July 4, 2024

Paul McCartney shares touching tribute to Denny Laine after former Wings bandmate dies aged 79: ‘It was a pleasure to know you’

Paul McCartney has shared a touching tribute to his former Wings bandmate Denny Laine after he died aged 79.

The late musician passed away following a long battle with lung disease, his wife Elizabeth Haines announced on Tuesday.

Penning a lengthy message to Instagram following the news, Paul, 81, said ‘it was a pleasure to know’ Denny.

He shared a photo of them playing together in Wings and wrote: ‘I am very saddened to hear that my ex-bandmate, Denny Laine, has died.

‘I have many fond memories of my time with Denny: from the early days when The Beatles toured with the Moody Blues.’

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He continued: ‘Our two bands had a lot of respect for each other and a lot of fun together. Denny joined Wings at the outset. He was an outstanding vocalist and guitar player.

‘His most famous performance is probably ‘Go Now’ an old Bessie Banks song which he would sing brilliantly.

‘He and I wrote some songs together the most successful being ‘Mull of Kintyre’ which was a big hit in the Seventies. We had drifted apart but in recent years managed to reestablish our friendship and share memories of our times together.

‘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.

‘I send my condolences and best wishes to his wife, Elizabeth and family. Peace and love Denny. It was a pleasure to know you. We are all going to miss you. Love, Paul.’

Denny, the lead singer of rock band The Moody Blues died on Tuesday, his wife Elizabeth said in a statement: ‘I was at his side, holding his hand as I played his favourite Christmas songs for him.’

Denny sang on The Moody Blues’ 1965 multi-million selling single Go Now and co-wrote the Wings hit Mull of Kintyre.

In 2018, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.

Balls only released one record, Fight for My Country, on UK Wizard Records. They recorded 12 tracks for an album but it was ever released.

In 1971, Denny teamed up with former Beatle Paul McCartney and his wife Linda to form Wings.

Denny played guitar, bass and sung on tracks including Jet, Band on the Run and Live and Let Die.

He had known Sir Paul since his time with Denny and the Dilpomats in the 1960s and The Moody Blues supported The Beatles on tour during that decade.

He stayed with the group for a decade before they went their separate ways in 1981.

Of his time with Wings, he told Billboard earlier this year: ‘I was in the shadows more, but I wasn’t bothered by that.

‘I was traveling the world and learning a lot and having a good time in many ways. So from that point of view, it was easy for me.’

After Wings, Denny embarked on a solo career, having already released some albums on his own in the 1970s.

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