Badfinger Guitarist and Last Surviving Member Dies at 77

Joey Molland was the original frontman of the Welsh rock group, which signed with the Beatles’ Apple Records.

Joey Molland strums a 1967 Epiphone Casino at his home in Shorewood, Minn., on Sept. 10, 2001. Ann Heisenfelt/AP Photo

Joey Molland, Badfinger guitarist and last surviving member of the Welsh rock group,  has died at age 77.

The news was confirmed on March 2 through the band’s official Facebook page, which said the musician died surrounded by loved ones the previous day.

“Well, the day we never wanted to see has arrived,” the statement read.

“Needless to say, although I knew the situation was bad, it was still a shock to the system. I’m sure if you’re reading this for the first time, it’s a shock to yours, as well. ... Thank you, Joey ... for keeping the band’s music alive for so long and for being a friend to us all,” wrote his social media manager.

While his official cause of death was not provided in the statement, Molland had a number of health issues including diabetes and pneumonia.

He is survived by his girlfriend, Mary Joyce, and his two sons.

In January, Joyce created a Go-Fund-Me for Molland after revealing he had been hospitalized.

“Joey was vaguely ill throughout the fall, and then in early December acquired a very bad bacterial infection due to his diabetes,” the fundraiser read.

“The infection caused septicemia and traveled through his body, causing harm in multiple critical organs and bones. His recovery has been slow and arduous, including several surgeries and procedures.”

An Apple Records Band

Prior to becoming ill, the Badfinger frontman had been actively touring through September of last year on the Happy Together Tour, which featured bands with chart-topping hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

In 1969, Molland joined the band—known as the Iveys—alongside former members singer/guitarist Pete Ham, bassist Tom Evans and drummer Mike Gibbins.

Best known for their hits “No Matter What You Do,” “Day After Day,” “Baby Blue” and “Come and Get It,” they were one of the first acts signed to the Beatles’ label, Apple Records.

“Come and Get It,” which was penned by Paul McCartney, reached No. 7 in the United States and No. 4 in the U.K.

“The Iveys had put out some records before ‘Come and Get It’ that didn’t really take off,” Molland told Guitar World in a 2020 interview.

“People think that because the band was signed to Apple that they were just given a straight ride to success, but that wasn’t the case. It wasn’t until ‘Come and Get It’ came out that the perception changed for Badfinger. Then people started to think, ‘Ahh, they can be a big success for Apple.’”

Together, Badfinger recorded five albums before disbanding in 1974.

Molland was left as the sole surviving member after tragedy struck his former bandmates in the years that followed.

In 1975, Ham died by suicide, with Evans also dying by suicide in 1983, and Gibbins dying from a brain aneurysm in 2005.

Beyond Badfinger, Molland’s career included multiple solo albums, performances, and contributing on John Lennon’s “Imagine” album and George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass.”

Molland previously reflected on his days of glory, expressing gratitude for the band during times he said it “all felt like a dream.”

“Badfinger gave me the opportunity to do everything a musician could want. I got to make records. I heard my music on the radio, and I toured all over. I couldn’t believe the luck we were having. For a time, everything was great,” he said.