Commodores bassist Ronald LaPread dies at 75

Ronald LaPread, the Grammy-winning bassist and founding member of the legendary funk and soul group the Commodores, has died at the age of 75. His death was confirmed by his daughter, music producer Soraya LaPread, who announced the news on social media over the weekend. She stated that he passed away following what was described as a sudden medical event in Auckland, New Zealand, where he had lived for decades.

LaPread was a central architect of the Commodores' signature sound, his bass lines anchoring some of the group's most enduring hits. He contributed to and co-wrote classics including the funk anthem "Brick House" and the soulful ballads "Easy" and "Three Times a Lady." His tenure with the band spanned from 1970 to 1986, a period that coincided with their commercial peak and the rise of co-lead singer Lionel Richie.

Originally from Alabama, LaPread helped form the Commodores in 1968 with fellow students Lionel Richie, Thomas McClary, William "WAK" King, Milan Williams, and Walter "Clyde" Orange at Tuskegee Institute. The band first gained wider recognition as a support act for the Jackson 5 before signing with Motown Records in 1972. They would go on to sell more than 70...