Ronald LaPread, Founding Commodores Bassist, Dies at 75
*Ronald LaPread, a founding member and longtime bassist of the Commodores, has died at age 75, marking the loss of a musician whose bass lines helped power one of the most successful groups in Motown history. LaPread’s daughter, music producer Soraya LaPread, confirmed the news in a social media post that was later reported by […] The post Ronald LaPread, Founding Commodores Bassist, Dies at 75 appeared first on EURweb | Black News, Culture, Entertainment & More.
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*Ronald LaPread, a founding member and longtime bassist of the Commodores, has died at age 75, marking the loss of a musician whose bass lines helped power one of the most successful groups in Motown history.
LaPread’s daughter, music producer Soraya LaPread, confirmed the news in a social media post that was later reported by multiple outlets.
In an Instagram Story first reported by multiple media outlets, Soraya LaPread wrote, “It is with a very heavy heart that I must announce that my father, Ronald LaPread, has passed.”
According to the New Zealand Herald and other reports, LaPread died following a sudden medical event in Auckland, New Zealand, where he had lived for roughly four decades after leaving the Commodores in the mid-1980s.
His death prompted tributes from fellow musicians, fans and community leaders who remembered both his contributions to music and his roots in Tuskegee, Alabama.
From Tuskegee to Motown Success
Born in Tuskegee, Alabama, LaPread was among the musicians who formed the Commodores while attending Tuskegee Institute. Alongside Lionel Richie, Thomas McClary, Walter “Clyde” Orange, William King and Milan Williams, he helped build a group that would become one of the defining acts of the 1970s and 1980s.
The band signed with Motown and rose from funk favorites to international stars, blending infectious grooves with soulful ballads that appealed to audiences across genres.
As the group’s bassist, LaPread provided the rhythmic foundation for a catalog that included classics such as “Brick House,” “Easy,” “Zoom,” “Three Times a Lady,” “Still” and “Nightshift.”
While Lionel Richie often became the public face of the group, LaPread’s steady bass work remained a key element of the Commodores’ signature sound throughout their most successful years.
A Core Member During the Band’s Peak Years
LaPread played on 11 Commodores albums and was part of the lineup that helped transform the group into one of Motown’s biggest commercial successes.
During the late 1970s, the Commodores enjoyed a remarkable run of hit records and chart success. Albums including “Commodores,” “Natural High” and “Midnight Magic” produced some of the group’s most enduring songs and established them as one of the era’s premier acts.
Even after Richie eventually departed to launch a hugely successful solo career, the Commodores continued recording and performing. Their 1985 hit “Nightshift,” a tribute to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson, became one of the defining songs of the group’s later years and earned a Grammy Award.
LaPread remained with the band until 1986, helping guide the Commodores through both their commercial peak and a period of transition.
A New Life in New Zealand
After leaving the Commodores, LaPread settled in New Zealand, where he built a life far from the spotlight that accompanied his years as a member of one of America’s most recognizable R&B groups.
Although he largely stepped away from the international spotlight after relocating to New Zealand, his contributions to the Commodores’ catalog continued to resonate with fans worldwide.
For many listeners, LaPread represented an often-unsung but essential part of the band’s success. His bass lines anchored the grooves that helped make the Commodores a fixture on radio stations, dance floors and concert stages around the world.
Tuskegee Pays Tribute
Following news of his death, Tuskegee Mayor Chris Lee issued a statement honoring LaPread’s legacy and his connection to the Alabama city where the Commodores were born.
Lee described LaPread as “one of our community’s most distinguished native sons,” praising the musician’s accomplishments and the pride he brought to Tuskegee through his success.
The tribute reflected the deep ties LaPread maintained to the city that helped launch one of the most influential groups of the modern R&B era.
Fans also shared memories across social media, posting favorite Commodores songs and celebrating the music that became part of the soundtrack of their lives.
Remembering Ronald LaPread
Although the Commodores produced multiple stars, the band’s success was built on the collective talents of its members, and Ronald LaPread was central to that foundation. His musicianship helped shape a sound that blended funk, soul, pop and R&B into a catalog that continues to resonate decades later.
LaPread is survived by his wife, two sons and daughter Soraya.
As tributes continue to pour in, fans around the world are revisiting the songs that defined generations and remembering the bassist whose work helped make them possible.
Ronald LaPread’s name may not always have appeared in the spotlight, but his contributions to the Commodores’ enduring legacy remain impossible to overlook.
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