Richard Tandy Has Died

We Recall A Mighty Musical Influence

Richard Tandy at the piano.

Yesterday, I learned that Richard Tandy had died, and one more tiny piece of my soul with him.

When I was just a lad of about Little Bean’s age, in October 1977, I began hearing little snippets of songs by the band called The Electric Light Orchestra. At night, after I was tucked in, I’d shove my tiny transistor AM radio under my pillow and listen to the muffled sounds.

This was before my first turn-table. This was when my dad was still playing Perry Como and watching Lawrence Welk.

And then, one night, I heard a song clawing its way through my pillow called “Mr. Blue Sky.” (I had to look up when it was released, Jan. 1978.) And that was it. I was done. Music became part of my life. This was before discovering the Beatles or AC/DC or really even having an understanding of what music was, how to define it, or categorize it. What was jazz? Or classical? Who knows, I sure didn’t.

But this band and this song had ALL of that without me even knowing what it was that it had. I just loved them. I became a super fan, learning as best I could about the band, their names and backgrounds, history. Past members, searching back catalogs at the record store and magazines at grocery stores. Tough going back then.

And I learned that Richard Tandy was an original member, keyboardist and one of the orchestral composers of the band. His work is all over “Mr. Blue Sky” and the albums by the band of that time. Those choral arrangements at the end of the song and the kaleidoscope of keyboards fluttering in that 1970s prog-rock way was all him.

Jeff Lynne is a master, of course. But ELO would not be ELO without Tandy.

I saw the band only once, in 1982, for their “Time” tour. They played “Mr. Blue Sky” and I focused on Tandy, that pounding synth opening giving me chills, then as it still does today.

I remember my great friend, Alan, in our scout tent at one camping trip or another, playing ELO trying to harmonize and being told to shut up by the other boys. Or the excitement of riding my bike to the mall to empty my pockets of my paper route cash for the latest album.

I write about music a lot here at Day By Day and I think I know why. Because what is life without music? Who even would we be? What a boring, smaller world we would live in without music.

After work today, I’m going to go home and put “Mr. Blue Sky” on the turn table for Little Bean, and I’m going to slip a pair of headphones over her ears and say, “Listen to this, listen to that choir, that was put together by a British man by the name of Richard Tandy. He’s one of daddy’s favorites.”

And the music will connect us, as it always, always does. And she’ll find her own Richard Tandy someday, maybe she already has. And the line between her grandfather and me and her and her kids will continue, as it should - the line will continue through notes that move us and inspire and make us cry and shout.

Thanks Richard. I never met you, but I’m still glad we crossed paths. We rock on.

The classic ELO “Mr. Blue Sky line-up.