Former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN Singer To Perform With DEEP PURPLE Tribute Band

According to a posting on The Rainbow Fanclan Legacy web site, former YNGWIE MALMSTEEN/RAINBOW singer Doogie White will perform with a DEEP PURPLE tribute band, THE PURPLE PROJECT, tonight (Thursday, February 28) at Rivermead, Reading, England.

White and Yngwie Malmsteen officially parted company earlier this week after six and a half years together. Doogie joined Malmsteen's band in September 2001 and recorded two albums with the legendary Swedish guitarist: "Attack" (2002) and "Unleash the Fury" (2005).

"I had a long chat with Yngwie today and it is clear that he wants to move musically in a new direction," Doogie said in a statement that was released to BLABBERMOUTH.NET on Tuesday (Feb. 26). "It's great news that he will be expanding on his undoubted talents both as a writer and guitarist. I just want to thank, publicly, Yngwie and the many band members past and present that I have worked with. It seems appropriate that we started our working relationship in South America in September 2001 and finished in South America in December 2007. Now, anyone need a singer??"

White's replacement in Malmsteen's band is none other than former JUDAS PRIEST/ICED EARTH singer Tim "Ripper" Owens.

RAINBOW (featuring Doogie White) performing a cover of DEEP PURPLE's "Perfect Strangers":