Don Airey is an English keyboard player from Sunderland, born in 1948, whose career spans hard rock and symphonic rock as well as prog-related and jazz-influenced work. He is best known as the keyboardist in Deep Purple, joining the band in 2003 after filling in for Jon Lord and becoming a permanent member in 2002.

Career

Airey takes an early classical piano training into a long career in rock. He earns a degree at Nottingham University and a diploma at the Royal Northern College of Music before moving to London in 1974, where he joins Cozy Powell’s band Hammer. He then works on several albums with solo artists before a short period with Black Sabbath, contributing keyboards to Never Say Die!.

After Black Sabbath, Airey joins Rainbow, led by Ritchie Blackmore. With Rainbow he appears on Down to Earth and Difficult to Cure. He also plays on Gary Moore’s solo debut Back On the Streets. In 1980 he contributes the keyboard introduction to Ozzy Osbourne’s The Blizzard of Ozz, including the intro to “Mr. Crowley”.

Following Rainbow, Airey spends a three-year period working with Ozzy Osbourne and appears on Bark at the Moon and Speak of the Devil. He also tours with Jethro Tull in 1987 before leaving to record K2. After a period of reduced activity, he joins Deep Purple in the early 2000s and becomes a full-time keyboardist. He is also associated with Colosseum II, Sinner, Uli Jon Roth and Living Loud.

Collaborations and session work

Airey works with a wide range of rock artists, including Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Whitesnake and Bruce Dickinson. He plays keyboards on Dickinson’s solo track “Darkness Be My Friend”. He also works with Andrew Lloyd Webber. In 2006 he contributes to Gary Moore’s Old New Ballads Blues across all tracks.

Solo and side projects

Airey releases a solo album, A Light In The Sky, in 2008. He has also been involved with Empire, M3, Phenomena, The Company of Snakes, The Midnight Blues Band, The Don Airey Band, Hollywood Monsters, Ten, Don Airey & Friends and Cozy Powell’s Hammer.