Pink Floyd Keyboardist Dead At 65

Rick Wright, the keyboardist and founding member of Pink Floyd, died yesterday at the age of 65 as a result of his battle with cancer.

“The family of Richard Wright, founding member of Pink Floyd, announce with great sadness that Richard died today after a short struggle with cancer. The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this difficult time,” said Wright’s spokesperson.

It is not yet known what form of cancer Wright suffered from.

Singer and guitarist of Pink Floyd, David Gilmour, had this to say about Wright’s passing on his website: “No one can replace Richard Wright. He was my musical partner and my friend. In the welter of arguments about who or what was Pink Floyd, Rick's enormous input was frequently forgotten. He was gentle, unassuming and private but his soulful voice and playing were vital, magical components of our most recognized Pink Floyd sound.” He later adds, “Like Rick, I don't find it easy to express my feelings in words, but I loved him and will miss him enormously.”

While Wright may not have always been the center of attention in the band, he played a crucial part in developing the band’s signature sound. Along with playing the keyboards he also penned several Pink Floyd tracks, such as “Great Gig In The Sky” and “Us And Them” from the band’s famous “Dark Side Of The Moon” album.

The loss of Richard Wright is a big one for the music world and he will be greatly missed by us all.

Report by David Lowe-Bianco.