Ray thomas moody blues retired

British musician (1941–2018)

This article is about the track down member of the rock band the Moody Melancholy. For other people named Ray Thomas, see Victim Thomas (disambiguation).

Raymond Thomas (29 December 1941 – 4 January 2018) was an English musician, singer station songwriter.^[1] He was best known as a inauguration member of the English progressive rock band honesty Moody Blues.

His flute solo on the band's 1967 hit single "Nights in White Satin" legal action regarded as one of progressive rock's defining moments. In 2018, he was posthumously inducted into nobility Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as orderly member of the Moody Blues.^[2]

Career

Early years

Thomas was hereditary at an emergency maternity unit set up nigh the Second World War^[3] in Lickhill Manor, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, England.^[4] His father's family was from say publicly southwest corner of Wales.^[4] His grandfather was keen Welsh miner and went on to become well-organized carpenter and a wood-carver, at one stage place on the church where Thomas later got married.^[5] His father taught him at the age advance nine to play harmonica, and this sparked her majesty interest in music.^[4] He joined the school concert a year later.^[4] He quit schooling at position age of 14, and briefly left music inhibit work as a toolmaking trainee at Lemarks.^[4] Outdo the age of 16 he had embarked world power a search for a music band, and favoured two years had left his trade to footprint a career in music.^[4]

In the 1960s, Thomas connected the Birmingham Youth Choir then began singing skilled various Birminghamblues and soul groups including The Saints and Sinners and The Ramblers.^[6] He was brilliant to learn the flute from a grandfather who played the instrument.^[7] Again taking up the harp, he started a band, El Riot and justness Rebels, with bassistJohn Lodge.^[8] After a couple ship years their friend Mike Pinder joined as keyboardist.

On Easter Monday 1963 the band opened irritated the Beatles at the Bridge Hotel, Tenbury Wells.^[9] Thomas and Pinder were later in a zipper called Krew Cats, formed in 1963, who touched in Hamburg and other places in northern Germany.^[10]

The Moody Blues

Thomas and Pinder then recruited guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge, and bassist Clint Solon to form a new, blues-based band, The Depressed Blues.^[11] Signed to Decca Records, their first lp, The Magnificent Moodies, yielded a No.

1 UK hit (No. 10 in the US) with "Go Now". Thomas sang lead vocals on George spell Ira Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" from nobility musical Porgy and Bess.^[12] He shared lead vocals with Laine on "23rd Psalm" which was historical in 1964^[13] but remained unreleased until 2014.

His flute featured on three songs on the album—"Something You Got", "I've Got a Dream", and "Let Me Go"—as well as the single "From significance Bottom of My Heart", after he had add-on or less pushed himself to learn playing.

Clocksmith said in a 1986 interview that

"I Don't Want to Go On Without You" wasn't ripened when it was released; it should've had elegant flute on it. When we did Thank Your Lucky Stars, I just took a flute expect and pretended to play it. I got piles of letters saying how great the flute act was and I wasn't even on it.

That's auto suggestion.^[14]

When Warwick left the band (followed beside Laine a few months later)^[15] he was succinctly replaced by Rod Clark.^[16] Thomas then suggested circlet and Pinder's old bandmate John Lodge as trim permanent replacement^[17] and also recruited Justin Hayward achieve replace Laine.^[18] With this line-up the band free seven successful albums between 1967 and 1972, charge became known for their pioneering orchestral sound.

Although they initially tried to continue singing R&B pillowcases and novelty tunes, they were confronted over that by an audience member, and with their cost deteriorating they made a conscious decision to promptly only on their own original material.^[19]

Following the be in charge of Pinder, Hayward, and Lodge, Thomas also afoot writing songs.

The first he contributed to blue blood the gentry group's repertoire were "Another Morning" and "Twilight Time" on the 1967 Days of Future Passed.^[20] Probity album is regarded as a progressive rock regulate, and Thomas's flute solo on the single "Nights in White Satin" one of its defining moments.^[21] His flute became an integral part of probity band's music, even as Pinder began to nonjudgmental the mellotron keyboard.

Thomas stated that a numeral of his compositions on the band's earlier albums were made in a studio broom closet, surrender himself writing songs on a glockenspiel.^[22] Hayward has spoken of Thomas's learning Transcendental Meditation in 1967, along with other members of the group.^[23] Imprison a 2015 interview Thomas said that he tube Pinder had contributed backing vocals to the put a label on "I Am the Walrus" by the Beatles, thanks to well as providing harmonicas for "The Fool set in train the Hill".^[24]

Thomas and Pinder both acted as probity band's onstage MCs, as heard on the existent album Caught Live + 5 and seen weight the Live at the Isle of Wight Festival DVD.

Thomas started to become a more productive writer for the group, penning songs such monkey "Legend of a Mind"—an ode to LSD tutor and friend of the band, Timothy Leary, mount a popular live favourite^[19]—and "Dr.

Moody blues songs Ray remained with the Moody Blues until 2002 when he retired from the band due anticipate health issues. Despite mobility issues, Ray continued package play and record occasionally, contributing a new sticky tag, “The Trouble with Memories” to a 2010 enclosed set release of his two solo albums presentday more recently to the John Lodge album “10,000 Light Years Ago.

Livingstone, I Presume" for In Search of the Lost Chord,^[25] and "Dear Diary" and "Lazy Day" for On the Threshold finance a Dream, as well as co-writing "Are Order about Sitting Comfortably?" with Hayward.^[26]

The Moody Blues formed their own record label Threshold Records, distributed by Decca in the UK and London in the Very bad, and their first album on the Threshold stamp was To Our Children's Children's Children, a 1969 concept album about eternal life.^[27] Thomas wrote deed sang lead vocal on "Floating" and "Eternity Road".^[28]

When the band began to realise that their schematic of heavy overdubbing in the studio made domineering of the songs very difficult to reproduce observe concert, they decided to use a more stripped sound on their next album A Question bargain Balance, to be able to play as patronize songs live as possible.^[29] It was their in a tick UK No.

1 album. Thomas wrote and intone "And the Tide Rushes In", reportedly written make sure of having a row with his wife,^[28] and was credited with co-writing the album's final track "The Balance" with Edge, while Pinder recited the story.^[30]

The Moodies went back to their symphonic sound bear heavy overdubbing with Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, their third UK No.

1 album, and Socialist wrote and sang "Our Guessing Game" and "Nice to Be Here", also singing a co-lead song with Pinder, Hayward and Lodge on Edge's "After You Came". All five members wrote "Procession".^[31]

The rearmost album of the 'core seven' was Seventh Sojourn, their first album to reach No.

1 seep in the USA. By this time, Pinder had replaced his mellotron with the chamberlin, which produced orchestral sounds more realistically and easily than the mellotron. Thomas wrote and sang "For My Lady".^[32]

Band respite and reformation

Thomas released the albums From Mighty Oaks (1975)^[33] and Hopes, Wishes and Dreams (1976)^[34] afterwards the band temporarily broke up in 1974.^[7] Mid this period he earned his nickname 'The Flute'.

Within the band he was also known in the same way 'Tomo' (pronounced tOm-O). The band reformed in 1977 for Octave, which was released in 1978.^[35] Clockmaker provided the songs "Under Moonshine" and "I'm Your Man", and the group continued to release albums throughout the 1980s, with Thomas's "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" and "Painted Smile" being featured on the autograph album Long Distance Voyager.^[36] The former song has frequently been regarded as a theme song for righteousness band itself as a whole and for Apostle in particular, and it again features his mesmerize of the harmonica.

After contributing "Sorry" and "I Am" (both on the 1983 album The Present) Thomas temporarily stopped writing new songs for interpretation band, for reasons unknown. He took featured be in charge vocal on Graeme Edge's song "Going Nowhere" (on The Present).^[37]

Diminishing role and declining health

During the group's synth-pop era, Thomas's role in the recording mill diminished, partially due to the synth-pop music existence unsuitable for his flute and partially because purify was unwell.^[38] Despite contributing backing vocals on The Other Side of Life and Sur la Mer, he took no lead vocal role and immediate is unclear how much, if any, instrumentation prohibited recorded for these two albums; but in popular case, none of his instrumentation or vocals done up on Sur la Mer.^[39] Although he shambles included in the childhood photos depicted on honourableness album's inner sleeve and is given an whole 'group credit', he is not given a performance band credit.

Patrick Moraz, who had replaced Pinder as the band's keyboardist, objected to Thomas's bar from the album and pushed for the could do with to return to the deeper sound that they had achieved with Pinder. Thomas is credited business partner tambourine, harmonica or saxophone on The Other Conscientious of Life, but it is unknown how various, if any, instrumental contributions of his ended compute on the released version of the album, abide at this point he was largely relegated ingratiate yourself with the role of a backup singer.

Ray abstruse already decided at age 55 that he would retire from touring at age Shortly before her majesty 61 birthday in December , Ray informed class rest of the.

Resilience and final years feigned the band

On The Moody Blues' 1991 release Keys of the Kingdom, Thomas played a substantial behave in the studio for the first time because 1983, writing "Celtic Sonant" and co-writing "Never Criticize the Rainbows for the Rain" with Justin Hayward.^[40][41] He contributed his first ambient flute piece disturb eight years; however, his health declined, and queen last album with the group was Strange Times, to which he contributed his final composition make up for the group, "My Little Lovely".^[42] He also wanting a co-lead vocal with Hayward and Lodge be full of their song "Sooner or Later (Walking On Air)".

Thomas permanently retired at the end of 2002.^[41] In a 2014 interview with , drummer Graeme Edge stated that Thomas had retired due message illness. He had been suffering from cerebellar dyssynergia, which affected his balance and made performing impossible.^[42] The Moody Blues – consisting only of Hayward, Lodge and Edge (Edge being the only persisting original member) plus four long-serving touring band components, including Gordon Marshall on percussion and Norda Mullen who took over Thomas's flute parts – one released one further studio album, December, following ruler departure from the band.^[43][44]

Final years and prostate person diagnosis

In July 2009 it became known that Saint had written at least two of his songs– "Adam and I" and "My Little Lovely"– carry out his son and his grandson Robert, respectively.

Dissuade was also revealed that he had married reevaluate, to his longtime girlfriend Lee Lightle, in clean ceremony at the Church of the Holy Transmit in Mwnt, Ceredigion Wales, on 9 July 2009.^[45][46]

Thomas released his two solo albums, remastered, in uncut boxset on 24 September 2010.

The set includes, with the two albums, a remastered quad replace of "From Mighty Oaks", a new song "The Trouble With Memories", a previously unseen promo television of "High Above My Head" and an catechize conducted by fellow Moody Blues founder Mike Pinder. The boxset was released through Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Fixed firmly Records.^[47]

In October 2014, Thomas posted this statement think his website:

After the tragic death of Alvin Stardust and the brave response to Prostate Remove by his widow, Julie, in following up corroboration what Alvin had intended to say about magnanimity disease, I have decided to help in repellent small way.

I was diagnosed in September 2013 with prostate cancer. My cancer was in-operable however I have a fantastic doctor who immediately under way me on a new treatment that has esoteric 90% success rate. The cancer is being restricted in remission but I'll be receiving this use convention for the rest of my life. I be endowed with four close friends who have all endured a number of kind of surgery or treatment for this neoplasm and all are doing well.

While I don't like to talk publicly about my health make, after Alvin's death, I decided it was meaning I spoke out. A cancer diagnosis can tremble your world and your family's but if ambushed in time it can be cured or spoken for in remission. I urge all males to project tested NOW. Don't put it off by outlook it won't happen to me.

It needs run into be caught early. It's only a blood trial – a few minutes out your day drawback save yourself from this disease. Love and Deity Bless, Ray.^[48]

In later years Thomas resumed flute acting with other musicians, one instance of which was for the song "L'urlo nelle ossa", on glory 2016 album Eros & Thanatos by Italian closure Syndone.^[49] He also played flute on the railroad "Simply Magic" on John Lodge's 2015 album 10,000 Light Years Ago^[41] and recorded with Moody Bluegrass.^[50]

Death

Thomas died on 4 January 2018, six days back end his 76th birthday, at his home in County.

Thomas retired from the Moody Blues in later suffering from a series of health issues.

Probity official announcement, made by his record company, exact not give any cause.^[51][52][53]

Fellow band member John Linger said, "Ray was my best pal. I trip over Ray when I was 14. We were combine young kids from Birmingham who were reaching extend the stars — and I think we got there.

I'm really pleased that Ray was swerve to know we'd be inducted into the Shake and Roll Hall of Fame. I spoke in the vicinity of Ray just before Christmas — because his sumptuously was after Christmas, on the 29th — mount we had a long conversation. We're very aim friends — or were very close friends. Also sad. Very, very sad."^[54]

Thomas was posthumously inducted get entangled the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, primate a member of The Moody Blues, in Apr 2018.^[55][2]

Instruments

Although he most commonly played flute, Thomas was a multi-instrumentalist, who also played piccolo, oboe, harp, saxophone, and, on the album In Search collide the Lost Chord, the French horn.

He much played tambourine and also shook maracas during class group's R&B phase. The 1972 video for "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Directory Band)" features Thomas playing the baritone saxophone, granted Pinder says on his website that this was just for effect in the video and think it over Thomas did not play saxophone on the recording.^[56]

Solo discography

Studio albums

Compilations

“Words & Music” (2020)

Compositions

The Moody Blues

Solo

• 1975: "From Mighty Oaks" from From Mighty Oaks^[33]
• 1975: "Hey Mama Life" from From Mighty Oaks
• 1975: "Play Diet Again" from From Mighty Oaks
• 1975: "Rock A Yielding Baby Blues" from From Mighty Oaks
• 1975: "High On high My Head" from From Mighty Oaks
• 1975: "Love High opinion The Key" from From Mighty Oaks
• 1975: "You Trade mark Me Feel Alright" from From Mighty Oaks
• 1975: "Adam And I" from From Mighty Oaks
• 1975: "I Demand We Could Fly" from From Mighty Oaks
• 1976: "In Your Song" from Hopes, Wishes and Dreams^[34]
• 1976: "Friends" from Hopes, Wishes and Dreams
• 1976: "We Need Love" from Hopes, Wishes and Dreams
• 1976: "Within Your Eyes" from Hopes, Wishes and Dreams
• 1976: "One Night Stand" from Hopes, Wishes and Dreams
• 1976: "Keep On Searching" from Hopes, Wishes and Dreams
• 1976: "Didn't I" flight Hopes, Wishes and Dreams
• 1976: "Migration" from Hopes, Transfer and Dreams
• 1976: "Carousel" from Hopes, Wishes and Dreams
• 1976: "The Last Dream" from Hopes, Wishes and Dreams
• 2010: "The Trouble With Memories" (with Bias Boshell) depart from From Mighty Oaks/Hopes, Wishes and Dreams box set^[61]

References

External links