On May 30, music producer Soraya LaPread confirmed her father’s death on social media.
“It is with a very heavy heart that I must announce that my father, Ronald LaPread, has passed,” Soraya wrote on a post shared to her Instagram Story. Soraya also uploaded a photo of herself embracing LaPread.
No cause of death was immediately provided. The New Zealand Herald reported that LaPread died following a “sudden medical event” in Auckland, New Zealand. According to the outlet, LaPread had lived in Auckland for 40 years before his death. He was 75.
LaPread co-founded the Commodores with Lionel Richie, Walter “Clyde” Orange, Thomas McClary, William King, and Milan Williams after they met as students at the Tuskegee Institute, which later became known as Tuskegee University, in Tuskegee, Alabama.
LaPread was with the Commodores from 1970 to 1986, serving as bassist on 11 albums. His work can be heard on hits like “Machine Gun,” “Brick House,” “Easy,” “Three Times a Lady,” “Sail On,” “Still,” and “Nightshift.”
On Saturday, Tuskegee Mayor Chris Lee paid tribute to LaPread in a Facebook post, writing, “The City of Tuskegee mourns the passing of Ronald LaPread, legendary bassist of Tuskegee’s very own Commodores and one of our community’s most distinguished native sons.” He continued, “Ron received his musical start while attending Tuskegee Institute High School and later Tuskegee Univer-sity, where he helped build the foundation for a remarkable career that would impact music fans around the world.”
During LaPread’s tenure with the band, the Commodores earned nine Grammy Award nominations, winning in 1986 for best Rhythm & Blues vocal performance for “Nightshift.”
“His talent, dedication, and success brought pride to Tuskegee and served as an inspiration to generations of young people who followed in his footsteps,” Lee added. “On behalf of the City Council and the citizens of Tuskegee, I extend our heart-felt condolences to the LaPread family, his friends, former bandmates, and fans across the globe.”
After leaving the Commodores, LaPread moved to New Zealand but remained closely associated with the band’s legacy, occasion-ally reuniting with the group for special appearances.
