Mike Pinder, musician and last founding member of the Moody Blues, has died at 82

Musician Mike Pinder, keyboardist for the psychedelic rock group Moody Blues, of which he was the last surviving founding member, has died at the age of 82, his family announced in a statement. No cause of death was revealed.

The statement released by his family described Mike Pinder as "a musician, a father, a cosmic philosopher, and a friend" who "lived with the wonder of a child and developed an introspective reflection that guided his mind and heart."

Mike Pinder was a pioneer of the Mellotron, a keyboard instrument widely used by progressive rock bands in the 1960s and 1970s and known for producing sounds prerecorded on magnetic tapes.

Mike Pinder was born in 1941 in the UK in Birmingham, a city with a vibrant music scene where bands like Traffic, Electric Light Orchestra, and Black Sabbath formed.

He formed the Moody Blues in 1964 with Graeme Edge, Ray Thomas, Clint Warwick, and Denny Laine, the future singer of Wings. The band became famous the following year with the ballad "Go Now."

In 1967, the group released "Days of Future Passed," considered the first progressive rock album. The album includes the classic "Nights in White Satin" which became a hit in the United States and the UK.

Between 1967 and 1972, the Moody Blues released six successful albums, all certified gold or platinum in the US and England. When the group split up at that time, Mike Pinder released a solo album, "The Promise."

Although the keyboardist returned for the Moody Blues' album "Octave" in 1978, he chose to leave the group and settle with his family in northern California. While occasionally returning to music, he transitioned into the tech industry.

In 1994, he released a second solo album and participated in the Moody Blues' induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However, he did not speak during the entire ceremony, considering it was already far too long.