Ronald LaPread Commodores Co-Founder Dead at 75 ...After Group Exits Freedom 250 Celebration

Published May 31, 2026 7:57 AM PDT

Ronald LaPread -- one of the founding members and bassist for soul band the Commodores -- has died.

His daughter, music producer Soraya LaPread, shared the sad news on social media Saturday. She did not divulge any details of his passing, but NZ Herald reported he died following a "sudden medical event" in Auckland. Ronald had been living in New Zealand since the 1980s.

TMZ has reached out so Soraya and the Commodores for comment ... so far, no word back.

Ronald founded the Commodores alongside Lionel Richie, Walter "Clyde" Orange, William "WAK" King, Milan Williams, and Thomas McClary in 1968 while they were students at Tuskegee Institute. They originally called themselves The Mystics.

The musician, originally from Alabama, played on 11 of the group's albums and contributed to hits such as "Brick House," "Three Times a Lady," and "Easy." Ronald joined the group for some concerts in New Zealand over the years, and most recently played with them on stage during their tour in 2025.

The Commodores were one of Motown's most successful acts of the 1970s and 1980s and sold more than 70 Million albums across the globe. But, they experienced a great deal of turbulence after Lionel departed from the group in the early '80s.

This week, they announced they were one of several acts to pull out of Freedom 250's Great American State Fair to celebrate America's 250th birthday over the event's political ties.

Ronald was 75.

RIP