Rainbow

British-American hard rock band formed in 1975 by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore after his departure from Deep Purple. Multiple lineup changes were a defining feature; vocalists included Ronnie James Dio (1975-1979), Graham Bonnet (1979-1980), and Joe Lynn Turner (1980-1984).

The Dio era produced the band's most-celebrated work: Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975), Rising (1976), and Long Live Rock 'n' Roll (1978). The Turner era pivoted toward radio-friendly AOR, producing the band's commercial breakthroughs: Difficult to Cure (1981) and Straight Between the Eyes (1982). Blackmore disbanded Rainbow in 1984 to rejoin Deep Purple; brief reunions occurred in 1995 and 2015.