Legendary rockstar Denny Laine from Moody Blues and Wings passes away at 79
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The music industry is reeling from the news of the passing of a legendary rockstar due to a devastating disease.
Denny Laine, the iconic frontman of the Moody Blues and later a key member of Paul McCartney's Wings, has passed away at the age of 79.
His death was due to interstitial lung disease, a condition that causes scarring of the lung tissue.
His wife, Elizabeth Hines, shared the news on social media, stating, 'My darling husband passed away peacefully early this morning. I was at his bedside, holding his hand as I played his favourite Christmas songs for him…My world will never be the same.'
'He fought every day. He was so strong and brave, [and] never complained.'
'All he wanted was to be home with me and his pet kitty, Charley, playing his gypsy guitar.'
'Denny was an amazingly wonderful person, so loving and sweet to me. He made my days [colourful], fun and full of life, just like him.'
Born Brian Frederick Hines in Birmingham in 1944, Laine was a pivotal figure in the British rock scene.
He first gained fame as the voice behind 'Go Now', one of the defining ballads of the 1960s, and later co-wrote 'Mull of Kintyre', one of the biggest-selling songs in UK chart history.
Laine's journey to stardom began in his teens when he formed his first band, Denny Laine and the Diplomats.
The band included future glam star Roy Wood and future ELO member Bev Bevan.
Laine then joined the Moody Blues in 1964, a group that quickly gained popularity with their second single, 'Go Now'. The song, a cover version of Bessie Banks’ R&B ballad, reached number 1 in the UK and number 10 in the US.
Despite the initial success, the Moody Blues struggled to replicate their early triumphs. However, one song that Laine co-wrote, 'From the Bottom of My Heart (I Love You)' reached the UK top 30 in 1965. The band also toured with the Beatles on their final UK tour later that year.
However, Laine left the band in 1966, paving the way for Justin Hayward to join and steer the band towards a more psychedelic direction.
Laine's next venture, the Electric String Band, embraced this psychedelic trend and shared stages with the likes of Jimi Hendrix.
Laine's most significant success came with Wings, the group formed by Paul McCartney and his wife, Linda, following the Beatles’ breakup.
Laine was working on a solo album when McCartney called him to join the new band.
'I’d known [Laine] in the past, and I just rang him and asked him: “What are you doing?”' McCartney shared.
'He said “nothing” so I said: “Right. Come on then!”'
Over the next decade, Laine contributed to the band's success, earning co-writing credits on several songs, including the hit 'Mull of Kintyre', a Christmas number 1 in 1977 and the first British single to sell 2 million copies.
Despite the success, Laine left Wings in 1981 due to disagreements over the band's business affairs and interpersonal issues.
He continued to record solo LPs and occasionally revisited the Wings material in McCartney-less band reunions.
Laine also continued to tour solo, including his Songs & Stories tour earlier this year, a mix of acoustic performances and career anecdotes.
In a recent interview, Laine reflected on his career.
'I’m just a normal musician who doesn’t really think about the fame side of it.'
'That always surprises me, the fame side of it…I never really had a big hit, but then people [would] come up to me and say: “I’ve got all of your solo stuff. I know every song you’ve ever written.” It’s a compliment, and it does give you a good feeling. You’ve gotten across to a lot more people than you thought you did.'
Laine's contribution to the British rock scene is undeniable. His voice and songwriting skills helped shape the sound of the 1960s and 70s, and his influence can still be heard in music today. His passing is a loss to the music world, but his legacy will continue to inspire future generations of musicians.
May he rest in peace.
Have you seen Denny Laine perform live? Which of his songs is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.
Denny Laine, the iconic frontman of the Moody Blues and later a key member of Paul McCartney's Wings, has passed away at the age of 79.
His death was due to interstitial lung disease, a condition that causes scarring of the lung tissue.
His wife, Elizabeth Hines, shared the news on social media, stating, 'My darling husband passed away peacefully early this morning. I was at his bedside, holding his hand as I played his favourite Christmas songs for him…My world will never be the same.'
May Denny Laine rest in peace. Image source: X/@BeatlesEarth.
'He fought every day. He was so strong and brave, [and] never complained.'
'All he wanted was to be home with me and his pet kitty, Charley, playing his gypsy guitar.'
'Denny was an amazingly wonderful person, so loving and sweet to me. He made my days [colourful], fun and full of life, just like him.'
Born Brian Frederick Hines in Birmingham in 1944, Laine was a pivotal figure in the British rock scene.
He first gained fame as the voice behind 'Go Now', one of the defining ballads of the 1960s, and later co-wrote 'Mull of Kintyre', one of the biggest-selling songs in UK chart history.
Laine's journey to stardom began in his teens when he formed his first band, Denny Laine and the Diplomats.
The band included future glam star Roy Wood and future ELO member Bev Bevan.
Laine then joined the Moody Blues in 1964, a group that quickly gained popularity with their second single, 'Go Now'. The song, a cover version of Bessie Banks’ R&B ballad, reached number 1 in the UK and number 10 in the US.
Despite the initial success, the Moody Blues struggled to replicate their early triumphs. However, one song that Laine co-wrote, 'From the Bottom of My Heart (I Love You)' reached the UK top 30 in 1965. The band also toured with the Beatles on their final UK tour later that year.
However, Laine left the band in 1966, paving the way for Justin Hayward to join and steer the band towards a more psychedelic direction.
Laine's next venture, the Electric String Band, embraced this psychedelic trend and shared stages with the likes of Jimi Hendrix.
Laine's most significant success came with Wings, the group formed by Paul McCartney and his wife, Linda, following the Beatles’ breakup.
Laine was working on a solo album when McCartney called him to join the new band.
'I’d known [Laine] in the past, and I just rang him and asked him: “What are you doing?”' McCartney shared.
'He said “nothing” so I said: “Right. Come on then!”'
Over the next decade, Laine contributed to the band's success, earning co-writing credits on several songs, including the hit 'Mull of Kintyre', a Christmas number 1 in 1977 and the first British single to sell 2 million copies.
Despite the success, Laine left Wings in 1981 due to disagreements over the band's business affairs and interpersonal issues.
He continued to record solo LPs and occasionally revisited the Wings material in McCartney-less band reunions.
Laine also continued to tour solo, including his Songs & Stories tour earlier this year, a mix of acoustic performances and career anecdotes.
In a recent interview, Laine reflected on his career.
'I’m just a normal musician who doesn’t really think about the fame side of it.'
'That always surprises me, the fame side of it…I never really had a big hit, but then people [would] come up to me and say: “I’ve got all of your solo stuff. I know every song you’ve ever written.” It’s a compliment, and it does give you a good feeling. You’ve gotten across to a lot more people than you thought you did.'
May he rest in peace.
Have you seen Denny Laine perform live? Which of his songs is your favourite? Let us know in the comments below.
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Isn't it funny how one song can bring back so many memories
