Legendary Musician Denny Laine, Founding Member of Wings and The Moody Blues, Passes Away at 79
Denny Laine, celebrated co-founder of Wings and The Moody Blues, passed away at 79, as confirmed by his wife Elizabeth Hines The music world mourns the loss of this iconic artist and longtime collaborator of Paul McCartney
Denny Laine, the co-founder of bands Wings and The Moody Blues and a longtime collaborator of Paul McCartney, passed away on Tuesday morning, as confirmed by Laine's wife Elizabeth Hines. He was 79.
In a post on Laine's official Instagram account, Hines revealed that Laine had been in the ICU on a ventilator for the past week. She explained that Laine had been battling Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), a condition that is both unpredictable and aggressive.
"He fought tirelessly, displaying remarkable strength and bravery without ever voicing a single complaint," she penned.
In 1971, Laine played a pivotal role in the formation of Wings with Paul and Linda McCartney, marking McCartney's first musical project following the disbandment of the Beatles. Their inaugural album "Wild Life" was released that year, followed by the success of their second album, "Red Rose Speedway," in 1973, which achieved their first No. 1 hit with "My Love."
Musician Denny Laine performing at BritWeek's 10th Anniversary VIP Reception & Gala at Fairmont Hotel on May 1, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.
Randy Shropshire/Getty Images
One of Wing's most iconic musical contributions was their 1973 album "Band on the Run." This album achieved immense success, becoming one of the best-selling British albums of 1974 and reaching No. 1 in the US. Some of the hits included on the album are the title track "Band on the Run," "Jet," "Let Me Roll It," and "No Words," which was co-written by Laine.
The band won a Grammy in 1975 for the title track of their album, receiving the award for best pop vocal performance by a duo, group, or chorus. In 1979, they also won for best rock instrumental performance with "Rockestra Theme." In a recent interview with Guitar World, Laine described working with McCartney as a harmonious experience.
"When Paul was on the piano, I had more freedom to develop my own guitar part. It was easy to do that with him," he explained. "You have to remember - he and I grew up with the same musical tastes. We listened to all the same bits, so we have a very similar style."
The native of Birmingham, England went on to co-write "Mull of Kintyre" in 1977 with McCartney, a featured track on Wings' 1993 reissue of their 1978 album "London Town" that reached No. 1 on the UK's Guinness Charts of British Hits Singles and became the UK's highest-selling single ever at the time.
Laine, a talented singer, songwriter, and guitarist, was the sole member of Wings, aside from the McCartneys, to stay with the band for its entire duration. On Tuesday, McCartney honored his former bandmate through a post on social media.
"I cherish countless wonderful memories from my time with Denny. From the early days of touring with The Beatles and the Moody Blues," he wrote, later praising him as "an exceptional vocalist and skilled guitar player."
"Denny possessed great talent and a delightful sense of humor, always willing to lend a helping hand to others," McCartney later added. "His fans will surely miss him, and his friends will always hold him dear in their hearts."
On February 12th, 1965, The Moody Blues, a British pop group, gathered for a meeting in their shared house in south London. Pictured from left to right are members Mike Pinder, Clint Warwick, Graeme Edge, Ray Thomas, and Denny Laine.
Chris Ware/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Prior to Wings, Laine founded The Moody Blues in 1964, with whom he played until 1965.
Laine's time with the Moody Blues was short but impactful. He co-founded the band in 1964 in Birmingham with keyboardist Mike Pinder, but departed after the release of their 1965 debut album "The Magnificent Moodies."
In a 2017 interview with Billboard, Laine mentioned that he was involved in the band's early years as they shifted from an R&B/blues band to a more progressive sound.
"We had a hippie-dippy vibe back in those days, and they just took it and ran with it," he said. "But if Mike and Ray (Thomas) hadn't convinced me to join their band, I might have been stuck in Birmingham and never accomplished anything, so I'm thankful for that."
Laine's impact on the Moody Blues was later acknowledged when he was included in the band's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2018, along with Pinder, Thomas, Graeme Edge, John Lodge, and Justin Hayward.
In his later years, Laine maintained a busy touring schedule and recently debuted his "Songs & Stories" live show, showcasing a range of his work over the years. He wrapped up his final performances earlier this summer, as confirmed by a spokesperson for Laine.
"I thrive on live performances," he shared with Guitar World. "Nothing compares to the energy and connection of playing live to a crowd."
This story has been updated with additional information.
