Musician Denny Laine, the lead singer of rock band The Moody Blues and guitarist with Sir Paul McCartney’s group Wings, dies aged 79

Musician Denny Laine, singer of rock band The Moody Blues and guitarist of Sir Paul McCartney's group Wings, has died at the age of 79.

His wife Elizabeth Haines said Tuesday that he had died after a long battle with a lung disease.

She said in a statement: “I stood by his side and held his hand as I played him his favorite Christmas songs.”

Denny sang on the million-selling single Go Now by The Moody Blues from 1965 and co-wrote the Wings hit Mull of Kintyre.

The singer-songwriter, real name Brian Hines, was born in Birmingham in October 1944 and grew up in the city.

Musician Denny Laine, the singer of rock band The Moody Blues and guitarist of Sir Paul McCartney's group Wings, has died at the age of 79 (photo in 2016)

He started playing guitar after being inspired by the late jazz guitarist and composer Django Reinhardt.