The band hasn’t toured in over three years
Whitesnake founder and frontman David Coverdale has announced his retirement. The rocker shared the news in a six-minute video, where he explains his decision before playing a music video for the “Fare Thee Well” 2025 remix.
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the snake, a special announcement for you after 50 plus years of an incredible journey with you, Deep Purple, Whitesnake, Jimmy Page and many more,” he says. “The last few years it has become very evident to me that it’s time really for me to hang up my rock and roll platform shoes and my skin tight jeans. It’s time for me to call it a day. I love you dearly, thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey. All the musicians, the crew, the fans the family it’s amazing, but it is time for me to enjoy my retirement and I hope you can appreciate that. Once again, I love you with all my heart.”
It’s been over three years since the group performed live. Whitesnake was forced to cancel the final dates of their European tour in June and July 2022. This was initially due to an illness affecting guitarist Reb Beach, followed by drummer Tommy Aldridge, and finally, Coverdale himself was sidelined with a persistent upper respiratory infection (sinus and trachea infection).
Following the European cancellations, the band completely pulled out of their co-headlining North American tour with The Scorpions, which was scheduled for August through October 2022. The reason was Coverdale’s continued treatment for the persistent upper respiratory infection, which affected his ability to perform.
Guitarist Reb Beach has indicated that he personally does not foresee Coverdale doing another world tour, citing his age of 72 and his desire to retire from touring at that level. Coverdale had previously mentioned that any future performances would likely be limited, possibly a short series of shows or a Las Vegas residency, and would depend entirely on his health and band member availability.
The band’s focus has recently been on legacy projects, such as the Forevermore: Revisited, Remixed and Remastered album, which has a 2025 release date.
