16 September 2008
Newsdesk
Pink Floyd keyboardist and founding member Rick Wright has died.
The musician passed away at home yesterday (15.09.08) aged 65 after losing a battle with cancer.
A spokesperson for Rick’s family said: “The family of Richard Wright, founder member of Pink Floyd, announce with great sadness that Richard died after a short struggle with cancer. The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.”
Rick played with Pink Floyd from 1965 – originally alongside the first line-up of Roger Waters, Nick Mason and the late Syd Barrett - and continued to play with the group until 1985.
The self-taught musician was seen as the early driving force in the band, alongside frontman Syd, and his organ playing was one of the distinguishing features of debut album ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’.
Rick saw his responsibilities as a songwriter increase in the group after Syd left in 1968 and was replaced by David Gilmour. He composed and recorded vocals on two songs on the band’s second album ‘A Saucer Full of Secrets’.
He also wrote ‘Us and Them’ and ‘The Great Gig in the Sky’, both of which featured on the band’s seminal album ‘Dark Side of the Moon’. David paid tribute to his former bandmate, saying: “He was gentle, unassuming and private but his soulful voice and playing were vital, magical components of our most recognised Pink Floyd sound. I have never played with anyone quite like him."
Tensions between Rick, bassist Roger and David led to a fall out during the making of ‘The Wall’ album, and Rick was subsequently not included on the group’s 1983 album ‘The Final Cut’. He then left the group in 1985.
He later rejoined the band following Roger’s departure, and recorded two more albums with drummer Nick and David – ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason’ and ‘The Division Bell’. The last time the band performed together was in 2005 when all four members took to the stage for the Live 8 charity concert in London — the first time in 25 years they had all played together.
Rick also released two solo albums, ‘Wet Dream’ in 1978 and ‘Broken China’ in 1996. He is survived by three children and third wife Millie.
