David Coverdale Net Worth, Career, & Whitesnake Success.
What is the Net Worth of David Coverdale?
David Coverdale, the renowned English musician, boasts a net worth of $18 million. He is widely recognized for his roles in the iconic rock bands Deep Purple and Whitesnake. In addition to his band work, Coverdale enjoyed a successful solo career and collaborated with Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin on a platinum-certified album in 1993.
His contributions to music were honored when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
Early Life and Career Start
Born in 1951 in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, England, David Coverdale is the son of Winnifred and Joseph. He began his professional singing career at the age of 14, developing his vocal skills along the way. Some of the early bands he played with include Vintage 67, The Government, and the Fabulosa Brothers.
In 1973, Coverdale learned that Deep Purple was looking for a new lead singer to replace Ian Gillan. Having previously shared a stage with the band during his time with The Government, he was familiar with their music. After submitting a tape and auditioning, Coverdale was welcomed into Deep Purple.
Journey with Deep Purple
Coverdale's first album with Deep Purple, titled "Burn," was released in 1974 and quickly achieved gold status in both the US and UK. Later that year, the band put out "Stormbringer," which also reached gold certification. However, tensions arose when guitarist Ritchie Blackmore left the band in 1975 due to his dissatisfaction with the album's soul and funk influences. Rather than disbanding, Coverdale urged the group to continue with American guitarist Tommy Bolin, known for his work with The James Gang. Together, they released "Come Taste the Band," but it did not replicate the success of earlier albums. After the band's tour concluded in March 1976, Coverdale tearfully announced his departure, and Deep Purple officially disbanded in July.
Solo Career
After Deep Purple disbanded, Coverdale embarked on a solo journey. He released his debut album, "White Snake," in 1977, with all songs penned by him and English guitarist Micky Moody. While the album didn't make a significant impact, its title would later inspire the name of Coverdale's future band. His second solo effort, "Northwinds," which came out in March 1978, fared much better.
Whitesnake
In late 1978, Coverdale formed the band Whitesnake, bringing Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden on board as guitarists. That same year, they released the "Snakebite" EP, which included four tracks. This was soon followed by "Trouble," Whitesnake's first official studio album. Featuring former Deep Purple member Jon Lord, "Trouble" reached number 50 on the UK albums chart upon its release in 1978. The band enjoyed even greater success in 1980 with "Ready an' Willing," which saw Ian Paice join as the drummer. This album produced the hit "Fool for Your Loving," which climbed to number 13 on the British charts. Their subsequent album, "Come an' Get It," released in 1981, achieved even greater acclaim.
In 1984, Whitesnake started to gain significant traction in North America with their album "Slide it In." During this period, Coverdale aimed to refresh the band's sound by enlisting former Thin Lizzy guitarist John Sykes, known for his more aggressive and modern style.
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Unfortunately, Coverdale faced a setback when he contracted a severe sinus infection, forcing him to pause the recording process. Tensions also escalated between Coverdale and Sykes, complicating matters further. Before the completion of Whitesnake's next album, Coverdale made the decision to let Sykes go. In 1987, the band achieved unprecedented success with their self-titled album "Whitesnake," which went multi-platinum. Featuring hit singles like "Here I Go Again" and "Is This Love," the album propelled the band to major headlining status in North America.
They followed this success with "Slip of the Tongue," recorded with guitarist Adrian Vandenberg, which also enjoyed commercial success, earning platinum status in both the US and Europe. In 1990, after wrapping up a tour in Tokyo, Coverdale decided to disband Whitesnake to take a step back and evaluate his career.
Coverdale-Page
In 1991, Coverdale teamed up with Led Zeppelin's guitarist Jimmy Page. Their collaboration led to the release of the 1993 album "Coverdale-Page," which was a hit internationally, reaching number four in the UK and number five in the US, and achieving platinum certification. After a brief tour in Japan, the duo eventually went their separate ways.
Whitesnake Return
Whitesnake's Comeback In 1994, David Coverdale put together a new lineup for Whitesnake to support the release of a Greatest Hits album. However, after the tour concluded, the band disbanded once more. Shortly after, Coverdale released his album "Restless Heart" and took a short break from music.
He made his return in 2000 with his first solo album in 22 years, titled "Into the Light." In 2002, Coverdale reassembled Whitesnake for a tour across the United States and Europe. By 2006, the band had signed a record deal with Steamhammer Records and released the double live album "Live: In the Shadow of the Blues." They then launched their first new studio album in over a decade, "Good to Be Bad." The band toured extensively until Coverdale faced a vocal injury in 2009. After his recovery, he and Whitesnake produced the album "Forevermore," which came out in 2011. This was followed by "The Purple Album" four years later, featuring covers of songs from Coverdale's time with Deep Purple.
Personal Life
David Coverdale married Julia Borkowski in 1974, and they welcomed a daughter, Jessica, in 1978 before divorcing. He then married actress and former model Tawny Kitaen in 1989, who appeared in several of Whitesnake's music videos, including "Here I Go Again" and "Still of the Night." Their marriage ended in divorce in 1991. Coverdale later married author Cindy Coverdale, with whom he has a son named Jasper. For more than 20 years, Coverdale has resided in Incline Village, Nevada, and he became a US citizen in 2007.
John Sykes' Passing
A statement released on John Sykes’ official website last night (January 20th) confirmed that the 65-year-old rock star succumbed to a long battle with cancer.
The touching message noted that Sykes will be “remembered by many as a man with exceptional musical talent, but for those who didn’t know him personally, he was a thoughtful, kind, and charismatic man whose presence lit up the room.” The statement poignantly added: “He expressed his deep love and gratitude for his fans who supported him throughout the years. While the weight of his loss is heavy and the atmosphere is somber, we hope the light of his memory will overshadow the darkness of his absence."
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John Sykes is widely celebrated as one of the greatest rock guitarists of his time, having revitalized both Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake during his brief yet legendary stints with the bands in the 1980s. He is also fondly remembered for his time with Tygers of Pan Tang and leading his own band, Blue Murder, alongside bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Carmine Appice. In response to the news of his former bandmate's passing, David Coverdale took to social media to express his sorrow:
“Just heard the shocking news of John’s passing…My sincere condolences to his family, friends & fans…🙏✨🙏✨⭐️✨🙏✨” Coverdale also shared a broken heart emoji and the audio of the Whitesnake classic ‘Still of the Night.’
Just heard the shocking news of John’s passing…My sincere condolences to his family, friends & fans…🙏✨🙏✨⭐️✨🙏✨🙏 pic.twitter.com/Y6WU3NtdMg
— David Coverdale (@davidcoverdale) January 20, 2025
