Ronald LaPread, the former bassist for the iconic funk and soul group the Commodores, has passed away at the age of 75. The musician, known for his contributions to timeless hits such as "Three Times a Lady," "Easy," and "Sail On," died in Auckland, New Zealand, where he had resided since the 1980s. His daughter, Soraya LaPread, a musician and film producer, announced his death on social media with a "heavy heart." The New Zealand Herald reported that his passing followed a "sudden medical event."
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Born on September 4, 1950, in Florida and raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, LaPread began his musical journey singing in church. He taught himself to play multiple instruments and was deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement, even marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during his youth.
Joining the Commodores
In 1970, Lionel Richie and guitarist Thomas McClary invited LaPread to join their fledgling band, the Commodores. He became an integral part of the group's sound, and by the time they signed with Motown Records for their debut album, 1974's Machine Gun, LaPread was already contributing as a writer on the track "Young Girls Are My Weakness."
Rise to Fame
The Commodores' success soared with subsequent albums. On 1975's Caught In The Act, LaPread penned "Look What You've Done to Me," and later that year, he contributed "Gimme My Mule" to Movin' On. Their first number one R&B album, 1976's Hot on the Tracks, featured the Richie-LaPread cowrite "Funky Dancer."
The band's self-titled fifth album in 1977 became their first top five pop album, showcasing the ballad "Easy" and the funk classic "Brick House," which LaPread co-wrote. The album was dedicated to his wife, Kathy Faye LaPread, who died of cancer during its production.
Global Hits
In 1978, Natural High produced the massive hit "Three Times a Lady." LaPread remained with the Commodores through their eleventh studio album, 1985's Nightshift, before leaving the band in 1986. He then relocated to Auckland, New Zealand, where he raised his daughter and continued making music.
LaPread was not part of the group's current lineup, which recently withdrew from the Donald Trump-backed Great American State Fair.
