Introduction
Watching The Moody Blues perform “For My Lady” live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre is like witnessing music history unfold under a star-studded sky. Originally penned by flautist Ray Thomas for the band’s 1972 album Seventh Sojourn, the song captures both the elegance and emotional depth that defined the band’s progressive-rock era. Written in the wake of Thomas’s personal heartbreak, “For My Lady” was his way of expressing a love so profound that he’d “give [his] life for a gentle lady”.
Although it wasn’t a primary single, the song’s understated beauty earned it heavy radio play and a devoted fan following. For two decades, however, it remained confined to the studio—until September 9, 1992, when The Moody Blues brought it to life on the iconic Red Rocks stage, backed by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. The lush orchestration seamlessly filled the woodwind flourishes originally provided by Thomas’s flute, creating an expansive soundscape that enveloped every listener.
That performance was immortalized on the live album A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, marking the first time the band had ever played with a full orchestra in concert. As Thomas’s rich baritone floated over swelling strings, the audience rose in a standing ovation—an emotional tribute to a musician whose songwriting gifts were often overshadowed by his more famous bandmates. Though Thomas retired in 2002 and passed away in 2018, performances like this one ensure that his legacy continues to touch hearts around the world.
“To hear that flute soaring with the orchestra,” longtime fan Marc Cushman once wrote, “is to realize that sometimes simplicity is the most powerful form of expression”. Whether you’re a lifelong Moody Blues devotee or a newcomer to their music, this rendition of “For My Lady” remains a poignant reminder of how a single song can capture love, loss, and enduring beauty in just over four minutes