A music icon has passed away. Walter Parazaider, a co-founder of the rock band Chicago, has died at the age of 81 after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
His daughter shared the heartbreaking news in a Facebook post, announcing that Walter had passed away.
“My father, my hero, is gone. He went peacefully about 20 minutes ago,” she wrote. “There’s no more pain. No more struggle … This was the worst six years. The hardest season of my life. And I’m so grateful that my dad is not suffering anymore. I love you poppy, my Pal.”
Walter Parazaider was a key figure in Chicago, the band known for timeless classics like If You Leave Me Now, You’re the Inspiration, Hard to Say I’m Sorry, and Just You ’n’ Me.
(Chicago Walter Parazaider press conference on their visit to Japan, Tokyo, June, 1971. (Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images)
Walter was born on March 14, 1945, in Maywood, Illinois. Inspired by The Beatles, he had a dream of forming his own rock band, but with a unique twist: incorporating horns. In 1967, that dream came to life when he co-founded Chicago with Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, and Danny Seraphine.
Walter Parazaider, a founding member of Chicago, has passed away at the age of 81.
As stated by the band, Parazaider not only united the musicians but also took on the role of an early manager, securing their first gigs and helping to elevate the group into one of the most successful bands in rock history.
“Walt’s idea was to create a rock and roll band with horns,” Chicago expressed in a tribute. “This incredible music might never have been created without his vision.”
Parazaider’s remarkable saxophone performances became a defining element of Chicago’s signature sound. The band achieved tremendous success during the 1970s and 1980s and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.