“My dear friend Dick Parry died this morning.” The message with which David Gilmour recently announced the saxophonist's death opens with these words. Parry was 83. The cause of death is not currently known.
Born in Suffolk, a friend of Gilmour, he played with him in the 60s in Jokers Wild, the guitarist's group before joining Pink Floyd. «Since I was 17» writes Gilmour «I have played in several bands with Dick on saxophone, including Pink Floyd. His touch and timbre made his way of playing the saxophone unmistakable, a distinctive trait of enormous beauty known by millions of people and which is an integral part of pieces such as Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Wish You Were Here, Us and Them And Money».
Parry also performed in the group's mid-'70s live lineup and continued to play in the studio with both Gilmour and Pink Floyd after their golden years. He appeared, as the guitarist writes, «in the last band I had, which included Rick Wright, for the tour of On an Island and at Live 8 with Pink Floyd.”
Parry has also played with Violent Femmes, Bonzo Dog Band, Roy Gallagher, John Entwistle among others and has toured with The Who.
