Paul McCartney is arguably the most successful musician in the history of the game. However, like all of us, he is just a person; hence, his journey to the top was not a solo one. In The Beatles, he had John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Subsequently, in Wings, he had his late wife Linda McCartney, Jimmy McCollough, Denny Seiwell, and Denny Laine. Denny Laine was an integral member of Wings, and on this day, December 5, 2023, one of rock ‘n’ roll’s many unsung heroes passed away at the age of 79.
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The majority of people who are not religious music fans mainly remember Wings as the Paul and Linda McCartney show. Although that was not the case in the slightest, as every member of the band played a crucial part, especially Denny Lane, who was the lead guitarist, keyboardist, bass player, co-writer, and sometimes singer.
Prior to joining Wings, Laine was the lead guitarist and a founding member of the band, The Moody Blues. At the height of their success, the band released a cover of “Go Now”, which went on to peak at No. 1 in the United Kingdom and was sung by none other than Denny Laine. In terms of musicianship and raw talent, Laine is certainly up there with the best of them. Although in terms of celebrity, he has taken a bit of a backseat, we are going to make sure his name stays in the history books.
What Denny Laine Helped Paul McCartney and Wings Accomplish
Denny Laine was a member of Wings for their entire run from 1971 to 1981. Thus, he was around for the success of Band On The Run, Red Rose Speedway, and Wings At The Speed of Sound. As a matter of fact, he wasn’t just around for them, but he helped create them.
During his career with Wings, Laine wrote or helped write staples such as “Mull Of Kintyre”, “Time To Hide”, “Deliver Your Children”, “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”, and “Again And Again And Again”. The 1978 track, “Mull Of Kintyre”, peaked at No. 1 in the UK.
In 1981, after Wings split up, Laine went on to have a prolific solo career. Consequently, in 2018, Laine received a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. Five years later, Denny Laine passed away at 79 years old from interstitial lung disease in Naples, Florida. So, next time you think about Wings, don’t just think of Paul McCartney, but also Denny Laine.
Photo by Mike Moore/Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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