Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale announces retirement from music

There he goes.

Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale, 74, announced Thursday that he is hanging up his “platform shoes and skin-tight jeans” following his legendary 50-plus year Hall of Fame career.

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, brothers and sisters of the Snake, a special announcement for you,” the rock icon said in a video message before a remake of his 2011 song “Fare Thee Well.”

“The last few years has been very evident to me that it’s time really for me to hang up my rock and roll platform shoes and my skin-tight jeans. And as you can see, we’ve taken care of the lion’s wig. But it’s time for me to call it a day,”

The “Here I Go Again” hitmaker expressed his gratitude to his loved ones and fans, who have supported him as the frontman for both Whitesnake and Deep Purple — but revealed it was time for him to enjoy his retirement.

“I love you dearly. I thank everyone who’s assisted and supported me on this incredible journey. All the musicians, the crew, the fans, the family. It’s amazing.”

Coverdale raised a glass as he delivered his parting message, “Fare thee well,” referencing the band’s 2011 song of the same name.

Coverdale’s career started in the United Kingdom with local bands before he earned the gig as the next lead singer for Deep Purple in 1973.

Three years later, the rocker resigned from the band and launched a solo career, releasing two studio albums.

In 1978, Coverdale founded Whitesnake with guitarists Bernie Marsden and Micky Moody.

The band released 13 albums, with their 2008 release “Good to be Bad” earning them Album of the Year from Classic Rock magazine.

The singer linked up with Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page for their certified platinum album “Coverdale/Page” in 1993.

Coverdale was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Deep Purple in 2016.

Whitesnake released their last album in 2019, playing their last concert four years later in at Hellfest in France on June 23, 2022.

They were forced to cancel remaining shows because of the health of several band members, including Coverdale himself.

“Last year, I was so incredibly compromised by, without any doubt, the worst sinus infection I’ve ever had in my life. And as a singer, I know them like f—ing relatives of mine,” Coverdale told Ultimate Classic Rock in 2023. “This was one of the ugliest illnesses I think I’ve [ever] had. For seven months, I was taking ever-increasingly strong antibiotics and horrifying Prednisone steroids.”

Fans lined up to pay tribute to the rock legend, wishing him luck in his next chapter of life.

“Without a doubt, this is the classiest farewell I have ever seen or heard from an artist. Words cannot express what your music has meant to me. Thank you for everything, and fare thee well, indeed,” one comment read.

“From the first time I ever heard your voice, I have been hooked on you. In 1988, I was fighting for my life with ovarian cancer and here I am today still rocking to your music. I will be a Whitesnake fan till my last breath. I love you David Coverdale,” another wrote.

“David, sir, thank you for being part of the soundtrack of my life for the last four plus decades… you will be missed. We love you, too…” a third said.