Dick Parry, who played saxophone on some of Pink Floyd’s biggest hits including Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, died aged 83 and left a probate estate worth just £50k, according to official records
Pink Floyd passed away in May(Image: WireImage)
Pink Floyd saxophonist Dick Parry left an estate worth just over £50,000 when he died aged 83, despite playing on some of the band’s most celebrated songs.
The musician, who died in May, did not leave a will, according to probate records. Documents show Parry had £53,341 in assets in the UK before debts and other liabilities were taken into account. Once those were deducted, the value of his estate stood at £50,741.
The sum is a tiny fraction of the fortunes accumulated by some of Pink Floyd’s biggest names.
David Gilmour was estimated to be worth £115million in the 2018 Sunday Times Rich List, while Roger Waters is now reportedly worth around £160million.
Parry never officially joined Pink Floyd, but his saxophone became an important part of the band’s sound after he was brought in by Gilmour to play on their landmark 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon.
His contribution was particularly striking on Money, where his saxophone solo became one of the track’s defining moments. He also performed on Us and Them before returning to the studio for the band’s follow-up album, Wish You Were Here, in 1975.
Parry played on Shine On You Crazy Diamond, the sprawling eight-part tribute to former Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett. The Dark Side of the Moon went on to sell more than 50 million copies worldwide and became one of the most influential albums in rock music.
While his work with the band brought him international recognition, Parry’s musical relationship with Gilmour stretched back much further. The pair first became friends as teenagers in Cambridge during the early days of their musical careers.
Parry was born in Kentford in 1942 and grew up in the Cambridge area, where he developed his passion for the saxophone. By the mid-1960s, he was performing with local group Soul Committee, while Gilmour was playing with another Cambridge band, Jokers.
Their friendship continued as their careers progressed, eventually leading to Parry being asked to contribute to Pink Floyd’s recordings.
Following news of Parry’s death, Gilmour shared a heartfelt tribute to his longtime friend on social media. He posted a photograph of the pair performing together at a children’s Saturday morning film show at a Cambridge cinema in 1963.
Remembering Parry’s musicianship, Gilmour praised the distinctive quality of his playing and the lasting impact it had on some of Pink Floyd’s best-known songs.
Parry is survived by three children from his marriages. He was married and divorced three times, having two children with his first wife Gwen and one with his third wife Millie.
As he died without a will, his £50,741 estate will be distributed to his relatives according to the rules of intestacy.
Although he remained outside the official Pink Floyd line-up, Parry’s contribution to the band’s music ensured his saxophone could be heard on some of the most recognisable recordings in rock history.
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