demolition
- 2001 – Silver – Dream Machines
- 2001 – Rolf Munkes' Empire – Hypnotica
- 2001 – Company of Snakes – Here They Go Again
- 2002 – Metalium – Hero Nation Chapter Three
- 2002 – Bernie Marsden – Big Boy Blue
- 2002 – Rolf Munkes' Empire – Trading Souls
- 2003 – Deep Purple – Bananas
- 2003 – Living Loud – Living Loud
- 2003 – Silver – Intruder
- 2005 – Kimberley Rew – Essex Hideaway
- 2005 – Deep Purple – Rapture of the Deep
- 2006 - Gwyn Ashton - Prohibition
- 2006 – Gary Moore – Old New Ballads Blues
- 2006 - Glenn Tipton - Edge of the World
- 2008 – Don Airey – A Light In The Sky
- 2008 – Judas Priest – Nostradamus
- 2011 – Saxon – Call to Arms
- 2011 – Don Airey – All Out
References
- ^ a b Don Airey interview – BBC Wear
- ^ Don Airey's profile – Official Deep Purple website
- ^ see article on Peacedogman.com written by Mark Marchman (2006)
- ^ Michael Flexig (Zeno)
External links
Ritchie Blackmore
Vocals: Ronnie James Dio · Graham Bonnet · Joe Lynn Turner · Doogie White
Bass: Craig Gruber · Jimmy Bain · Mark Clarke · Bob Daisley · Jack Green · Roger Glover · Greg Smith
Drums: Gary Driscoll · Cozy Powell · Bobby Rondinelli · Chuck Burgi · John O'Reilly · John Miceli
Keyboards: Micky Lee Soule · Tony Carey · David Stone · Don Airey · David Rosenthal · Paul MorrisStudio albums EPs Jealous LoverLive albums On Stage · Finyl Vinyl · Live in Germany/Live in Europe · Live in Munich 1977 · Deutschland Tournee 1976Compilation albums The Best of Rainbow · The Very Best of Rainbow · 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rainbow · Classic Rainbow · Pot of Gold · All Night Long: An Introduction · Catch the Rainbow: The Anthology · Winning Combinations: Deep Purple and RainbowVideo albums Live Between the Eyes/The Final Cut · Live in Munich 1977Songs Stargazer · Since You Been Gone · Street of DreamsRelated articles Ozzy Osbourne Studio albums Blizzard of Ozz · Diary of a Madman · Bark at the Moon · The Ultimate Sin · No Rest for the Wicked · No More Tears · Ozzmosis · Down to Earth · Black Rain · ScreamTribute albums Live albums Extended plays Mr Crowley Live EP · iTunes Festival: London 2010 - EPCompilations/box sets Best of Ozz · Ten Commandments · The Ozzman Cometh · The Essential Ozzy Osbourne · Prince of DarknessSingles "Crazy Train" · "Mr. Crowley" · "Flying High Again" · "Over the Mountain" · "You Can't Kill Rock and Roll" · "Symptom of the Universe" (live) · "Iron Man/Children of the Grave" (live) · "Bark at the Moon" · "So Tired" · "Shot in the Dark" · "The Ultimate Sin" · "Crazy Train" (live) · "Miracle Man" · "Breaking All The Rules" · "Crazy Babies" · "Close My Eyes Forever" (with Lita Ford) · "No More Tears" · "Time After Time" · "Road to Nowhere" · "Mama, I'm Coming Home" · "Mr. Tinkertrain" · "Changes" (live) · "Perry Mason" · "See You On the Other Side" · "I Just Want You" · "Walk on Water" · "Back on Earth" · "Gets Me Through" · "Dreamer" · "Changes" (with Kelly Osbourne) · "Mississippi Queen" · "In My Life" · "I Don't Wanna Stop" · "Not Going Away" · "Black Rain" · "Let Me Hear You Scream" · "Life Won't Wait" · "How?" (Benefitting Amnesty International) · "Let it Die"Other songs "11 Silver" · "The Almighty Dollar" · "Dee" · "Diary of a Madman" · "Hellraiser" · "My Little Man" · "S.A.T.O." · "Suicide Solution"Concert tours Blizzard of Ozz Tour (1980-1981) · Scream World Tour (2010-2011)Former band members GuitaristsBassistsBob Daisley · Rudy Sarzo · Pete Way · Don Costa · Phil Soussan · Geezer Butler · Mike Inez · James LoMenzo · Robert Trujillo · Jason Newsted · Chris WyseDrummersKeyboardistsRelated articles Band members · Discography · Aimee Osbourne · Black Sabbath · I Am Ozzy · Jack Osbourne · Ozzfest · Sharon Osbourne · Kelly OsbourneCategories:- 1948 births
- Living people
- People from Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
- English rock keyboardists
- English heavy metal keyboardists
- Deep Purple members
- Eurovision Song Contest conductors
- The Ozzy Osbourne Band members
- Rainbow members
- The Gary Moore Band members
- Alumni of the University of Nottingham
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