Walter Parazaider

Walter Joseph Parazaider (; March 14, 1945 – June 17, 2026) was an American woodwind musician who was a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He was best known for being one-third of Chicago's brass and woodwind section alongside Lee Loughnane and James Pankow. Parazaider played saxophone, flute, and clarinet, and occasionally played guitar as well.

Early life Parazaider was born in Maywood, Illinois, on March 14, 1945, and began playing the clarinet at the age of nine. As a teenager, his growing talent was being groomed for a career as a professional orchestral musician, and he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in classical clarinet performance from DePaul University. Parazaider's primary musical role in the band has consisted of playing woodwinds on James Pankow's horn arrangements. Never a prolific writer, Parazaider's compositional contributions ("It Better End Soon: 2nd Movement", "Free Country", "Aire", "Devil's Sweet", "Window Dreamin'") were few relative to the other members. The band's 1973 hit "Just You 'n' Me" also features a Parazaider solo, on soprano sax.

He was also a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and was given the National Citation, being recognized as Signature Sinfonian along with fellow Chicago members and Sinfonians on August 26, 2009.

A member of Chicago from its inception, Parazaider continued to tour extensively with the band until his retirement from touring in 2017 due to a heart condition. He is now included on the band's "Tribute to Founding Members" page alongside Kath, Seraphine, and Cetera (by accounts, Cetera was not a founding member; joining the band about eight months later).

Personal life and death Parazaider married JacLynn Bryce Goudie in 1966. They had two daughters.

In April 2021, four years after his retirement from touring with Chicago, Parazaider announced that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. When asked about Parazaider's health in April 2026, Lee Loughnane said "I don't think he's doing well".

Parazaider died of complications from Alzheimer's disease under hospice care, on June 17, 2026, at the age of 81.