Blackmore’s Night

Candice Night's personality and vocal ability made her a prime vocalist. In 1997, the project began as a play on words between their two names, and they surrounded themselves with session musicians.

Their first album, Shadow of the Moon, released on June 2, 1997, was a musical success, featuring Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull on flute on the track "Play Minstrel Play" It contained two covers: "Ocean Gypsy" by Renaissance and "Wish You Where Here" by Rednex. The album stayed on the German charts for 17 weeks, and received gold certification in Japan for 100,000 albums shipped to stores. In 2023, a 25th anniversary edition was released, containing new mixes of each song. This CD contains a home session of "Shadow of the Moon" and "Spirit of the Sea" , the bonus DVD contains video clips of "Shadow of the Moon", "No Second Chance" and "Renaissance Faire".

The second album, Under a Violet Moon, was released on May 25, 1999 and featured "Self Portrait," (original) a cover of a song by Ritchie Blackmore's former band Rainbow, from his debut album, Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow. Under a Violet Moon won the New Age Voice award for the best vocal album of the year.

From their third album, Fires at Midnight, released on July 10, 2001, through SPV/Steamhammer Records, In comparison to their previous two releases, there are more electric guitar parts on this album, whilst maintaining a Folk rock direction. The album was a Top Ten record in Germany. In December 2001, Fires At Midnight was a finalist on the New Age Voice award for the best vocal album of the year. In 2004 the album went Gold in the Czech Republic. The album was one of the 10 international bestsellers in Russia during the Autumn of 2001. The single "Times They Are A Changin" stayed in the Russian top 20 Hits for over 9 weeks. It featured the singles "The Times They Are a Changin'", "Home Again" and "All Because of You".

In 2024 a new deluxe edition was released on earMUSIC/Edel as 2CD and LP. The reissue continues the celebration of over 25 years of activity for the band, which started with the remixed reissue of the debut album Under A Violet Moon. All songs have been remixed from the original multi-tracks recording by Eike Freese at Chameleon Studios in Hamburg. For the occasion, two bonus tracks were added, both featuring new vocal parts by Candice Night: "Written in the Stars" and the title track "Fires at Midnight"

Over time, Candice Night contributed extensively to the instrumental work, including vocals, and contributed to the inclusion of Renaissance instruments.

In 2002, Past Time with Good Company was released, a double live album recorded during a concert in Groningen, the Netherlands in May 2002. It was released in October 2002 in Europe and in February 2003 in the US and Canada. The European version includes a Greek rendition of "Home Again" and extra live tracks recorded at a press show in Solingen, Germany.

CD 2 of the special Limited Edition leather-bound hard-cover package includes two bonus tracks: an acoustic "Fires At Midnight" and "Home Again" sung in Greek. The album's title is a homage to the 16th century English folk song "Pastime with Good Company", (song) composed by King Henry VIII, and performed in a special 2-part arrangement by Blackmore's Night on this recording.

"Fires At Midnight" is another piece with a royal lineage, attributed to King Alphonso X of Spain. In addition to songs from their first three albums, the band performed Deep Purple's Soldier of Fortune and Rainbow's Sixteen Century Greensleeves. (original)

Their fourth album, Ghost of a Rose, released on June 30, 2003, featured Joan Baez's "Diamonds and Rust" and Jethro Tull's Rainbow Blues. Allusive to the alchemical feat of palingenesis by Paracelsus, the phrase "ghost of a rose" was first stated in the penultimate paragraph of the physician-philosopher  Thomas Browne's 1658 discourse The Garden of Cyrus which concludes, "...and though in the Bed of Cleopatra, can hardly with any delight raise up the ghost of a Rose".

After two earlier compilation albums, "Minstrels and Ballads" in 2001, and "The Best Of" in 2003, in 2004, through Steamhammer, they released Beyond the Sunset: The Romantic Collection, a compilation of their first four studio albums, including a previously unreleased track, "Once in a Million Years", and new versions of "Ghost of a Rose", featured on the self-titled album, and "Now and Then" from Under a Violet Moon. The album won the New Age Reporter Lifestyle Music Award as the Best Vocal Album.

The album was released on Steamhammer US on April 4, 2006. It featured the single "Just Call My Name (I'll Be There)". The song "Olde Mill Inn" was included as soundtrack in the 2008 movie Yes Man.

In the fall of the same year, the band released their sixth album, Winter Carols, featuring traditional Christmas carols. The album was released in the United Kingdom in October 2006, and in the United States on November 7, 2006.

The cover artwork for this album, painted by Karsten Topelmann, is an adaptation of a street in  Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany, in line with the band's heavy Renaissance influence. The same street is portrayed in the cover of Blackmore's Night's second studio album, Under a Violet Moon. In the cover of Winter Carols the street is painted as winter time, whereas Under a Violet Moon's cover takes place on apparently a summer night. While the selection "Winter (Basse Dance)" is credited to Ritchie Blackmore as composer, the first phrase comes from Gaspar Sanz's "Espanoleta" (written in 1674, this piece is familiar today from its adaptation by Joaquin Rodrigo for the second movement of his "Fantasía para un gentilhombre", which he composed for classical guitar virtuoso Andres Segovia in 1954) though Blackmore quickly goes off on his own from there. The songs no longer under copyright are credited only as "trad.[itional]" even when the authors are known.

In December 2006, Winter Carols entered at #7 on USA Billboard New Age Charts. The album won the New Age Reporter Lifestyle Music Award as the Best Holiday Album. This album was reissued in 2013, with a second CD featuring live versions of these songs, and in 2017 with three additional Christmas carol covers.

In 2007, for the band's tenth anniversary, Paris Moon, recorded the previous year in concert at the Olympia in Paris, is a long-form concert DVD/CD and was released on CD and DVD. This release celebrates the band's 10-year anniversary.

The band runs through a number of cover songs, including Jethro Tull's "Rainbow Blues," Joan Baez' "Diamonds and Rust," Joan Osborne's "Saint Teresa," and a couple songs from Ritchie's previous bands: Deep Purple's "Soldier of Fortune" and Rainbow's "Ariel" (though this song was actually written by Candice Night and Ritchie Blackmore).

Also included is a photo gallery with photos from the show, set to "Streets of London", sung by Candice Night in French. Included with the DVD is a CD containing nine tracks from the concert, as well as a studio version of "The Village Lanterne" and a radio edit of "All Because of You". Paris Moon was nominated to the New Age Reporter Lifestyle Music Award in three categories: Best Vocal Album, Best Album and Best Celtic Album.

On June 27, 2008, the duo released their seventh studio album, Secret Voyage, a mix of medieval-sounding and contemporary pieces. According to a SPV press release, Secret Voyage is another kaleidoscopic musical journey through time and space, incorporating and rearranging traditional melodies from all over Europe, blending the "old" and contemporary. Secret Voyage consists of twelve new tracks, recorded by Candice Night, Ritchie Blackmore and their Band of Minstrels.

Secret Voyage won the New Age Reporter Lifestyle Music Award as the best Celtic album. It was also nominated for NAR awards in two more categories - Best Vocal Album and Best Cover Artwork for a CD.

In addition to some traditional Folk music covers (the 14th-century "Locked Within the Crystal Ball") and original pieces, Blackmore's Night also includes covers of "Rainbow Eyes," a song by Rainbow, original sung by Ronnie James Dio and "Can't Help Falling in Love," an Elvis Presley hit.

Their eighth album, Autumn Sky, was released in late 2010 in Europe and in 2011 in the United States.

It is dedicated to their daughter Autumn Esmerelda Blackmore, who was born on May 27, 2010. It was released on September 3, 2010 in Europe and on January 18, 2011 in the U.S.

Autumn Sky entered at number one on the New Age Billboard Charts. It reached number 13 in Greece, number 29 in Finland, number 36 in Sweden, number 43 in Austria and number 57 in Switzerland. In Russia it went gold. The album won a Zone Music Award for the Best Vocal Album.

It contains three cover versions: "Highland," a song by the Swedish pop group One More Time; "Journeyman (Vandraren), a song by Nordman, another Swedish band, translated into English; and "Celluloid Heroes," by the British rock band The Kinks.

A Knight in York, the band's third live album, was released in 2012. The album was recorded in the autumn of 2011 at the Grand Opera House in York, England, it features "First of May," a Bee Gees cover.

It entered at #2 on the New Age Billboard Charts. It entered at #2 on the German DVD Charts, and entered at #8 on the German album charts. The album also reached #46 in Austria and #85 in Switzerland. It mostly consists of songs from their two albums, Secret Voyage and Autumn Sky.

The same year, a purple velvet box set was released, consisting of two CDs (the first two albums with a bonus track) and two DVDs (concerts recorded in Germany in 1997-1998 and during the 2000 tour).

In 2013, on June 11, the ninth album Dancer and the Moon was released, featuring covers of songs by Randy Newman (I Think It's Going to Rain Today), Uriah Heep (Lady in Black), and another song by Rainbow (Temple of the King). Originally sung by Ronnie James Dio.

It entered at #189 on USA's Billboard Album Charts. It was also nominated for NAR award in Best Vocal Album of the Year.

"Carry On… Jon" is an instrumental tribute to Deep Purple co-founder Jon Lord, who died on July 16, 2012 at age 71.

In 2015, Ritchie Blackmore reformed his band Rainbow, which he formed in 1975, (with members from the band Elf) for a concert tour. Candice Night provided backing vocals, and three other Blackmore's Night members also joined: drummer David Keith (Troubadour of Aberdeen), backing vocalist Christina Lynn Skleros (Lady Lynn), and former bassist Robert Curiano (Sir Robert of Normandie), who took the name Bob Nouveau in Rainbow.

Blackmore's Night's tenth album, All Our Yesterdays, was released on September 18 of that year, and included three cover songs: Gary Wight's "Long Long Time" performed by Linda Ronstadt, Mike Oldfield's "Moonlight Shadow," and Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe."

In 2017, the band released a two-CD compilation album titled "To the Moon and Back - 20 Years and Beyond", chronicling their twenty-year musical journey. It incorporated new versions of previous songs, as well as bonus tracks such as Rainbow's "I Surrender", original witten by Russ Ballard.

On December 4, 2020, Blackmore's Night released "Here We Come A-Caroling", an EP featuring four new Christmas carols, including the popular "Silent Night."

The band's eleventh studio album, Nature's Light, was released worldwide on March 12, 2021. It features a new version of "Wish You Where Here" by Rednex, featured on the duo's debut album, as well as a version of "Second Element," a song by Sarah Brightman. The couple's children sing backing vocals on one track.

The band has performed at several Renaissance festivals and primarily in Europe, where they perform in historic venues such as castles, in front of audiences dressed in period costumes.

Between 1997 and 2019, the band gave over 400 concerts, the majority of which were in Germany (40%), followed by the United States (15%), and the United Kingdom (10%). They have also performed in Italy, the Czech Republic, Japan, Russia, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Bulgaria, Luxembourg, Denmark, Hungary, Greece, Belgium, Ukraine, France, Serbia, Latvia, Estonia, Turkey, Slovakia, Croatia, and Slovenia.

The first concert, Blackmore's Night, took place on November 2, 1997, at the Nakano Sun Plaza Hall in Tokyo. The band didn't give their first concert in France until nine years after their formation, on September 20, 2006, at the Olympia in Paris. The performance was filmed and released the following year under the title Paris Moon in a box set including DVD and CD. The band's second concert in France took place on July 8, 2015, at the same venue.

Shadow of the Moon (1997)

Under a Violet Moon (1999)

Fires at Midnight (2001)

Past Times with Good Company (2002) live

Ghost of a Rose (2003)

The Village Lanterne (2006)

Winter Carols (2006)

Paris Moon (2007) live

Secret Voyage (2008)

Autumn Sky (2010)

A Knight In York (2012) live

Dancer and the Moon (2013)

All Our Yesterdays (2015)

Nature's Light (2021)

Scott Hazell – harmony & backing vocals (Jan 1997–Mar 2001)

Mick Cervino – bass (Jul 1997-Aug 2000)

Joseph James – keyboards (Jul 1997–Dec 1997)

John O'Reilly – drums, percussion (Jul 1997–Dec 1997)

Sue Goehringer – backing vocals (1998–Mar 2001)

Rachel Birkin – violin (Sep 1998–Oct 1998)

Alex Alexander – drums, percussion (Sep 1998–Jan 2000)

Adam Forgione – keyboards (Sep 1998–Jan 2000)

Jim Hurley – violin (Jun 1999-May 2000)

Marci Geller – keyboards, backing vocals (Jun 1999–May 2001)

Carmine Giglio – keyboards, backing vocals (Apr 2000–Aug 2002)

Mike Sorrentino – percussion (Apr 2000–Aug 2001)

Chris Devine – violin, flute, guitar (Jul 2000–May 2002)

Sir Robert of Normandie (Robert Curiano) – bass, guitars, backing vocals (Oct 2000–2007)

Lady Vita (Vita Gasparro) – guitar, vocals (Jul 2001–Dec 2001)

Squire Malcolm of Lumley (Malcolm Dick) – drums, percussion (Aug 2001–2011)

Lady Rraine (Lorraine Ferro) – harmony vocals (Apr 2002–May 2002, Oct 2007)

Lord Marnen of Wolfhurst (Marnen Laibow-Koser) – violin, flute, recorder (Jul 2002–Dec 2003)

Lady Nancy (Nancy Posner) – backing vocals (Jul 2002–2007)

Lady Madeline (Madeline Posner) – backing vocals (Jul 2002–2007)

Tudor Rose (Tina Chancey) – violin, flute (May 2004–2007)

Baron St James (Barry Waller) – bass (Apr 2007–Mar 2008)

Gypsy Rose (Elizabeth Cary) – violin, backing vocals (Oct 2007–2011)

Lady Kelly De Winter (Kelly Morris) – French horn, harmony vocals (2012–Nov 2013)

The Minstrel Albert (Albert Dannenmann) – Bagpipes, Renaissance wind instruments, backing vocals

Lady Lynn (Christina Lynn Skleros) – harmony vocals, shawm, flute, and recorder (2014–2022)