Ronald LaPread, the co-founding member and bassist of the legendary Motown group the Commodores, has died. He was 75.
His daughter, music producer Soraya LaPread, confirmed the news Saturday on her Instagram Story, writing, “It is with a very heavy heart that I must announce that my Father Ronald LaPread has passed.”
No official cause of death was provided by the family. The New Zealand Herald reported that LaPread died in Auckland following a sudden medical event. He had been living in New Zealand for more than 40 years.
LaPread co-founded the Commodores — originally known as the Mystics — alongside Lionel Richie, Walter “Clyde” Orange, William King, Milan Williams, and Thomas McClary while attending Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The group signed with Motown Records in 1972 and went on to become one of the label’s most commercially successful acts of the decade.
During his 16 years with the band, LaPread appeared on 11 studio albums and laid down the bass lines on some of the group’s most enduring hits, including “Brick House,” “Three Times a Lady,” “Easy,” “Sail On,” and “Nightshift.” The Commodores earned nine Grammy nominations during his tenure and took home the award for Best R&B Vocal Performance in 1986 for “Nightshift.”
The Commodores sold more than 70 million albums worldwide, cementing their place as one of the most influential R&B and funk acts in music history. LaPread departed the group in 1986 and relocated to New Zealand, where he continued to play music from a home studio up until his final years.
Despite stepping away from the group, LaPread maintained close ties with his former bandmates. He reunited with the Commodores and Lionel Richie for live appearances in New Zealand on multiple occasions, most recently joining them onstage during their 2025 tour.
Tuskegee Mayor Chris Lee paid tribute to LaPread on Facebook, calling him one of the city’s “most distinguished native sons.” Lee wrote, “Ron received his musical start while attending Tuskegee Institute High School and later Tuskegee University, where he helped build the foundation for a remarkable career that would impact music fans around the world.”
LaPread attended the Aotearoa Music Awards in Auckland just days before his death. He is survived by his daughter, Soraya LaPread.
