Richard Tandy, the keyboardist of Electric Light Orchestra, has died. He was 76. Tandy’s bandmate Jeff Lynne broke the news on Twitter, writing “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.” Tandy met Electric Light Orchestra member Bev Bevan at school. He first joined ELO as a bassist, but transitioned to keys and figured heavily in their emerging prog rock sound. According to the Guardian, Tandy played “Minimoog synthesiser, a Wurlitzer electric piano, the Clavinet, Mellotron and piano.” On “Mr. Blue Sky,” perhaps the band’s biggest hit, Tandy provided piano, synth, and the song’s iconic vocoder. The song has been covered by The Electric Mayhem, Weezer, and Nerf Herder (the band that did the Buffy: the Vampire Slayer theme song). It has featured on the soundtracks of many films — including Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Paul Blart: Mall Cop — and was the first choice for The Office (U.S.)’s theme song. Tandy was inducted with the Electric Light Orchestra into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. ELO still holds the Billboard record for most Hot 100 songs without a No. 1 hit.
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.
— Jeff Lynne's ELO (@JeffLynnesELO) May 1, 2024
Sending all my love to Sheila & the Tandy family.
Jeff… pic.twitter.com/beOF3JR39E
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