Ian Gillan : Gillan's Inn

 Ian Gillan

 (Born August,19th 1945) 

is an 

English singer 

who is 

best known

 as the 

lead singer

 and lyricist 

for the rock band

 Deep Purple. 

He is known for

 his powerful 

and 

wide-ranging 

singing voice.

Initially influenced by

 Elvis Presley,

 Gillan started 

and fronted 

several local bands

 in the mid-1960s, 

and eventually

 joined

 Episode Six 

when their 

original singer left. 

He first found 

widespread 

commercial success 

after joining

 Deep Purple

 in 1969.

 He resigned from

 the band in

 June 1973, 

having given a 

lengthy notice period

 to their managers. 

After a short time away

 from the music business, 

he resumed his 

music career 

with solo bands 

the Ian Gillan Band 

and

 Gillan, 

before a 

year-long stint

 as the vocalist

 for 

Black Sabbath

 in 1983.

 The following year,

 Deep Purple

 reformed and

 two more

 successful albums 

followed before

 he left in 1989. 

He returned to

 the group in 1993, 

and has remained

 its lead singer 

ever since.

In addition to

 his main work

performing with 

Deep Purple 

and other bands

 during the 

1970s and 1980s 

he sang the role

 of Jesus 

in the

 original recording 

of Andrew Lloyd Webber's

 rock opera

 Jesus Christ Superstar 

(1970),

 performed in the

 charity supergroup 

Rock Aid Armenia, 

and engaged in

 a number of

 business investments 

and ventures, 

including a hotel, 

a motorcycle manufacturer, 

and music

 recording facilities 

at Kingsway Studios.

More recently, 

he has performed 

solo concerts

 concurrently with

 his latter career in 

Deep Purple, 

and his work 

and affinity 

with Armenia,

 combined with his 

continued friendship 

with 

Tony Iommi

 since his 

brief time in 

Black Sabbath,

 has led him 

to form the

 supergroup

 WhoCares

 with Iommi. 

His solo career 

outside of 

Deep Purple

 was given a

 comprehensive overview

 with the 

Gillan's Inn 

box set

 in 2006.

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