He was a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter born Brian Frederick Arthur Hines from Birmingham, England. He began to learn to play the guitar as a child and when he was twelve he gave his first solo performance. While still a teenager was in the band Johnny Dean and the Dominators, using Johnny Dean as his pseudonym.
In 1962 he became the frontman of Denny Laine and the Diplomats whose members included Bev Bevan who would later become known for his involvement with The Move and Electric Light Orchestra. When he was 20 he joined up with The Moody Blues and sang on their first hit “Go Now”. He stayed with them until 1966 when he formed Denny Laine’s Electric String Band, which is said to have been one of the influences for Roy Wood and the Electric Light Orchestra. Although they released two singles and appeared with Procul Harum and The Jimi Hendrix Experience they received little public attention and so they disbanded and he moved onto the band Balls in 1969 as well as playing for Ginger Baker’s Air Force.
In 1971 he was a co-founder of the band Wings with Paul and Linda McCartney and he would stay with them until their break up in 1981. His talents were used extensively with Wings and he would sing backing vocals and occasional lead vocals as well as provide lead, rhythm and bass guitars and keyboards.
As a composer his songs include the hit “Say You Don’t Mind” which was recorded by Colin Blunstone in 1972 and co-wrote the ecological musical Arctic Song.
He moved to Los Angeles and become part of the supergroup World Classic Rockers in 1997, performing with them until 2002, before returning to solo recording and touring with his Denny Laine Band.
He released 12 solo albums from 1973, established a record label and two blues clubs and in 2018 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.
In 2022 he suffered COVID and went on to require several surgeries on his lungs. The following year he died from interstitial lung disease in Naples, Florida. He was 79 years old.
Paul McCartney & Wings recordings
Coming Up (Live at Glasgow)(Paul McCartney)
Lunchbox/Odd Sox (Paul McCartney)
Sources:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denny_Laine
- http://www.myspace.com/dennylaine
- http://www.brumbeat.net/moody.htm
- http://www.brumbeat.net/diplomat.htm