Richard Tandy, Electric Light Orchestra’s keyboardist, has died at the age of 76.
The group’s co-founder Jeff Lynne announced Tandy’s on social media Wednesday, writing, “It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of my long-time collaborator and dear friend Richard Tandy.” Lynee called his bandmate a “remarkable musician & friend,” and said, “I’ll cherish the lifetime of memories we had together.”
Tandy joined ELO in 1971 as a bassist, one year after Lynne, Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan formed the group in Birmingham. He later became ELO’s full-time keyboardist and was the only member who remained steadfast alongside Lynne during all three incarnations until Lynne disbanded ELO in 1986. Tandy was also the only member to return with Lynne for 2001’s Zoom, which featured the Beatles’ Ringo Starr and George Harrison.
The pair reunited again in 2012 to record a live set of the band’s top hits at Lynne’s Bungalow Palace home recording studio, which aired on television. In the summer of 2014, Lynne and Tandy brought the group back under the new name Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra for an outdoor concert in London’s Hyde Park.
When asked in a 2015 interview with Rolling Stone why Tandy was the only original member he brought back when the group reformed, Lyne replied, “Richard is my lifetime man in the group.” He continued, “He’d be in the studio with me when other people wouldn’t be. It’s just my choice. He’s a great musician, a great piano player and I really enjoy his company.”
Tandy also contributed to every ELO album, with the exception of 1971’s No Answer (which was recorded before he joined the band) and 2015’s Alone in the Universe.
The musician’s last show took place at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall in 2016, where he performed his final “Mr. Blue Sky”with Lynne.
In 2017, in recognition of his contribution throughout the decades, Tandy was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of ELO.
Lynne announced in March that his final reincarnation of Electric Light Orchestra would be going on one final run this summer, with the tour beginning on Aug, 24 in Palm Desert, California.