Mike Pinder, keyboardist, vocalist and founding member of the Moody Blues, passed away Wednesday, April 24 at the age of 82. The news was confirmed in a statement from his family, which was shared on Facebook by his Moody Blues bandmate John Lodge.
Moody Blues were influential in the development of progressive rock, with their sophomore album Days of Future Passed considered by some to be the first real example of the genre. It contained the classic hit "Nights in White Satin," which was initially released in 1967, but peaked at #2 in the U.S. when it was reissued in 1972.