Longtime Paul McCartney collaborator Denny Laine, who co-founded the bands Wings as well as The Moody Blues has died at the age of 79.
The news was confirmed by Laine’s wife Elizabeth Hines, who posted a tribute on Instagram, revealing the iconic musician had been battling an “unpredictable and aggressive” condition known as Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) and had spent the past few weeks in the ICU on a ventilator.
“Each infection weakened and damaged his lungs,” she wrote. “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.”
Hines went on to thank her late husband’s surgeons, doctors, specialists and nurses, as well as all the fans who’d sent supportive messages during the couple’s difficult time.
“My world will never be the same,” she continued. “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… I will love you forever.”
In 1971, Laine founded the band Wings alongside Paul and Linda McCartney. He helped write their most iconic album, 1973’s Band on the Run, which hit #1 in the US and scopped the band a Grammy. He was a key songwriter in many of the band’s iconic hits, as well as the only member outside of the McCartneys who stuck with the band for its entire run.
Paying tribute to his late bandmate on social media, McCartney himselfwrote: “I have many fond memories of my time with Denny: from the early days when The Beatles toured with the Moody Blues”.
Also calling him “an outstanding vocalist and guitar player”, Macca added: “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.”
RIP.
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