Richard Tandy, ELO keyboardist and contributor to Mr Blue Sky dies at 76

ELO keyboardist Richard Tandy, known for contributing to some of the band's greatest hits including “Mr Blue Sky,” has died at the age of 76.

The news was broken on social media by ELO band leader Jeff Lynne, who took to Instagram to write: “It’s with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of my long-time collaborator and friend Richard Tandy.”

“He was a remarkable musician and friend and I’ll cherish the lifetime of memories we had together. Sending all my love to Sheila and the Tandy family.”

Tandy was born in Birmingham and later joined ELO after the release of the group's first album in 1972. He first played bass guitar, but later became the keyboardist after Roy Wood left. In addition, Tandy played various instruments such as the Minimoog synthesizer, Wurlitzer electric piano, clavinet, Mellotron and piano, which contributed significantly to shaping the band's unique futuristic sound.

It would be the song Mr Blue Sky that would propel Tandy into the spotlight more; the musician provided vocals for the track that has been described as the band's signature song. Taken from the 1977 album Out of the Blue, the song peaked at number six on the UK singles chart a year later, but it would be its use in modern times that earned it a renewed lease of life.

The song has been used in the films Role Models, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, The Game Plan, The Invention of Lying, Megamind, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and The Super Mario Bros. Movie to name a mere few.

In 2012, Tandy and Lynne reunited to record a live set of ELO's biggest hits at Lynne's Bungalow Palace which was broadcast on television.

In 2013, Tandy teamed up with Lynne to perform two songs, Livin' Thing and Mr Blue Sky, for Children In Need Rocks. He also played with ELO's set during Radio 2's Festival In A Day in September 2014 and contributed a piano solo to the song One More Time from Lynne's album From Out of Nowhere.