Ronald LaPread, Founding Commodores Bassist, Dies at 75 After 40 Years in New Zealand
Updated
Updated · That Eric Alper · May 31
Ronald LaPread, Founding Commodores Bassist, Dies at 75 After 40 Years in New Zealand
3 articles · Updated · That Eric Alper · May 31
Auckland-based Ronald LaPread died in May at 75, with his daughter, producer Soraya LaPread, confirming the news on social media.
LaPread joined the Commodores in 1970 and spent 16 years as the band's bass anchor, playing on 11 albums including hits such as “Brick House,” “Easy,” “Three Times a Lady” and “Nightshift.”
The Commodores sold more than 70 million albums worldwide, and LaPread's playing helped define the Motown group's late-1970s blend of funk and ballads alongside Lionel Richie.
New Zealand became his home after he left the band in 1986, following a chance romance on a flight from Sydney to Auckland; he remained active locally and reunited with Richie and former bandmates there as recently as 2025.
Why did a funk legend trade global stardom with the Commodores for a quiet life in New Zealand?
Beyond his famous bass lines, what was Ronald LaPread's musical impact during his 40 years in New Zealand?
What was the sudden medical event that claimed the funk icon's life just days after a public appearance?