Walter Parazaider, a founding member of jazz-rock band Chicago, has died at 81 of complications from a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Parazaider’s wife, JacLynn, told TMZ that she was by the musician’s side when he passed away in a hospice at 2:10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17th. His daughter, Felicia Parazaider, also confirmed his death on Facebook.
“Thank you for loving my father, even if you didn’t personally know him,” she wrote. “I’m in shock and disbelief and yet not at all. This was the worst six years. The hardest season of my life. And I’m so grateful that my dad is not suffering anymore.”
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Best known for his flute solo on Chicago’s 1970 hit “Colour My World” and his sax work on 1973’s “Just You ‘n’ Me,” Parazaider studied classical clarinet before co-founding the band in 1967 alongside longtime friends Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, James Pankow, Lee Loughnane, and Robert Lamm. At the time, the group was known as The Big Thing and then Chicago Transit Authority before settling on Chicago in 1970.
Parazaider remained a constant member of Chicago over the next several decades, as they scored five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and three Hot 100 hits: “If You Leave Me Now,” “Hard to Say I’m Sorry,” and “Look Away.” He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the original lineup in 2016.
In 2017, however, Parazaider was forced to retire for health reasons. He later revealed in April 2021 that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
He is survived by his wife, JacLynn, and daughters Laura and Felicia.
