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Photos: The Moody Blues bring Hall of Fame history to Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater

It was a sold-out and historic night in Clearwater.
 
Published Jan. 14, 2018|Updated Jan. 14, 2018

How beloved are the Moody Blues? Beloved enough to get a standing ovation 10 minutes before walking on stage.

Just before taking the stage at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, the group flashed images on the stage of founding flautist Ray Thomas, who died Jan. 4. It got the crowd to their feet in applause, and in a fittingly nostalgic mood as singer-guitarist Justin Hayward, singer-bassist John Lodge and drummer Graeme Edge took the stage surrounded by their new bandmates.

A month after their long-awaited election to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — they'll be inducted in April — the British prog-rock giants came to Clearwater celebrating the 50th anniversary of their landmark album Days of Future Passed, featuring all-time hit Nights in White Satin.

But before that full-album performance, they got the crowd warmed up with hits like I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) and The Voice. For a gallery of photos from the night, click here and here.

— Jay Cridlin