Born on this day in 1946, Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett, the English singer, songwriter, and musician who co-founded Pink Floyd, would have turned 78 today. Sadly, Barrett was musically active for less than ten years. With Pink Floyd, he recorded four singles, their debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, portions of their second album A Saucerful of Secrets, and several unreleased songs. In April 1968, Barrett was ousted from the band amid speculation of mental illness and his excessive use of psychedelic drugs. In 1972, Barrett left the music industry, retired from public life and strictly guarded his privacy until his death. He continued painting and dedicated himself to gardening. Pink Floyd recorded several tributes and homages to him, including the 1975 song suite "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and the 1979 rock opera The Wall. In 2006 he died of pancreatic cancer.
In his honor, check out the mini-doc Understanding Syd Barrett as well as some classic Barrett-era Pink Floyd videos, below.