Saxophonist Dick Parry, Who Played with Pink Floyd on ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’, Dies at 83

Saxophonist Dick Parry, renowned for his contributions to Pink Floyd and his memorable solos on “The Dark Side of the Moon” and “Wish You Were Here,” has died at the age of 83. The news was announced by guitarist David Gilmour on social media. Gilmour stated that he had played in bands with Parry on saxophone since Parry was 17, including Pink Floyd. He also highlighted Parry’s contributions to tracks like “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” “Us And Them,” and “Money.” Parry played in Gilmour’s last band and performed on various tours throughout Gilmour’s solo career, including the “On An Island” tour and at Live 8 with Pink Floyd. Born in Kentford, Britain, in 1942, Parry began his career in the 1960s with The Soul Committee. He first collaborated with Pink Floyd during their university days in Cambridge, later joining them in the recording studio and participating in several of their major tours.

Multi-Instrumentalist Dick Parry’s Versatile Career Beyond Pink Floyd Spanned Classic & Progressive Rock

Parry was a key figure in Pink Floyd’s live performances between 1973 and 1977, during which he also played keyboards on the “In the Flesh” tour. He rejoined the band for their 1994 world tour and played saxophone on “Wearing the Inside Out” from the album The Division Bell. On stage, Parry was known to play two saxophones at once, switching between tenor and baritone during his solos for “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” Beyond his work with Pink Floyd, Parry contributed to albums by other artists, including John Entwistle’s Mad Dog, Rory Gallagher’s Jinx, and Mick Grabhams’s Mick the Lad. He can also be seen in David Gilmour’s home video releases such as David Gilmour in Concert, Remember That Night, and Live in Gdansk. Additionally, Parry played saxophone on The Who’s 1979 and 1980 tours. Details regarding the cause of Parry’s death have not been released. He was a notable musician within classic and progressive rock. (Information verified by Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Chris Willman. Adapted from Folha de S.Paulo. This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Portal Uai.)