David Gilmour Turns 63

Guitarist David Gilmour, of Pink Floyd fame, celebrates his 63rd birthday today.

Gilmour, born in Cambridge, England,was approached in December 1967 by drummer Nick Mason, who asked if he would be interested in joining Pink Floyd , which he did in January 1968 (Jeff Beck was considered but found too expensive.).
Contrary to popular belief, he did not replace Syd Barrett as a member of Pink Floyd.He was used to fill in for Syd Barrett's guitar parts when the front man was unable to take a consistent part in Floyd's live performances.

David Gilmour is best known for his lead guitar work. Gilmour's solo style is often characterised by blues-influenced phrasing, expressive note bends and sustain.

Apart from music, Gilmour is also an experienced pilot and aviation enthusiast. Under the aegis of his company, Intrepid Aviation, he had amassed an impressive collection of historical aircraft.

After 1983's The Final Cut, bandmembers went their separate ways till 1987, when Gilmour attempted to revive the band with Nick Mason. A bitter legal dispute with Roger Waters (who left the band in 1985) ensued, but Gilmour and Mason achieved the legal right to release an album as Pink Floyd (Waters, however, gained the rights to some traditional Pink Floyd imagery, including almost all of The Wall).
All of the members of Pink Floyd have released solo albums which have met with varying degrees of commercial and critical success.