Tributes to Moody star Nicky

Black Country-born sixties pop star Nicky James, who shot to fame with The Moody Blues, has died aged 64.

Nicky, from Tipton, worked with some of the big names of his day including Denny Laine, Roy Wood, Bev Bevan, Carl Wayne, Mike Pinder, Scott Walker, Tom Jones and Graham Nash.

He had been suffering from a brain tumour and died on Monday morning.

He was born Mick Nicholls in April 1943 and attended Park Lane School in Tipton.

Today his family paid tribute, saying he was a real character and was always cracking jokes. Nicky would joke he got his voice by drinking eye drops as a young boy.

He lived most of his young life in Tipton until the age of 16 when he went to Scarborough with his father. However, he would make trips back to Tipton to see his mother Gladys.

His sister Pat Coates, who lives in Coseley, said today: "He was a real character. We were very proud when he made his first record. He later moved back to Wiltshire but he always came back to see his mother in Shrubbery Avenue, Tipton. That was where it all started really. He was a lovable rogue."

Denny Laine, of Denny and The Diplomats, hired Nicky in the early 1960s after he sang a few songs with the band. Nicky then joined Ronny and The Senators.

The Moody Blues, after being signed to Decca Records, enjoyed worldwide fame by the end of 1964 with their recording of Go Now climbing to number one.

Nicky leaves wife Martine and children Sami and Louis.