‘Pink Floyd’ saxophonist Dick Parry passes away at 83: David Gilmour bids goodbye, says ‘A signature of enormous beauty’

Dick Parry, the saxophonist who contributed to some of Pink Floyd’s biggest hits, passed away at the age of 83. The rock band’s core member, David Gilmour, announced the unfortunate demise on social media, honoring the memories.

David Gilmour bids goodbye to Dick Parry

Recalling the age-old friendship, Gilmour wrote, “My dear friend Dick Parry died this morning. Since I was seventeen, I have played in bands with Dick on saxophone, including Pink Floyd,” in a X post. “His feel and tone make his saxophone playing unmistakable, a signature of enormous beauty that is known to millions and is such a big part of songs such as Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Wish You Were Here, Us and Them and Money,” he added in the heartfelt tribute. Remembering their last performance together, Gilmour mentioned they played for the On An Island Tour and at Live 8 with Pink Floyd, which included Rick Wright. He attached wholesome pictures of them, with one from 1963 at the Victoria Cinema in Cambridge. However, the musician did not mention the reason for Parry’s passing on May 22, 2026.

When David Gilmour talked about Dick Parry

In 1994, David Gilmour expressed about reconnecting with Dick Parry. “I got a Christmas card from Dick [Parry], who I hadn’t seen for years, and who’d given up the saxophone entirely and I think was unemployed, living in a village near Cambridge, doing nothing,” he said at the time in an interview with Variety. However, Gilmour had shared that he auditioned Parry to see whether he could join them in the tour – and he had never been this impressed. Certainly, Parry joined them in that year’s album and tour.

About Dick Parry

Dick Parry played for Pink Floyd, notably for five years from 1973 to 1977. He played solos on Pink Floyd’s 1973 album ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ and 1975’s ‘Wish You Were Here,’ according to People Magazine.