On This Day 2023: Musician Denny Laine, Known for His Work with The Moody Blues and Wings, Passed Away at 79
Jim Summaria, (cropped) CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Early Life and Rise to Fame
On December 5, 2023, Denny Laine died from interstitial lung disease at the age of 79. Born Brian Frederick Arthur Hines in Birmingham, England, he adopted the name Denny Laine as a teenager. In 1964, he joined The Moody Blues, then a young R&B-influenced band from the UK. The group found early success when Laine sang lead on their breakthrough hit “Go Now,” which topped the UK chart and helped launch their career.
Although Laine left the Moody Blues in the mid-1960s as the band shifted toward the orchestral rock that later defined them, his early contribution remains a key part of their history. After leaving, he explored other projects, including solo work and brief stints with other bands, before fate brought him to a new opportunity years later.
Wings and Massive Success
In 1971, Laine joined Wings — a band formed by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney after the Beatles’ breakup. Over the next decade, Laine contributed guitar, vocals, keyboards, and woodwind; he helped shape the Wings sound on every album from Wild Life (1971) to Back to the Egg (1979) — including their most celebrated record, Band on the Run.
Perhaps his most enduring legacy came in 1977, when he co-wrote (with McCartney) the song Mull of Kintyre. The track became a phenomenon — a Christmas No. 1 in the UK and the first single ever to sell more than two million copies in the country. “Mull of Kintyre” remains one of the best-selling singles in UK history, showing Laine’s skill as both songwriter and musician.
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Reflecting on a Long Career
Throughout his career, Laine maintained a humble view of his own success. In a later interview, he said: “I’m just a normal musician who doesn’t really think about the fame side of it. … I never really had a big hit, but then people will come up to me and say: ‘I’ve got all of your solo stuff. I know every song you’ve ever written.’ … It does give you a good feeling.”
Even after Wings disbanded in the early 1980s, Laine stayed active — recording as a solo artist and occasionally performing with various line-ups. His final solo release came in 2008.
Final Days and Legacy
In recent years, Laine battled interstitial lung disease. His wife, Elizabeth Hines, shared that he passed away peacefully at home. She wrote about his bravery through illness and his wish to stay with her and their pet cat while playing his “gypsy guitar.”
The loss was felt deeply across the music world. Former bandmate Paul McCartney called Laine “an outstanding vocalist and guitar player,” and remembered fondly both their early days and their work together in Wings.
For decades, Denny Laine made a mark on rock music — from soulful 1960s hits to chart-topping rock classics in the 1970s. His voice and songs remain part of the soundtrack for many lives.
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