Denny Laine was an English musician, singer, and songwriter, gained recognition as a co-founder of two prominent rock bands: the Moody Blues, where he was active from 1964 to 1966, and Wings, where he contributed from 1971 to 1981.
Bio/Wiki
Age- 79 years
Height- 1.71 m
Weight-75kg
Born- 29 October 1944
Birthplace- Birmingham, United Kingdom
Died- 5 December 2023, Florida, United States
Spouse- Jo Jo Laine (m. 1978)
Children- Lucianne Grant, Heidi Hines, Laine Hines, Damian James, Ainsley Laine-Adams
Profession- English musician and singer-songwriter
Music groups- The Moody Blues (1964 – 1966), MORE
Nationality- English
Family
Born on 29 October 1944 to Herbert Edward Arthur Hines and Eva Lillian Hines (née Bassett) in the Channel Islands, Brian Frederick Hines was raised in Tyseley, Birmingham, England.
Wife
Jo Jo Laine, an American singer, model, and actress, entered matrimony with Denny Laine, the founder of The Moody Blues, during his tenure as a member of Paul McCartney’s group Wings. Laine married with Elizabeth Mele in July 2023, and the announcement of their marriage was made on the singer’s Facebook page.
Children
Denny Laine has five children, named Lucianne Grant, Heidi Hines, Laine Hines, Damian James, and Ainsley Laine-Adams.
Education
In Birmingham, England, he attended Yardley Grammar School. His early interest in playing the guitar was sparked during his boyhood, influenced by the music of gypsy jazz artist Django Reinhardt.
Career
He made his debut solo performance as a musician at the age of 12 and embarked on his professional music career by leading the band Denny Laine and the Diplomats. This group, which included Bev Bevan, the future drummer of the Move and Electric Light Orchestra, marked the beginning of his journey in the music industry. Opting to change his name, he adopted “Denny Laine” as his surname, inspired by his sister’s idol, the singer Frankie Laine. The choice was partly influenced by the belief that “Brian Frederick Hines and the Diplomats” wouldn’t be a suitable name.
In 1964, Laine departed from the Diplomats and received an invitation from Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder to form a new band, initially called the M&B 5, later changed to the Moody Blues. Laine played a crucial role, serving as the lead vocalist on the group’s first major hit, “Go Now.” Other notable early successes included the UK hit “I Don’t Want To Go on Without You” and two minor UK chart hits, “From the Bottom of My Heart (I Love You)” and “Everyday,” both co-written by Laine and Pinder. Laine also lent his vocals to “Can’t Nobody Love You” and “Bye Bye Bird,” the latter achieving success in France. During 1965–66, he and Pinder collaborated on several B-sides, such as “You Don’t (All the Time),” “And My Baby’s Gone,” and “This Is My House.” Despite this creative period, Laine’s stint with the Moody Blues was relatively short-lived, and he left the band in October 1966, being succeeded by Justin Hayward. The final record featuring Laine with the Moody Blues was the single “Life’s Not Life” b/w “He Can Win,” released in January 1967.
In 2006, a compilation album titled “An Introduction to The Moody Blues,” featuring singles and album tracks from the early Moody Blues era led by Denny Laine, was released.
After departing from The Moody Blues in December 1966, Laine established the Electric String Band, where he played guitar and provided vocals. The lineup included Trevor Burton (of the Move) on guitar, Viv Prince (formerly of Pretty Things) on drums, Binky McKenzie on bass guitar, and electrified strings, resembling the format later adopted by Electric Light Orchestra. In June 1967, the Electric String Band shared a stage with The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Procol Harum at the Saville Theatre in London. Despite the notable lineup, the band failed to gain national attention and eventually disbanded.
After joining the band Balls in February 1969, alongside Trevor Burton, Denny Laine and Burton played together until the band’s dissolution in 1971. During this period, they also participated in Ginger Baker’s Air Force in 1970.
In 1971, Laine collaborated with Paul McCartney and his wife Linda to establish Wings, a partnership that endured for a decade until the group disbanded in 1981, making them the only three permanent members. The stability of Wings was briefly jeopardized in January 1980 when McCartney faced legal issues after being arrested for marijuana possession upon arrival at a Japanese airport, where they were scheduled for a sell-out tour.Between 1997 and 2002, Laine toured with the rock supergroup World Classic Rockers. Subsequently, he embarked on tours with the Denny Laine Band and occasionally collaborated with other musical acts.
Laine’s final solo release was the 2008 album “The Blue Musician,” and he ventured into musical theater with the creation of “Arctic Song.”
In 2018, he showcased his musical talents with the nine-piece band Turkuaz, focusing on performing the music of Wings.Throughout his career, Laine was featured in three fanzines, including Ahh Laine.
As of January 2023, Laine announced upcoming tour dates in the U.S., including stops in New York and Nashville, and revealed that he was actively working on new material for an album.
Net Worth 2023
As of the current moment, Denny Laine was estimated to have a net worth of $10 million.
Cause of Death
Denny Laine, the lead singer of the Moody Blues and a guitarist with Sir Paul McCartney’s band Wings, passed away at the age of 79, as confirmed by his wife Elizabeth Hines. He succumbed to a prolonged battle with lung disease.
Among his notable accomplishments, Laine lent his vocals to the Moody Blues’ highly successful “Go Now” and contributed as a co-writer to the Wings hit “Mull of Kintyre.” Sir Paul McCartney paid homage to Laine on Instagram, describing him as “an outstanding vocalist and guitar player.”
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