John Lodge – who played bass and guitar and sang in lauded Midlands rock band the Moody Blues for more than 50 years – has died at the age of 82.
In a press release issued earlier today (October 10), the musician’s family say that he “peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved-ones and the sounds of The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly”. His cause of death has not been disclosed.
“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,” the statement reads.
“As anyone who knew this massive hearted man knows, it was his enduring love of his wife, Kirsten, and his family, that was the most important thing to him, followed by his passion for music, and his faith.
“He was never happier than being onstage – he was ‘just a singer in a rock’n’roll band’ and he adored performing with his band and son-in-law, Jon [Davison] (vocalist with Yes), and being able to continue sharing this music with his fans. It gave him even more joy to be able to work with his daughter Emily and son Kristian and spend time watching his grandson John-Henry play football and dream of him playing for Birmingham City one day!
“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.”
The family request privacy at this time and urge fans to listen to Lodge’s 2025 solo song Whispering Angels in remembrance.
Lodge was born on July 20, 1943 in Erdington, Birmingham. After falling in love with the rock’n’roll of Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly, he joined the Moody Blues in 1966, replacing outgoing bassist Clint Warwick. He remained with the group until they ceased activity in 2018.
With Lodge on bass as well as vocals and guitar, the Moody Blues enjoyed notable critical and commercial success. The band’s 1969 album On The Threshold Of A Dream topped the UK album charts: a feat repeated by 1970’s A Question Of Balance and 1971’s Every Good Boy Deserves Favour. Their 1970 song Question, which featured Lodge on bass and backing vocals, reached number two on the UK singles chart and remained on the chart for 12 weeks.
In 1975, Lodge co-created the album Blue Jays: a collaborative project between himself and Moody Blues bandmate Justin Hayward, which reached number four on the UK charts. He released his debut solo album, Natural Avenue, in 1977 and didn’t put out his second, 10,000 Light Years Ago, until 38 years later in 2015.
After the Moody Blues stopped recording and performing together, Lodge focused more heavily on his own output. He released the live album The Royal Affair And After in 2021, the studio album Days Of Future Passed – My Sojourn (a reimagining of the 1967 Moody Blues album) in 2023 and the EP Love Conquers All on Valentines Day this year.
Lodge married Kirsten in 1968 and was a known Christian. He credited his faith for helping him to avoid “the excesses” of the rock’n’roll lifestyle. Prog gave the musician the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Annual Prog Awards in London in 2019.
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