Former Paul McCartney band member Denny Laine passed away on Wednesday at the age of 79.

McCartney took to social media to express a tribute to his longtime friend.

Paul McCartney Mourns Ex-Bandmate & ‘Great Talent’ Denny Laine: ‘It Was a Pleasure to Know You’ https://t.co/wnfz65IgtI pic.twitter.com/7Gitp2rh57

— BluePurple Records (@BluePurpleMusic) December 6, 2023

The tribute

“I have many fond memories of my time with Denny: from the early days when The Beatles toured with the Moody Blues,” he wrote alongside a throwback picture of Laine.

“Our two bands had a lot of respect for each other and a lot of fun together. Denny joined Wings at the outset. He was an outstanding vocalist and guitar player. His most famous performance is probably ‘Go Now’ an old Bessie Banks song which he would sing brilliantly. He and I wrote some songs together the most successful being ‘Mull of Kintyre’ which was a big hit in the Seventies. We had drifted apart but in recent years managed to re-establish our friendship and share memories of our times together," he added.

Rock Legend Denny Laine, The Moody Blues and Paul McCartney’s Wings Co-founder, Dead at 79 https://t.co/Zc5q9p2PyE

— PatPet1776 🇺🇸 (@PatPetterson2) December 6, 2023

Wife's statement

“My darling husband passed away peacefully early this morning,” Laine’s wife, Elizabeth Hines, wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “I was at his bedside, holding his hand as I played his favorite Christmas songs for him.”

“He’s been singing Christmas songs the past few weeks and I continued to play Christmas songs while he’s been in ICU on a ventilator this past week,” Hines continued.

Denny Laine, a co-founder of both the Moody Blues and Wings, has died at the age of 79.
What a great guitar player he was, and loved his vocals on the Band On The Run album, released 50 years ago today. pic.twitter.com/D3ckt5uaGS

— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) December 6, 2023

His impact

"Laine helped form The Moody Blues in 1964 with hits like 'Nights in White Satin' and 'Go Now.' Laine was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a Moody Blues member in 2018," NBC News reported.

"In 1971, he joined McCartney and his wife, Linda, to form Wings, helping write the songs 'Don’t Let It Bring You Down' and 'London Town.' After his time with Wings, he continued to make music in a solo career," it noted.

His global impact spanned decades, leaving behind dozens of tunes known and beloved by millions of people.

Laine's connections with top bands and musicians also saw him perform in some of the top concerts of his time.

Laine's family and fans now mourn his loss and remember his hits from decades of music.