Wings, Moody Blues musician Denny Laine dead at 79

Denny Laine, the musician who co-founded rock band Wings with Paul McCartney, has passed away at the age of 79.

Laine’s wife, Elizabeth Hines, was the first to break the news on social media on Tuesday, revealing that he died of an “unpredictable” and “aggressive” interstitial lung disease – an umbrella term used for a large group of diseases that causes scarring of the lungs.

“I was at his bedside holding his hand as I played his favourite Christmas songs for him,” she detailed in a statement posted to her Facebook, noting that Denny had been in the holiday spirit the entire time he’s been in ICU on a ventilator.

Further detailing the immense loss she felt, Elizabeth concluded by expressing her immense gratitude for her late husband, writing, “Thank you sweetie for loving me, for all the laughter, friendship, fun and for asking me to be your wife. I will love you forever.”

Denny began his musical career in 1964 with his first band, Moody Blues, though he soon left the band to join forces with Paul and Linda McCartney to form the band Wings.

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