Ronald LaPread, the original bassist and co-founder of the legendary soul group the Commodores, has died. He was 75.
The heartbreaking news was confirmed Saturday by his daughter, music producer Soraya LaPread, who shared the announcement on social media. She did not reveal a cause of death.
According to the NZ Herald, LaPread died in Auckland, New Zealand, after suffering what was described as a “sudden medical event.” He had lived in New Zealand since the 1980s.
TMZ reported that it reached out to both Soraya and the Commodores for comment, but had not yet heard back.
LaPread’s death marks the loss of another key figure from one of Motown’s most successful and beloved groups.
Born in Alabama, LaPread helped launch the Commodores in 1968 alongside Lionel Richie, Walter “Clyde” Orange, William “WAK” King, Milan Williams and Thomas McClary. The group formed while the men were students at Tuskegee Institute.
Before becoming the Commodores, they originally performed under the name The Mystics.
LaPread went on to play bass on 11 of the group’s albums and helped shape the sound behind some of their most unforgettable hits, including “Brick House,” “Three Times a Lady” and “Easy.”
With their smooth harmonies, funk grooves and soul ballads, the Commodores became one of the biggest acts of the 1970s and 1980s. The group sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and became a defining name in the Motown era.
Their success, however, came with plenty of behind-the-scenes turmoil.
The band went through a major shakeup in the early 1980s when Lionel Richie left to launch his massively successful solo career. The departure changed the future of the group, but the Commodores continued performing and remained a major name in soul and R&B history.
LaPread, who had long since relocated to New Zealand, still reunited with the group on occasion over the years. He joined them for concerts in New Zealand and most recently performed with the band during their 2025 tour.
His death comes just days after the Commodores made headlines for a very different reason.
This week, the group announced they were pulling out of Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair, an event tied to the celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The Commodores were among several acts that withdrew from the event over its political connections.
Now, fans are mourning LaPread not only as a founding member of the Commodores, but as one of the musicians who helped give the group its signature heartbeat.
For generations of fans, his bass lines were part of the soundtrack of their lives.
Ronald LaPread was 75.
