John Lodge, the singer and bass guitarist for the Moody Blues, has died at the age of 82, his family has announced. The musician, born in Birmingham, played on some of the band's most famous songs, including Nights in White Satin, Question and Isn't Life Strange.
In a statement, his family said: '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.' They added that he 'peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved ones and the sounds of the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly'.
Lodge featured on key Moody Blues albums, including the psychedelic Days of Future Passed (1967) and In Search of the Lost Chord (1968). The band later embraced prog rock on albums such as Seventh Sojourn. His family noted: 'He was never happier than being on stage. He was just a singer in a rock'n'roll band.'
Born in the Birmingham suburb of Erdington, Lodge attended Birches Green junior school and Central grammar school before studying at the Birmingham College of Advanced Technology. He married Kirsten in September 1968 and had two children. An evangelical Christian, Lodge credited his faith with helping him avoid the excesses of the music industry.
