Chicago Founding Member Walter Parazaider Dead at 81

One of rock’s great brass voices has fallen silent. Walter Parazaider, a founding member of Chicago and a key architect of the band’s signature horn-driven sound, has passed away at 81 following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He died early Wednesday morning in hospice, with his wife JacLynn at his side.

For nearly five decades, Parazaider was integral to Chicago’s identity. He co-founded the band in 1967—initially called The Big Thing before morphing into Chicago Transit Authority and eventually just Chicago—and spent half a century as one-third of the band’s brass and woodwind section alongside Lee Loughnane and James Pankow. That triumvirate of horns became as recognizable as any lead guitar riff, weaving through smash hits like“25 or 6 to 4,”“Saturday in the Park,”and“If You Leave Me Now.”Parazaider didn’t just play on those tracks; he helped define what made Chicago sound like Chicago—a band that could straddle rock and soul, jammy groove and pop sensibility, all held together by that unmistakable horn arrangement.

He remained with the band until his retirement in 2016, a 49-year commitment that speaks to both his durability and his dedication to the group’s mission. JacLynn shared that Walter had put up a good fight against Alzheimer’s, and reflected on their 59 years of marriage with grace and gratitude. They leave behind their daughters, Laura and Felicia.

Chicago’s story is America’s story in many ways—a band that evolved across decades, that survived trends and turnover, that built something that lasted. Much of that endurance came down to players like Parazaider, whose contributions may not have always been front-page news, but were absolutely essential to the band’s sound and longevity. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

RIP to a musician who helped shape the sound of rock and soul for generations.