Rainbow is a British hard rock band that formed in 1974. The band originally consisted of former Elf lead singer Ronnie James Dio, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (of Deep Purple fame), and the other former members of the band Elf (except for guitarist Steve Edwards): bassist Craig Gruber, drummer Gary Driscoll, and keyboardist Mickey Lee Soule. The band's debut album, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, was released in 1975 and featured the minor hit "Man on the Silver Mountain". After many lineup changes (Dio quit the band in 1979) behind lead guitarist Blackmore, the band called it quits in 1984 after the original lineup of Deep Purple reunited.

Blackmore regrouped Rainbow in 1995 for the CD "Stranger in Us All" and a world tour.

During its lifetime, band members included :

• Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple.
• Ronnie James Dio from Elf (band)
• Cozy Powell
• Jimmy Bain
• Roger Glover
• Bob Daisley
• Bobby Rondinelli
• Tony Carey
• Chuck Burgi
• Joe Lynn Turner
• Don Airey
• Graham Bonnett
• Doogie White
• John O'Reilly
• Greg Smith
• Paul Morris
• Candice Night

Discography

LPs:

• Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow (1975)
• Rising (1976)
• Long Live Rock 'N' Roll (1978)
• Down to Earth (1979)
• Difficult to Cure (1981)
• Straight Between the Eyes (1982)
• Bent Out of Shape (1983)
• Stranger in Us All (1995)

Live:

• On Stage (1977)
• Final Vinyl (1986)
• Live in Germany '76 (1994)
• Live in Europe '76 (1996)

Greatest Hits:

• The Best of Rainbow (1981)
• The Very Best of Rainbow (1997)
• 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Rainbow (2000)
• Pots of Gold (2002)

Singles:

• Man On The Silver Mountain (1975)
• Catch The Rainbow (1975)
• Starstruck (1976)
• Stargazer (1976)
• Kill The King (1978)
• Long Live Rock 'N' Roll (1978)
• Gates Of Babylon (1979)
• Since You've Been Gone (1979)
• All Night Long (1980)
• I Surrender (1981)
• Can't Happen Here (1981)
• Jealous Lover (1981); b-side of Can't Happen Here
• Stone Cold (1982)
• Power (1982)
• Can't Let You Go (1983)
• Street Of Dreams (1983)