Pink Floyd Founding Member Dead at 65

Pink Floyd's founding member, Richard Wright, died yesterday at the age of 65 after a long bout with cancer.

Richard Wright, keyboard player and founding member of Pink Floyd, died yesterday at the age of 65 of cancer.

Wright's most famous composition was The Great Gig in the Sky which featured on the band's album The Dark Side of the Moon. It begins with a voice saying "I am not frightened to die" and is for many fans the band's most moving song.

The track was one of five Wright is credited with on the album and he featured on every Pink Floyd tour, where he became famous for his ghostly, atmospheric keyboard sound. But Wright had a rocky relationship with Roger Waters, the band's bass player and leading light, who forced him to resign at the end of sessions for 1979's The Wall album, although he was later reinstated. In 1978 he released his first solo album. Back with Pink Floyd, he co-wrote five songs on The Division Bell album in 1994. He also took part in the Floyd reunion which was the highlight of the 2005 Live 8 concert in Hyde Park.

Wright was born in Hatch End, north-west London, the son of a biochemist, and educated at Haberdasher's Aske school. He is survived by his daughter Gala, sons Jamie and Ben, and grandson Stanley.

As a tribute to Richard, Dark Side of the Moon will be the featured Album of the Week. We'll begin with the aforementioned Wright composition, "The Great Gig in the Sky."