Mike Pinder, The Last Original Member of The Moody Blues, Dead At 82

(CelebrityAccess) — Michael Thomas Pinder, the English rock keyboardist, songwriter, and the final authentic member of the Moody Blues has died. He was 82.

His passing was introduced by an announcement on the band’s web site:

Michael Thomas Pinder died on Wednesday, April twenty fourth, 2024 at his house in Northern California, surrounded by his devoted household. Michael’s household want to share along with his trusted pals and caring followers that he handed peacefully. His remaining days have been full of music, encircled by the love of his household. Michael lived his life with a childlike surprise, strolling a deeply introspective path which fused the thoughts and the guts.

A reason for loss of life was not disclosed however Pinder had suffered from dementia in recent times.

Whereas his profession in music was comparatively brief, Pinder’s revolutionary keyboard work helped to ascertain the Mellotron as a key part of the progressive rock sound.

Born in Birmingham, Pinder co-founded the Moody Blues in 1964 with singer/guitarist Denny Laine, singer/bassist Clint Warwick and drummer Graeme Edge.

Pinder’s keyboard work helped to outline the early sound of the band and he contributed vocals, together with the poetry narration on the Moody Blues’ iconic 1967 launch ‘Nights in White Satin’.

Pinder stepped away from the group in 1974 after they reformed after a hiatus and relocated his household to the USA the place he launched ‘The Promise’ a solo album by the Moodies’ Threshold label.

By way of the Nineteen Eighties and Nineteen Nineties, he remained largely out of the general public eye, serving as a technical guide on software program improvement, together with for the online game maker Atari and in addition took on roles as a music editor and guide for movie.

He additionally launched a spoken phrase album of youngsters’s tales and a follow-up solo album ‘Amongst The Stars’ in 1994.

In 2018, Pinder reunited with the Moody Blues for the band’s induction into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame however drew consideration when he remained silent throughout the induction ceremony.

He later defined his silence to his followers on his web site, noting: “Many MB followers have requested why I didn’t communicate on the induction however by the point the Moodies took the stage we have been 5 hours into the ceremony. The oldest of the inductees have been up the most recent. The speeches have been a bit anti-climatic at that time and it was solely becoming that the present touring members (Edge, Hayward and Lodge) spoke first. I’m pleased that we lastly received inducted for our followers sake.” He went on to notice that “as I’ve stated for the final 30 years ‘the followers are my corridor of fame.’”