Pink Floyd’s Richard Wright Dies at 65

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

Richard Wright, a founding member of British rock band Pink Floyd, whose keyboard lines were an integral part of its psychedelic sound, has died. He was 65.

Wright died Monday after a short battle with cancer, said his spokesman, Doug Wright, who isn’t related.

While Richard Wright gets credit mostly for his work on the keyboard — which he taught himself — he also wrote songs and sang on Floyd classics such as “Time” and “Echoes.”

Wright was one of five founders of the band, which released its first record in 1967. He met fellow band members Roger Waters and Nick Mason while at architecture school. Co-founder Roger Keith “Syd” Barrett died in July 2006.

The band achieved worldwide stardom with the highly experimental 1973 album “The Dark Side of the Moon.”

In 1979, the band’s leader, Mr. Waters, fired Wright and allowed him to play only as a salaried sideman during live concerts for the album “The Wall,” according to the Web site allmusic.com. The group reformed without Mr. Waters, and with Wright, for the 1987 album “A Momentary Lapse of Reason.” He became a full-time member of the band again in 1994.

He released his first solo album, “Wet Dream,” in 1978, and his second, “Broken China,” in 1996.


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use