Denny Laine, co-founder of Wings and The Moody Blues, has died at the age of 79 after a lengthy battle with interstitial lung disease.
Laine’s wife, Elizabeth Hines, announced the news via Facebook on Tuesday, December 5th. “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,” she wrote. “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.”
Hines continued, “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.” See the full statement below.
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Laine was born in Birmingham, England on October 29th, 1944, and took up guitar as a boy after being inspired by Romani-French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. He began his career fronting Denny Laine and the Diplomats alongside Bev Bevan, future drummer with the Move and Electric Light Orchestra, before leaving the band in 1964.
The English musician went on to form a new group with Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder initially called the M&B 5 before changing the name to The Moody Blues. Laine played guitars and sang vocals during his time in the band from 1964 to 1966, highlighted by the group’s first big hit, “Go Now,” and “I Don’t Want To Go on Without You.”
After departing from The Moody Blues, Laine formed the short-lived Electric String Band and briefly played with the band Balls from 1969 until their breakup in 1971. That same year, Laine co-founded Wings with Paul McCartney and his wife Linda.
Laine remained in Wings for 10 years until their breakup in 1981, serving as the core of the band alongside McCartney. He contributed lead and rhythm guitars, lead and backing vocals, keyboards, bass guitar, and woodwind in addition to writing some of the group’s material.
In addition to writing and singing “Time to Hide” and “Again and Again and Again” all by himself, Laine co-wrote several songs on Band on the Run and London Town. The 1977 non-album single “Mull of Kintyre,” which Laine co-wrote with McCartney, topped the UK Singles Chart.
Altogether, Wings released five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart and landed six singles atop the Hot 100.
While still a member of Wings, Laine released his first three solo albums: Ahh…Laine, Holly Days, and Japanese Tears. He continued releasing new solo records throughout the ’80s and ’90s. His final full-length was 2008’s The Blue Musician.
However, Laine went on tour as recently as this past July, and back in January, he announced plans for a new album.
Laine is survived by Hines and five children, two of whom he shared with ex-wife Jo Jo Laine.