John Lodge, longtime bassist, singer, and songwriter for English prog rock band the Moody Blues, has died. “It is with the deepest sadness that we have to announce that John Lodge, our darling husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law and brother, has been suddenly and unexpectedly taken from us,” his family shared in a statement, per The Guardian. “John peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved ones and the sounds of the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly. We will forever miss his love, smile, kindness and his absolute and never-ending support. We are heartbroken, but will walk forwards into peace surrounded by the love he had for each of us. As John would always say at the end of the show, thank you for keeping the faith.” Lodge was 82.
While not a founding member of the Moody Blues, Lodge would go on to write and perform on some of the band’s most well-known songs. He joined the lineup (Graeme Edge, Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas) in 1966 along with Justin Hayward, following the departures of original members Denny Laine and Clint Warwick the same year. While the band’s first record, The Magnificent Moodies (Go Now: The Moody Blues #1 in the U.S.) adhered to a more traditional R&B sound, Lodge helped steer the group toward the progressive rock they would become known for on follow-up albums like Days Of Future Passed (1967), which The Guardian notes is regarded as one of rock’s first concept albums, and its psychedelic follow-up, In Search Of The Lost Chord (1968). Days Of Future Passed also featured perhaps the band’s most popular song, “Nights In White Satin,” which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
Lodge also became one of the band’s primary songwriters, writing or co-writing tracks like “Isn’t Life Strange,” “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band),” and “Gemini Dream.” He continued with the Moody Blues until their last tour in 2018, the same year the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He continued on to a solo career, releasing four more studio albums including Days Of Future Passed – My Sojourn, his own reimagining of the classic album, in 2023. “He was never happier than being on stage,” Lodge’s family shared. “He was just a singer in a rock’n’roll band and he adored performing with his band and son-in-law, Jon, and being able to continue sharing this music with his fans.”
