Back in 1964, Graeme Edge, Ray Thomas, Clint Warwick, Denny Laine and Mike Pinder formed a band called the Moody Blues. In 1965, the band hit stardom with their cover of the ballad “Go Now.” 

AOl reports that Pinder, the last living original member of the band, has died. The current bassist for the group, John Lodge, released the sad news that was shared by Pinder’s family. In the statement, Pinder’s family explained that he died on April 24, 2024, at his home in Northern California. His family did not share a cause of death. Pinder was 82 years old.

His family went on to describe him as a ” musician, father, cosmic philosopher & friend.” They added that he “lived his life with a childlike wonder, walking a deeply introspective path which fused the mind and the heart.”

Pinder was a keyboardist throughout his musical career, and he was also a supporter of a keyboard known as the Mellotron. The orchestral sound of the keyboard is notable in many of Moody Blues’ songs as well as other groups during that progressive-rock era.

The keyboardist also had a solo career. His first solo album was in the 1970s. It was an album called “The Promise.” The Moody Blues were on hiatus at the time, and Pinder reunited with the band in 1978 for their reunion album “Octave.”

By this time, Pinder had relocated to Northern California, which was a long flight from the band’s origins in England. He decided not to stay with the band because of the distance and instead focused on his family and his work in the tech industry, only turning to music occasionally. For example, in 1994 he released a second solo album, and he reunited with the band when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In Pinder’s memory, here is a video of the Moody Blues performing one of their hit songs “Tuesday Afternoon,” back in 1970.