Distinguished DEEP PURPLE keyboard player Jon Douglas Lord was born in Leicester on June 9th 1941. Spearheaded by IAN GILLAN's quite unique vocal presence, RITCHIE BLACKMORE's pioneering guitar wizardry and co-founder JON LORD's magnificent Hammond organ flurries, DEEP PURPLE would launch itself to major international acclaim and status. As such, the singer fronted up some of the landmark Hard Rock songs such as the seminal 'Smoke On The Water', 'Black Night', 'Woman From Tokyo', 'Highway Star', 'Space Truckin', 'Strange Kind Of Woman' and 'Child In Time'.

Lord's first three solo albums, 1971's 'Gemini Suite', recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, 1974's 'Windows' and 'Sarabande' in 1976, were released whilst still a member of DEEP PURPLE. 'Gemini Suite' notably included guesting musicians guitarist ALVIN LEE from TEN YEARS AFTER, Tony Ashton and Yvonne Elliman, plus DEEP PURPLE colleagues bassist ROGER GLOVER and drummer Ian Paice. That same year Lord contributed compositions to the movie soundtrack of 'The Last Rebel'. His second solo set, 'Windows', was a collaboration with composer with Eberhard Schoener. Also emerging in 1974 was the TONY ASHTON & JON LORD credited 'First Of The Big Bands'.

He formed the subtly retitled side project, ASHTON LORD, in 1976 with ex-FAMILY vocalist TONY ASHTON. Lord found himself within the ranks of his erstwhile DEEP PURPLE comrade DAVID COVERDALE's band WHITESNAKE, featuring on the albums 'Trouble' in 1978, 'Lovehunter' in 1979, 'Ready An' Willing' in 1980 plus 'Live In The Heart Of The City' and 'Come An' Get It' both in 1981. Lord recorded the 1982's solo album 'Before I Forget' whilst taking a break from the group and featured session drummer Simon Phillips and WHITESNAKE drummer Ian Paice. Returning to action with WHITESNAKE, Lord crafted 1982's 'Saints & Sinners' and 1984's 'Slide It In'. That same year another solo outing emerged, 'The Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady' but of a much higher profile would be his re-introduction into the ranks of the classic DEEP PURPLE MK II line-up for their hugely successful comeback album 'Perfect Strangers'.

Subsequently found Lord concentrating on the fluctuating career of DEEP PURPLE, appearing on 1987's 'The House Of Blue Light', 1990's 'Slaves & Masters', 1993's 'The Battle Rages On', 1996's 'Purpendicular' and 'Abandon' in 1998 but 1999 saw the release of a solo classical album 'Pictured Within'. The record saw contributions from former WHITESNAKE bassist Colin Hodgkinson, ex-HEMLOCK, THE DUKES, SAVOY BROWN and T REX member MILLER ANDERSON, singer Sam Brown and FOCUS man Thys Van Leer on flute.

Anderson and Lord performed the title track from 'Pictured Within' as the set opener for DEEP PURPLE's 2000 European tour. Lord shocked many fans by withdrawing from DEEP PURPLE in 2002.

The keyboard player arranged solo dates of Australia, including the famed Sydney Opera House, in January of 2003. He would then up hook up with Blues band THE HOOCHIE COOCHIE MEN, led by former OZZY OSBOURNE, RAINBOW, URIAH HEEP and BLACK SABBATH bassist Bob Daisley and ex-ROSE TATTOO guitarist Tim Gaze for a short rash of club dates in February.

Lord issued his next solo album, 'Beyond The Notes', in September of 2004 through EMI Records. Guesting would be Anni-Frid Lyngstad from ABBA and Pop star and former PINK FLOYD backing singer SAM BROWN. The release would be backed up by European dates throughout October.

European concerts in January 2009 were fronted by GOTTHARD singer Steve Le and backed by guitarist Kaitner Z Doka, bassist Guy Pratt and drummer Bernhard Welz.

Lord partnered with his former DEEP PURPLE colleague GLENN HUGHES to perform at the ChildLine Rocks concert on Monday 1st June at the IndigO2 in London. The set comprised Lord's 'Pictured Within' with guest vocalist Steve Balsamo, a version of DEEP PURPLE's 'Child In Time' with Balsamo singing and London rockers THUNDER before Glenn Hughes came on stage to perform 'You Keep On Moving' with Lord and THUNDER. The ex-DEEP PURPLE duo then got back together on stage for the 'grand finale' — a version of 'Smoke On The Water' played by all the musicians that attended the event.

A concert at Lichfield Cathedral on July 17th found Lord joined by The Badke String Quartet, vocalists Steve Balsamo and Kasia Laska, Nigel Hopkins on keyboards, Don Richardson on bass, Bruce Martin on flute and Steve White on drums.