3 Rockers From the 1980s Who Ended up Joining Famous Bands

Rock music isn’t always a team sport. Nor is being in a rock band always a democracy. Sometimes an artist has a particular vision they can’t execute with a collective. But then again, sometimes a band is just what a visionary needs.

Here below, we wanted to highlight three performers from back in the day who jumped from solo projects to group ones to find out if the grass was truly greener. Indeed, these are three rockers from the 1980s who ended up joining famous bands.

Joe Lynn Turner

Joe Lynn Turner is one of those artists who couldn’t make up his mind. Or perhaps he was just that talented. Indeed, Turner played in a number of bands throughout his illustrious career, and he released several solo records. Turner was part of the group Fandango in the 1970s. That outfit released its debut LP in 1977. From there, he was in bands like Rainbow and Deep Purple, releasing a record with the latter in 1990. But as a solo artist, Turner was also rather prolific. He released his debut solo album, Rescue You, in 1985. And he followed it up with 10 more, including his latest, Belly Of The Beast, in 2022.

Robert Palmer

Robert Palmer released his debut solo album, Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley, in 1974. But it was in 1986 when his single, “Addicted to Love”, became a Billboard No. 1 hit. His unique voice became emblazoned on the minds of the music-loving public. But it was also a hit amongst his peers. Because in the mid-1980s, when the group Duran Duran went on hiatus, some of its members formed a side project known as The Power Station. They recruited Palmer, and he became that outfit’s lead singer.

David Coverdale

Speaking of Deep Purple, before Joe Lynn Turner was singing with the band, the group featured David Coverdale on lead vocals. He sang with the project for a handful of years before going solo in the late 1970s, releasing two LPs near the end of the decade. Some say there are no second acts in American life. Well, Coverdale has had two, three, or even four acts in his career! Indeed, after Deep Purple and after going solo, he formed the band Whitesnake, which had a big career in the 1980s, dropping six records during the decade. In some ways, it seemed as if Coverdale could do no wrong.

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