Basic Provisions
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Ronald Lapred, former bassist and co-founder of the iconic soul-funk band The Commodores, has died at the age of 75.
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Lapreda's daughter, Soraya, confirmed his death on social media, writing, "I'm devastated. A part of me has left this world.".
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The co-founders of the Commodores met at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and went on to become Grammy Award winners.
Ronald Lapred, a founding member of the iconic soul-funk band The Commodores and the bassist who played bass on many of their biggest hits, has died. He was 75.
Lapred's daughter, Los Angeles musician Soraya Lapred, confirmed her father's death in a now-deleted post on her Instagram story on Saturday, writing, "It is with a heavy heart that I must announce that my father Ronald Lapred has passed away.".
The cause of death and exact date of death of the Grammy Award-winning soul music pioneer are still unknown. Lapred had lived in New Zealand for a long time, settling there after leaving the band Commodores. He died in Auckland, and his death came as a shock to his friends, including the host. Newstalk ZB and close friend Tim Roxborough, who noted, "He always looked so good and so healthy," she said on Saturday. New Zealand Herald newspaper .
Soraya Lapred on Instagram in 2026. Photo: Soraya Lapred/Instagram
In a follow-up post published on Sunday, Soraya Lapred paid tribute to her father with a touching message.
«"We were the best father and daughter team. If you know me, you know my dad. I am devastated. A part of me is gone. I have never felt such deep pain in my life," she wrote. "The loss is indescribable because he loved me so unconditionally and so deeply. Please pray for my dad in heaven… Do as he did and be kind to each other.".
The comments section under Ronald Lapreda's final post on the platform—a video in which he recalls Bob Marley's performance opening for the Commodores at Madison Square Garden, published just two days before his death was announced—quickly became a forum for fans to express their grief.
«"Thank you for everything sir... a big round of applause," wrote one fan, while another added: "Join us and rest in peace Ron.".
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Lionel Richie, Thomas McClary, Walter Orange and Ronald La Preade of the Commodores perform in 1979. Photo: Mike Prior/Redferns
LaPred was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, on September 4, 1950. It was in this city, known for its historically black Tuskegee University and its rich history of civil rights, that LaPred met the future members of the Commodores.
All six founding members met at college, then called Tuskegee Institute, playing in separate bands called the Mystics and the Jays. The groups performed at the same local venues and campus events before coalescing into a supergroup that changed the course of modern music history. The original lineup included Lapreda on bass, Lionel Richie on saxophone, Walter "Clyde" Orange on drums, Thomas McClary on guitar, Milan Williams on keyboards, and William King on trumpet.
The young jazz enthusiasts began performing in small venues in and around New York City before being spotted by MoTown executive Suzanne de Passe, who invited them to open for the Jackson 5. During LaPreda's tenure, which ended in 1986, the Commodores released 12 studio albums, earned nine Grammy Awards, and scored numerous chart-topping hits, including "Easy," "Three Times a Lady," "Nightshift," "Brick House," and "Lady (You Bring Me Up).".
Ritchie left the band earlier to pursue a solo career, but the Commodores reunited several times in the decades that followed, with Ritchie's final performance with his former bandmates being at the Essence Music Festival in 2009.
Lapred lived with his wife Farideh in Auckland for 40 years, actively participating in the local music scene, in which he also distinguished himself as a bass player.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.