As previously reported, former CRIMSON GLORY frontman Midnight (real name John Patrick McDonald Jr.) passed away on Wednesday, July 8th at 3:30am EST due to kidney and liver failure. He was 47 years old. Bassist Jeff Lords has offered the following tribute:

"Speaking in the wake of my friends and bandmates, I can say that they've covered, very eloquently, a lot of what needed to be said. Notwithstanding, I will offer my thoughts, because every relationship is truly unique:

What few people know, probably even some of my own bandmates, is that I knew John "Midnight" McDonald longer than most---from the seventh grade, to be precise. We sat next to each other in History class. Mind you, this was well before I ever picked up a bass or knew that he could belt out the 'ZEPPELIN and 'FLOYD tunes. Well, Midnight (John, then) would sleep or doodle during class. We sat next to each other in the back. Come test time, he'd want to copy my answers (that rascal!). In any event, I knew that he was a rare breed with a tendency toward the arts. Little did I know....

Fast forward seven or eight years, and one night at our rehearsal facility we were going to try out this guy whom we discovered on the beach playing acoustic guitar. Admittedly, I was skeptical when this shoe-less and frumpy-clothed fellow showed up to give a whirl at singing PRIEST, ACCEPT, MAIDEN, SCORPIONS...all of which were bands we covered very briefly before Crimson Glory was born. I was once told, 'You cannot tell how far a frog can jump by lookin' at it.' Well, that night, and the following nights, that little adage was never so solidified in mind. The kid had a set of pipes. We later learned that he had a knack for writing creative and thought-provoking lyrics, as well. Crimson Glory was born.....

Fast forward again, and we found ourselves going from a warehouse - to the studio - to stages overseas. With the increasing amount of pressure to sing the songs as you hear those recordings today, Midnight sought to overcome this pressure by unnatural means, which would later, and sadly, become his downfall, as well as the band's. This problem put a tremendous strain on the relationships with people close to him, meaning, not the fans in this case, but with his family and bandmates (who were his second family). To my understanding, we all did what we could to help him.

In the end, I am sad: Sad, because of the loss of life and that such a talented human being never reached his full potential. I am angry: I am angry because he was out of touch with reality towards the end, and could not be reasoned with, even if that meant trying to reconcile some past mistakes made along the way, including my own. I am hopeful: I am hopeful because, while I don't believe in a hereafter, I firmly believe that John "Midnight" McDonald has touched people in this life, the life that we know for certain exists, and in that sense, he was most certainly an Earthly Angel. Farewell, Mid.

Thank you to the CG fans around the world."

Peace and Mirth,

Jeff Lords

Go to this location to read personal statements from Crimson Glory bandmates Jon Drenning, Ben Jackson and Dana Burnell.