HOW TO GO
When: Whitesnake with openers The Answer
Where: Rose Music Center, 6800 Executive Blvd., Huber Heights
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Cost: $31-$49
More info: 937-228-2323 or www.ticketmaster.com
Artist info: www.whitesnake.com
David Coverdale has been the frontman for British heavy metal act Whitesnake off-and-on since the mid-1970s, but he hasn’t forgotten his roots. He pays tribute to Deep Purple, the band that first made him famous, with the recent release of “The Purple Album.”
Whitesnake, currently on tour supporting the album of reworked versions of mid-period Deep Purple songs, performs at The Rose Music Center in Huber Heights on Tuesday.
Double trouble: Coverdale was in Deep Purple for a short time, from 1974 to 1976, but he appeared on three studio albums and as many tours, establishing himself as a singer with a wide vocal range and amazing hair. Those two traits helped transform him from a handsome small-town boy from Saltburn-on-Sea, Yorkshire, to a full-fledged rock star. That double-barreled arsenal still helps drive his career today.
Bucking trends: Punk rock was the latest musical fad when Whitesnake formed in 1977, but Coverdale stuck with what he knew: bluesy hard rock. The first few releases were moderate successes but Coverdale never wavered in his convictions. In the mid-1980s, when the hair metal era was ushered in with the full support of MTV, Whitesnake was already poised to strike.
The platinum years: "Slide it In" (1984), like follow-ups, "Whitesnake" (1987) and "Slip of the Tongue" (1989), were platinum-sellers. Perhaps sensing a changing musical tide with Nirvana's soon-to-be-released smash "Nevermind," Coverdale ended Whitesnake in 1990.
Successful side project: In 1993, the singer released "Coverdale and Page," a collaboration with Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. While derided by critics for being out-of-step with the times, it was a top five album in the United States and Britain.
A brief return: Coverdale reformed Whitesnake in 1994 to tour for a new greatest-hits collection. The band rode that momentum into one more album, 1997's "Restless Heart," which wasn't released in the U.S. at the time. The band folded again soon after.
Rotating cast: Aside from Coverdale's seemingly ageless appearance, one thing that has remained constant with Whitesnake is its fluid lineup. Since its earlies days, turnover was a constant. More than 40 musicians moved through the band's ranks over the years, with Coverdale the only constant member.
The third act: Interest in Whitesnake never died. Coverdale put together another new lineup in 2003 to tour in support of the band's 25th anniversary. While the players continued to change, the band soldiered on, releasing the full-lengths, "Good To Be Bad" in 2008 and "Forevermore" in 2011. "The Purple Album" is the band's 13th studio album.
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