Ronald LaPread, the former bass player for the American soul band The Commodores, has died in Auckland at the age of 75.<\/p>\n
LaPread spent the last 40 years of his life living in New Zealand after falling in love with a Kiwi woman, Farideh, on a flight from Sydney to Auckland.<\/p>\n
His daughter, music producer Soraya LaPread, confirmed the news on social media on Sunday.<\/p>\n
“It’s with a very heavy heart that I must announce that my father Ronald LaPread has passed,” she said on Instagram.<\/p>\n
LaPread was renowned for his bass lines on classic hits including ‘Brick House’, ‘Three Times a Lady’ and ‘Easy’, performing alongside well-known musicians including Lionel Richie.<\/p>\n
The Alabama native was a member of the group from 1970 to 1986 and played on 11 of its albums.<\/p>\n
LaPread later reunited with The Commodores and Lionel Richie when they toured New Zealand in recent years, including a performance at Spark Arena last year.<\/p>\n
He attended the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
While he left the group after moving to New Zealand, LaPread remained close with his former bandmates.<\/p>\n
In 2011 Richie invited LaPread and fellow former Commodore Thomas McClary on stage during a sold-out concert at Auckland’s Vector Arena.<\/p>\n
During a 2014 interview with Auckland-based music website 13th Floor, Richie joked that LaPread was always “practising” for a reunion whenever The Commodores or Richie visited New Zealand.<\/p>\n
He would continue to make appearances alongside The Commodores and Richie whenever they came to tour in later years.<\/p>\n
Away from the international spotlight, LaPread became a familiar figure in Aotearoa’s music community. In a 2025 interview with World Equal magazine, he described New Zealand’s music scene as diverse and collaborative, with a relaxed culture.<\/p>\n
LaPread is survived by his wife, two sons and daughter Soraya.<\/p>\n