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The family of John Lodge, the Moody Blues’ longtime bassist, guitarist, and vocalist, announced on Friday that the British musician has died at 82.
Lodge, who joined the legendary English rock band two years after its formation in 1964, passed away unexpectedly, surrounded by his family, according to a statement from his relatives.
“It is with the deepest sadness that we announce John Lodge, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law, and brother, has been suddenly and unexpectedly taken from us,” the family said.
They described him as a “massive-hearted man” whose greatest love was for his wife, Kirsten, and their family, followed by his passion for music and his Christian faith.
The statement added that Lodge “peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved ones and the sounds of The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly.”
Born in Birmingham, Lodge joined The Moody Blues in 1966 alongside Justin Hayward, following the departures of Denny Laine and Clint Warwick.
Along with founding members Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, and Graeme Edge, they helped shape the psychedelic rock sound that defined the late 1960s.
The band gained global fame with the release of their 1967 album Days of Future Passed, regarded as one of rock’s earliest concept albums, and its 1968 follow-up In Search of the Lost Chord, which showcased their experimental direction.
Among their enduring hits are Nights in White Satin, Question, and Isn’t Life Strange.
The Moody Blues continued performing until 2018, the same year they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, marking over five decades of musical influence and legacy.
