Denny Laine, Wings and The Moody Blues Co-Founder, Dies at 79

Joe Lynch
·6 min read
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Less than three months after Denny Laine’s wife, Elizabeth Hines, started a GoFundMe to help with his “critical” health issues following a serious bout of COVID-19 followed by a bacterial infection, Hines has shared that the rock legend – who co-founded The Moody Blues and Wings alongside Paul and Linda McCartney — died on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

“My darling husband passed away peacefully early this morning,” Hines wrote on Laine’s Facebook page on Dec. 5. “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.”

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The English musician, born Oct. 29, 1944, took up guitar in his youth, inspired by jazz guitar great Django Reinhardt. After a stint in a band called The Diplomats, he became a co-founder of the legendary British rock outfit The Moody Blues in 1964 alongside singer Mike Pinder. Laine lent a lilting lead vocal performance to the group’s first hit, a smash cover of “Go Now,” which topped the U.K. singles chart and reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Laine’s tenure with the group was brief – following 1965’s The Magnificent Moodies, he left the band, which would go on to help pioneer prog-rock with its second album, Days of Future Passed. (His membership in the Moody Blues ensured his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.)

Following the Moody Blues, Laine formed the Electric String Band, released a couple solo singles and played alongside Cream skinsman Ginger Baker in Ginger Baker’s Air Force. But an unexpected phone call from an old friend returned Laine to the top in 1971. Paul McCartney, whom Laine had known since the early ‘60s, rang him up and invited Laine to join a new band the former Beatle was forming alongside his wife, Linda McCartney. For the next decade, Laine and the McCartneys were the sole constants of the band’s ever-shifting lineup – in fact, it was solely the core trio that crafted what became the band’s most celebrated album, 1973’s Band on the Run.

“In order to move forward, you have to try new things,” Laine told Billboard earlier this year about the tumultuous sessions in Lagos, Nigeria, that birthed the classic LP. “It’s like being a gambler. You gamble with things because it’s more exciting. It’s more appealing. It’s not the normal, everyday 9-to-5 job, it’s more of a ‘Let’s try something new.’”

The title track became one of Wings’ six Hot 100-topping singles, while the album became one of the band’s five Billboard 200-topping albums. The LP also featured his first McCartney co-write on a Wings album with “No Words.” On follow-up album Venus and Mars, and every Wings album thereafter, Laine would contribute lead vocals and/or writing credits to at least one song, often bringing an English folk sensibility to Wings’ hit albums.

Wings officially wrapped by the 1980s, but Laine and McCartney stayed in touch, with Laine playing on Macca’s Tug of War (1982) and Pipes of Peace (1983), in addition to co-writing the “Ebony and Ivory” b-side, “Rainclouds.”

Following Laine’s death, McCartney posted a tribute to him on Instagram on Dec. 5. “I am very saddened to hear that my ex-bandmate, Denny Laine, has died,” he wrote. “I have many fond memories of my time with Denny: from the early days when The Beatles toured with the Moody Blues. Our two bands had a lot of respect for each other and a lot of fun together. Denny joined Wings at the outset. He was an outstanding vocalist and guitar player. His most famous performance is probably ‘Go Now’ an old Bessie Banks song which he would sing brilliantly. He and I wrote some songs together the most successful being ‘Mull of Kintyre’ which was a big hit in the Seventies. We had drifted apart but in recent years managed to re-establish our friendship and share memories of our times together.

“Denny was a great talent with a fine sense of humour and was always ready to help other people. He will be missed by all his fans and remembered with great fondness by his friends. I send my condolences and best wishes to his wife, Elizabeth and family. Peace and love Denny. It was a pleasure to know you. We are all going to miss you. Love, Paul.”

McCartney contributed to Laine’s solo efforts released during the tenure of Wings, including the delightfully lo-fi Buddy Holly covers album Holly Days in 1977 and Japanese Tears in 1980. Laine’s final solo effort, The Blue Musician, came out in 2008, though he continued to perform live. Laine had announced tour dates for 2023, but his health issues forced him to cancel them.

Laine is survived by five children, two of whom he shared with late ex-wife Jo Jo Laine. He is also survived by his widow, Elizabeth Mele-Hines.

“It was my absolute honor and privilege to not only be his wife, but to care for him during his illness and vulnerability,” Hines wrote in the Facebook post announcing his death. “Thank you to Dennys 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.”

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