Happy 80th Birthday to Ian Gillan (born 8/19/45), one of rock’s most defining voices and the longtime frontman of Deep Purple. Known for his remarkable range—seamlessly moving from raw blues grit to piercing, operatic highs—Gillan became the sound of Deep Purple’s most celebrated eras. His vocals powered classics such as “Child in Time,” “Highway Star,” “Smoke on the Water,” “Woman From Tokyo,” and “Perfect Strangers.”

Alongside Ritchie Blackmore’s searing guitar work and Jon Lord’s growling Hammond organ, Gillan helped shape the vocabulary of hard rock and heavy metal, directly influencing bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden. Check out this 1970 rendition of “Child in Time,” where Gillan’s soaring delivery became a benchmark for generations of rock singers.