RIP Richard Wright

He was 65.

People have asked me at various times in my life who my particular influences are as a musician, and I've always had trouble with that. I grew up on radio - I wasn't a buyer of albums and CDs as a kid, and because of that I never really knew the names of the players I grew to love and respect when I was younger. The internet has allowed me to go back and really get to know all the artists I liked somewhat anonymously through the years.

That Guy From Pink Floyd was always one of my favorite keyboard players. He was equally adept at analog synth mind theater stuff as the core piano-organ stuff that was his foundation, but between the remarkable backgrounds underneath Dark Side Of The Moon and the amazing introductory Shine overture on Wish You Were Here and beyond, Richard always had something to say inside an arrangement.

I'm not a big Floyd fan, but Wright's work always impressed me with its taste and simplicity. I learned a lot from listening to his work.