ELO keyboardist Richard Tandy dead at 76, Jeff Lynne confirms
Longtime keyboardist for the Electric Light Orchestra, Richard Tandy, passed away on May 1st at the age of 76. At the time of writing, no cause of death has been announced.
The news of his passing was broken by his friend and former bandmate, Jeff Lynne. The ELO founder took to social media to regretfully say, “It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of my long-time collaborator and dear friend Richard Tandy. He was a remarkable musician & friend and I’ll cherish the lifetime of memories we had together”.
Tributes were also paid by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which Tandy was inducted into with ELO back in 2017. On social media, the Hall of Fame wrote, “Tandy was crucial in ELO’s creation of a realm where rock and classical music could exist together”.
Tandy first joined the ranks of ELO following the release of their debut album in 1971. Initially, he was recruited as a bass guitarist, though he soon moved to the keyboard – his natural habitat. From that point on, the keyboardist became a core component of the Birmingham-based prog-pop outfit. Tandy certainly made his mark on the group, performing on some of their best loved tracks including the likes of ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ and the number one single ‘Xanadu’.
ELO witnessed near-constant line-up changes throughout the years, but Tandy remained one of the few continuous members across the history of the group. After joining up in 1972, the keyboardist stayed put until the band parted ways in 1986. When the group reformed in 2000, Tandy was the only other longtime member, other than Lynne, to participate in the reunion.
The pair clearly had a close relationship, even collaborating on a variety of projects outside the realm of ELO, most notably the soundtrack for 1984’s Electric Dreams. He also formed the Tandy Morgan Band with fellow ELO members Dave Morgan and Martin Smith around this same time.
Tandy is survived by his wife, Sheila Tandy, who has lived with the keyboardist in Wales since the early 2010s. He will be lovingly remembered for his vital contributions to ELO, one of the most iconic groups to arise from the progressive scene of the early 1970s.
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