Denny Laine, co-founder of bands Wings and The Moody Blues, dies at 79:

[Old Joad]

Denny Laine, co-founder of bands Wings and The Moody Blues and longtime collaborator of Paul McCartney, died on Tuesday morning, according to Laine’s wife Elizabeth Hines. He was 79.

Hines wrote in a post on Laine’s official Instagram account that Laine had “been in ICU on a ventilator this past week.” She said Laine had Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), which “is unpredictable and aggressive.”

“He fought everyday. He was so strong and brave, never complained,” she wrote.

in 1971, Laine helped form Wings alongside Paul and Linda McCartney. They released their debut album “Wild Life” that same year, and followed up with their second album, 1973’s “Red Rose Speedway,” which brought them their first No. 1 hit with “My Love.”

Wings’ most iconic musical offering was their 1973 album “Band on the Run. The album became one of the top-selling British albums of 1974 and reached No. 1 in US. It includes hits such as the title track “Band on the Run,” plus “Jet,” “Let Me Roll It” and “No Words,” a track that Laine co-wrote.

The band won a Grammy for best pop vocal performance by a duo, group or chorus in 1975 for the title track off the album. They later won for best rock instrumental performance for 1979’s “Rockestra Theme.”

Working with McCartney was a harmonious experience, Laine said in an interview with Guitar World earlier this year.

“If Paul was on piano, I’d have a bit more freedom to find my own guitar part. It was quite easy to do that with him,” he said. “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 Birmingham, England native went on to co-write “Mull of Kintyre” in 1977 with McCartney, a featured track on Wings’s 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.

A singer, songwriter and guitarist, Laine is the only member of Wings who was with the band for its entire run, outside of the McCartneys.

Later on Tuesday, McCartney paid tribute to his former bandmate via social media.

“I have many fond memories of my time with Denny: from the early days when The Beatles toured with the Moody Blues,” he wrote, later calling him “an outstanding vocalist and guitar player.”

“Denny was a great talent with a fine sense of humour and was always ready to help other people,” McCartney later continued. “He will be missed by all his fans and remembered with great fondness by his friends.”

12th February 1965: British pop group, The Moody Blues at a meeting in their shared house in south London. Left to right : Mike Pinder, Clint Warwick, Graeme Edge, Ray Thomas and Denny Laine.

Prior to Wings, Laine founded The Moody Blues in 1964, with whom he played until 1965.

Laine’s tenure with the Moody Blues was brief but effective. The musician co-founded the band in 1964 in Birmingham with keyboardist Mike Pinder, but left after the group released their 1965 debut album “The Magnificent Moodies.”

Laine noted in a 2017 interview with Billboard that he was part of the band’s early period as they transitioned from an R&B/blues band “to being more progressive.”

“We had this kind of hippie-dippy type of vibe going in those days, and they just developed it further,” he said. “But if it hadn’t been for Mike and Ray (Thomas) talking me into getting into their band, I could’ve been stuck in Birmingham and not done anything, so I’m grateful for that.”

Laine’s contribution to the Moody Blues was later recognized when he was included in the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2018 alongside Pinder, Thomas, Graeme Edge, John Lodge and Justin Hayward.

In his later years, Laine continued to regularly tour and launched his “Songs & Stories” live show earlier this year, which includes a setlist that spans his decades of work. He performed his final shows earlier this summer, according to a representative for Laine.

“I can’t live without live work,” he told Guitar World. “There’s no substitute for playing live and getting the feeling of connecting with an audience.”

Edited December 6, 2023 by Old Joad

[User 905133]

Quote

My darling husband passed away peacefully early this morning. I was at his bedside, holding his hand as I played his favorite Christmas songs for him. He’s been singing Christmas songs the past few weeks and I continued to play Christmas songs while he’s been in ICU on a ventilator this past week.

He and I both believed he would overcome his health setbacks and return to the rehabilitation center and eventually home. Unfortunately, his lung disease, Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), is unpredictable and aggressive; each infection weakened and damaged his lungs. He fought everyday. He was so strong and brave, never complained. All he wanted was to be home with me and his pet kitty, Charley, playing his gypsy guitar.

Denny was so very thankful to all of you who sent him so much love, support and the many kind words during these past few months of his health crisis-it brought him to tears.

I thank you all for sending both of us love and support. It was my absolute honor and privilege to not only be his wife, but to care for him during his illness and vulnerability.

Thank you to Denny's surgeons, doctors, specialists, physical therapists and nurses at Naples Hospital for working so hard to help him. Thank you for your compassion and support for me during these past several emotional months.

My world will never be the same. Denny was an amazingly wonderful person, so loving and sweet to me. He made my days colorful, fun and full of life-just like him. Thank you sweetie for loving me, for all the laughter, friendship, fun and for asking me to be your wife. I will love you forever ❤️

Please give Denny’s friends and family the time and privacy needed as we grieve our loss. 💔

Much love,
Elizabeth Hines

Very nice post from his wife.  R.I.P.

Edited December 6, 2023 by User 905133
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[Bapu]

R.I.P Denny