I wanted to write a quick note in mourning of Richard Wright, the keyboardist for Pink Floyd who died today. While it’s hard to pick favorite bands, Pink Floyd will forever be somewhere in my personal top 10. Their music still stands out as a rare example of something that goes against the grain but still achieves massive global success. They’re an inspiration to anyone who hopes to make music based on the merits of music alone and would like to think said music could still connect with a large audience. There are few, if any, bands that I can think of that can even begin to be compared to Pink Floyd.

Though largely unsung, Wright was a key (and founding) member of the band. His keyboard parts were integral in filling out their signature sound and were often the bed over which David Gilmour would play his solos. Also, he sang on more songs than I think many people realize, as I myself mistakenly associated some vocals to Gilmour when they were actually Wright.

I guess all I am saying is that while there will no doubt be a whole lot of hoopla when Gilmour or Roger Waters sadly leave us, Wright probably won’t quite get the attention he deserves (maybe I’m wrong). This is a genuinely sad day for rock musicians everywhere. Thanks, Richard, for the music you gave me!