Denny Laine

Brian Frederick Hines (29 October 1944 – 5 December 2023), known professionally as Denny Laine, was an English musician who co-founded two major rock bands: the Moody Blues and Paul McCartney and Wings. Laine played guitar in the Moody Blues from 1964 to 1966 and sang their hit cover version of "Go Now". Laine befriended Paul McCartney, who later asked him to join his band Wings.

Laine was a constant member of Wings for their entire run from 1971 to 1981, playing guitar, bass and keyboards, and singing backing and lead vocals. He wrote songs with McCartney, including the 1977 hit "Mull of Kintyre". Laine worked with a variety of other artists, such as Ginger Baker, Trevor Burton and Bev Bevan, as a part of groups over a six-decade career. In later years he participated in a number of Wings/McCartney/Beatles tribute performances and recordings. He also had an extensive solo career consisting of ten studio albums of original music and a Wings covers album, and also wrote a musical. Laine performed as a solo artist and touring musician until his death. In 2018, Laine was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.

Early years Brian Frederick Hines was born on 29 October 1944 to Herbert Edward Arthur Hines and Eva Lillian Hines (née Bassett) in Holcombe Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, England, and he attended Yardley Grammar School. He took up the guitar as a boy, inspired by gypsy jazz musician Django Reinhardt. He gave his first solo performance as a musician at age 12 and began his career as a professional musician, fronting Denny Laine and the Diplomats, Laine changed his name because he felt "Brian Frederick Hines and the Diplomats... wouldn't work", instead taking the surname of his sister's idol, the singer Frankie Laine. The first name Denny was a childhood nickname, stemming from the fact that at the time "everyone had a backyard, and a den to hang out. I think I got that nickname there."

Career The Moody Blues At the beginning of 1964, Laine left the Diplomats. In May of that year he received a call from Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder who were forming a new band, the M&B 5, who within a few months changed their name to the Moody Blues. He sang lead vocal on the group's first big hit, a cover of Bessie Banks's hit "Go Now"; He was replaced by Justin Hayward. The last record issued by the Moody Blues that featured Laine was the single "Life's Not Life" b/w "He Can Win", in January 1967.

A compilation album of singles and album tracks of the early Moody Blues, led by Denny Laine, was released in 2006 under the title An Introduction to The Moody Blues.

Electric String Band and early solo career

In December 1966, after leaving the Moody Blues, Laine formed the Electric String Band, Balls issued only one single, on UK Wizard Records: "Fight for My Country" b/w "Janie, Slow Down". was released as a double A-side with "I've Had Enough" in the Netherlands, where it charted at No. 13.

In January 1980, after Wings leader McCartney was arrested for possession of marijuana, on arrival at an airport in Japan where they were booked to perform a sell-out tour, the band's future became uncertain. it included several songs recorded by Wings over the years. (Laine also formed the short-lived Denny Laine Band with Wings' final drummer Steve Holley.) Though Wings briefly reunited in late 1980, on 27 April 1981, Laine left Wings, due to McCartney's reluctance to tour in the wake of the murder of John Lennon.

Solo career

After leaving Wings, Laine signed with Scratch Records and released a new album, Anyone Can Fly, in 1982. He also worked on McCartney's albums Tug of War and Pipes of Peace and he co-wrote one more song with McCartney, "Rainclouds" (issued as the B-side of the No. 1 single "Ebony and Ivory").

Laine continued to release solo albums through the 1980s, such as Hometown Girls, Wings on My Feet, Lonely Road and Master Suite. In 1996, he released two albums, Reborn and Wings at the Sound of Denny Laine, the latter an album of reworkings of Wings songs.

From 1997 to 2002, he toured with the rock supergroup World Classic Rockers, a group of rock veterans led by Nick St. Nicholas of Steppenwolf. He then toured with the Denny Laine Band. Laine's final solo release was the 2008 album The Blue Musician. He also wrote a musical, Arctic Song.

In 2018 he performed with the nine-piece band Turkuaz, performing the music of Wings. In 2018 Laine was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.

In January 2023, Laine announced tour dates in the US, including New York and Nashville, and said he was working on new material for an album.

Personal life and death

Laine was briefly married to Jo Jo Laine, with whom he had a son Laine Hines and a daughter Heidi Jo Hines. He had three other children from other relationships. Laine married Elizabeth Mele in July 2023. They resided in Florida.

Laine had a relationship with Helen Grant, the daughter of Led Zeppelin manager Peter Grant. They had a daughter named Lucianne, born in 1987.

Laine contracted COVID-19 in 2022, and he then had multiple surgeries for lung issues, including a collapsed lung. After his wife launched a GoFundMe page, Laine's musician friends and supporters organised a benefit concert at the Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood, California, on 27 November 2023.

Laine died from interstitial lung disease in Naples, Florida, on 5 December 2023, at the age of 79. His wife announced his death on his official Facebook and Instagram pages.

Discography

Solo albums Year Album Label 1973 Ahh...Laine! Wizard/Reprise (US) 1977 Holly Days EMI/Capitol (US) 1980 Japanese Tears Polydor/Scratch 1982 Anyone Can Fly 1985 Hometown Girls President 1987 Wings on My Feet 1988 Lonely Road Master Suite Magnum Force 1990 All I Want Is Freedom JAWS 1996 Reborn Griffin/Scratch Wings at the Sound of Denny Laine Scratch/Purple Pyramid (US) 2008 The Blue Musician

Singles Year A-side B-side Album 1964 "Steal Your Heart Away" "Lose Your Money" Non-album single "Go Now" "It's Easy, Child" The Magnificent Moodies 1965 "I Don't Want to Go on Without You" "Time on My Side" Non-album single "From the Bottom of My Heart" "And My Baby's Gone" "Everyday" "You Don't (All The Time)" 1966 "Boulevard De La Madeleine" "This Is My House (But Nobody Calls)" 1967 "Life's Not Life" "He Can Win"

With Balls reissued as by Trevor Burton Year A-side B-side 1970 (Balls) "Fight for My Country" "Janie, Slow Down" 1971 (Trevor Burton) "Fight for My Country" (edited) 1972 (B.L.G.) "Live in the Mountains" (same as "Fight for My Country") (edited)

With Ginger Baker's Air Force Year Album 1970 Ginger Baker's Air Force Ginger Baker's Air Force 2

With Wings

Year Album 1971 Wild Life 1973 Red Rose Speedway Band on the Run 1975 Venus and Mars 1976 Wings at the Speed of Sound 1978 London Town 1979 Back to the Egg