Pink Floyd founding member Richard Wright is off to play in that great gig in the sky.

The keyboardist and songwriter of the iconic rock band died today at his home in Britain after battling cancer. He was 65.

Wright formed Pink Floyd in 1965 along with Roger Waters, Nick Mason, and the late Syd Barrett. Together the foursome made their recording debut with 1967’s jazz-influenced psychedelic rock album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, which contained “Astronomy Dominé,” co-sung by Wright.

Pink Floyd went on to achieve great commercial success and critical acclaim with over a dozen records, including the now-classic albums Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. It was during the recording sessions for the latter album that Wright had a falling out with bassist/frontman Roger Waters leading to his forced resignation in 1980 as a full member of the band. He retained the role of session and touring musician during the album’s promotion, but did not appear on the band’s follow-up album, The Final Cut (which turned out to be its last with Rogers).

Post-Floyd, Wright formed the band Zee with Fashion’s Dave Harris and released one album, 1984’s Identity. By the following year, when Rogers left Floyd, Wright rejoined the band with remaining members drummer Nick Mason and guitarist David Gilmour to record The Division Bell and A Momentary Lapse of Reason. By 1996, Pink Floyd had disbanded, but was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In 2005, Wright, who also released two solo albums and worked on some of Gilmour’s solo projects, reunited onstage for the first time in nearly 25 years with Rogers, Gilmour, and Mason for a one-off performance at the Live 8 charity concert in London.

While the band’s appearance was one that fans had been waiting for and hoping would happen for over two decade, it did not lead to a full reformation of Pink Floyd.

Wright’s musical style was a major part of the band. Listen to Dark Side of the Moon‘s “Eclipse” and the Wright-penned “Great Gig In The Sky,” as well as “Sheep” and “Dogs” from Animals for some of Wright’s classic compositions and solos.

Pink Floyd with Richard Wright performing “Great Gig in the Sky” live.

[Source: Yahoo!]