Chicago cofounder Parazaider dies at 81 after long Alzheimer's battle

Entertainment Jun 18, 2026

Walter Parazaider, who helped start the legendary rock band Chicago, has passed away at 81 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's.
His wife JacLynn shared that he died in hospice care and reflected, "We were married for 59 years and we had 59 wonderful years."

Parazaider created Chicago's signature horn sound

Parazaider was the guy behind Chicago's signature horn sound, mixing flute, saxophone, and clarinet into rock when most bands weren't.
He brought the group together back in the late 1960s (they were first called The Big Thing), booked their first gigs, and helped put the group together.
The band said it best: "This amazing music may have never been heard had it not been for Walt's vision."