Rick Wakeman

Early life

Richard Christopher Wakeman was born on 18 May 1949 at Perivale Maternity Hospital in Perivale, Middlesex. He is the only child of Cyril Frank Wakeman and Mildred Helen Wakeman (née Eastment). The family lived in Wood End Gardens in nearby Northolt. Cyril worked at a building supplier, starting as an office boy at age 14 and working up to become one of its directors; he was also a pianist in Ted Heath's big band while serving in the British Army. Mildred worked at a removals firm. Wakeman attended Wood End Junior School until age ten, before moving on to Drayton Manor Grammar School in Hanwell, spending most of his summer holidays with his parents in Exmouth. Although raised in a Christian household where religion was never forced upon him, Wakeman enjoyed attending South Harrow Baptist Church. He took up the church organ at twelve, joined the Boys' Brigade, and completed a two-year course to qualify as a Sunday school teacher before he was baptised by immersion at eighteen.

Wakeman was inspired to play the piano at the age of five. His parents, aunts and uncle had previously performed as a concert party troupe called The Wakeans until World War II caused them to disband. They occasionally revived the act in the front room on Sunday evenings, playing the piano and singing songs that Wakeman would listen to from his upstairs bedroom. He later recalled climbing out of bed to sit on the bottom of the stairs to listen, eventually being allowed to play a piece himself. "Everybody clapped, and I thought, I'll have some more of that, and refused to go back to bed." Sergei Prokofiev made a profound impression on him after his father took him to a concert performance of Peter and the Wolf around age eight, inspiring him to tell stories through music and making the Russian composer a lifelong hero. Other early musical influences included trad jazz musician Kenny Ball, skiffle singer Lonnie Donegan, and pianist Russ Conway, whose records were among his first purchases. His first keyboard was a simple reed organ bought from Woolworths.

Between the ages of seven and eighteen, Wakeman took classical piano and theory lessons with Dorothy Symes in Harrow. His father spent nearly half of his income on the tuition. Wakeman passed each grade with distinction; Symes recalled him as "an enjoyable pupil to teach, full of fun and with a good sense of humour", though he often lacked the discipline to practise his scales and preferred adapting arrangements into his own style, revealing an early gift for composition. His first public performances were recitals organised by Symes for her pupils' parents, pieces he would fondly remember performing on stage decades later included "Buy a Broom" and "See a Monkey on a Stick". His natural showmanship also emerged early, when, at age ten, he played Conway's honky-tonk hit "Side Saddle" instead of his scheduled Clementi piano sonatina at the annual school talent show. That same year, Symes entered him into the Southall Music Festival, which he won in his category. Over the following years, he accumulated numerous awards on the London competition circuit; biographer Dan Wooding noted he earned over 100 certificates and 20 medals and cups.

Career

1962–1969: Early groups and Royal College of Music

Wakeman began his musical career performing in a variety of local jazz, blues, and dance ensembles during his teenage years in West London. At age twelve, he formed the traditional jazz outfit named Brother Wakeman and the Clergymen, followed in 1963 by a year-long residency with the Atlantic Blues at a rehabilitation club in Neasden—an experience he later credited with teaching him the essential discipline of playing in a group. Over the subsequent years, he played pop and dance standards with local groups such as the Concordes (later the Concorde Quartet), which featured his cousin Alan Wakeman on saxophone and clarinet, and the Green Dolphin Trio, which held a residency at the Brent council social club in Alperton. Earnings from these performances led to the purchase of his first electronic keyboard, a Hohner Pianet. In 1967, Wakeman joined the Ronnie Smith Band at the Top Rank ballroom in Watford, where he met vocalist Ashley Holt, who would become a frequent collaborator on his future solo projects. During this period, Wakeman also frequented jam sessions at the Red Lion pub in Brentford, performing alongside notable contemporary musicians including John Entwistle and Mitch Mitchell. These connections led to his first radio appearance when singer James Royal invited him to join a live BBC session alongside Entwistle and guitarist Mick King.

In 1968, Wakeman secured a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London, aiming to pursue a career as a concert pianist. His admission followed a period of intense study, having been forced to complete two years of curriculum in ten months. Though he initially enrolled in the performer's course, with piano as his primary study and clarinet, orchestration, and modern music as his second, he soon switched to the teacher's course after feeling intimidated by the technical standard of his peers. Despite this shift, his classical tenure provided foundational influences on his future progressive rock career when his orchestration professor, Philip Cannon, introduced him to Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's seminal textbook Principles of Orchestration. However, Wakeman's tenure at the college was marked by increasing friction with the institution's traditionalism. His proposals to establish a rock and jazz club were rejected, and he clashed with faculty over his appearance after refusing a professor's demand to cut his hair.

Disillusioned with academia, Wakeman began neglecting his studies and spending time at the Musical Bargain Centre, a music shop in Ealing. The shop's owner, Dave Simms, recognised Wakeman's potential and employed him as a pianist in his own dance band. Wakeman's breakthrough into the professional recording industry occurred when guitarist Chas Cronk visited the shop seeking an organist and brass arranger for a session with Jimmy Thomas, a vocalist for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Simms recommended Wakeman, who attended the session at Olympic Studios where he met influential producers Denny Cordell, Gus Dudgeon, and Tony Visconti. Though he initially struggled with the technicalities of scoring for brass—incorrectly writing the parts in concert pitch—his playing style impressed Cordell, who subsequently offered Wakeman freelance session work for Regal Zonophone Records. This lucrative outside work provided a necessary supplement to his small student grant but directly violated the college's official rules against external professional engagements. Encouraged by his clarinet professor, Basil Tschaikov, to follow his professional momentum, Wakeman officially withdrew from the Royal College of Music in 1969 after one year of study.

1969–1970: Session career and rise to prominence

Following his departure from the Royal College of Music, Wakeman secured a steady income by returning to the Ronnie Smith band at the Top Rank ballroom in Reading. This period proved significant personally as well as professionally; he met his first wife, Rosaline Woolford, at the venue, and the pair were engaged within three months. Later that year, Wakeman accepted a seven-day-a-week residency with the Spinning Wheel, the house band at The Greyhound pub in Chadwell Heath. This stable employment allowed him to leave his family home in Northolt and relocate with Woolford to a basement flat in nearby Ilford.

To supplement his evening residencies, Wakeman worked as a freelance session musician during the day, embarking on a rigorous schedule that often encompassed three or four sessions daily across various London studios. Starting at a rate of £9 per full session, his reputation for efficiency and technical precision soon commanded fees of up to £15. His ability to deliver the required arrangements with minimal rehearsal earned him the nickname One Take Wakeman. He formed a prolific partnership with prominent session contractor David Katz, who frequently employed Wakeman as his primary pianist for television scores, including the theme tunes for The Avengers and Jason King.

Wakeman's transition into high-profile session work began in early 1969 with the psychedelic rock band Junior's Eyes. Under the production of Visconti and Cordell, he contributed to a non-album single and their debut LP, Battersea Power Station (1969). This collaboration proved a catalyst for his career; when Dudgeon sought a Mellotron player for David Bowie's "Space Oddity", Visconti—who had been impressed by Wakeman's technical facility—recommended him. The June 1969 session at Trident Studios showcased the efficiency that would define Wakeman's reputation. Dudgeon later recalled: "We did a run-through and Rick came in at the right place. And what he played was exactly what I wanted... We did one more take and it was a master. I thought, 'This is weird. This strange bloke... off he went, just like that, back to his ballroom job.'" For his performance on the track, which eventually peaked at number one in the UK in 1975, Wakeman was paid a standard session fee of £9. The recording garnered him his first media coverage: an interview with the Middlesex County Times.

His contributions to Bowie's self-titled 1969 album extended to the B-sides "Wild Eyed Boy from Freecloud" and "Memory of a Free Festival". The professional bond between the two remained strong. In July 1970, Bowie supported Wakeman with an acoustic set at the White Hart pub in Acton. Intended to clear debts from the Booze Droop—a failing folk club residency Wakeman had organised—the performance was famously poorly attended; only a dozen people appeared, as many locals dismissed the advertisements as a hoax.

1970–1971: Strawbs and peak session era

In March 1970, Dave Cousins invited Wakeman to join the folk rock group Strawbs for a week's residency at a rock circus in Paris. Wakeman had previously contributed piano to their second album, Dragonfly (1970), the first recording to feature his name in the liner notes. Having married Woolford just weeks prior, Wakeman accepted the offer despite a reduction in pay, and the trip served as a working honeymoon. A notable incident occurred during one performance when surrealist artist Salvador Dalí made an unannounced guest appearance on stage; unaware of Dalí's identity, Wakeman accidentally pushed the artist off the platform to continue his keyboard solo.

Wakeman's status shifted to that of a national star following the Strawbs' headline concert at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall on 11 July 1970. The performance, captured on the live album Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios (1970), showcased his technical virtuosity on the piano and Hammond organ. Two tracks in particular drew critical acclaim: "Where is This Dream of Your Youth", which featured an expansive, classically influenced organ solo, and "Temperament of Mind", a solo piano piece developed from improvisations used to entertain audiences during equipment failures. The performance earned a standing ovation and prompted a landmark front-page story in Melody Maker, which hailed Wakeman as "tomorrow's superstar" and the "pop find of 1970". During this period, he began developing the theatrical stage presence that would become his trademark, including the use of a screw-studded wooden plank to physically depress organ keys, allowing him to perform complex lead lines with both hands simultaneously.

Wakeman maintained a prolific session schedule alongside his work with the Strawbs. He composed the theme tune to the BBC television show Ask Aspel and, in early 1971, provided the distinctive piano arrangement for Cat Stevens' UK top-ten hit "Morning Has Broken". Though initially uncredited, Stevens later apologised for the omission and, in 2002, arranged for a back-payment of royalties, which Wakeman donated to one of Stevens' educational charities. His studio versatility also led to collaborations with Elton John, with Wakeman contributing Hammond organ to Madman Across the Water (1971) and appearing as a guest performer at John's Royal Festival Hall concert that March.

Despite these high-profile credits, Wakeman's finances remained precarious. Following a chance encounter with Bolan on Oxford Street while struggling to pay weekly rent, he recorded a series of piano glissandos for T. Rex's "Get It On" primarily to secure the session fee. However, his most significant artistic development occurred in June 1971, when Bowie invited him to his Beckenham home to audition material for his next album, Hunky Dory (1971). . Wakeman later described the songs, which included "Life on Mars?" and "Changes", as the finest selection of songs he had ever heard. His piano contributions became central to the album's sound, and he credited Bowie with teaching him essential studio craft.

1971–1973: First tenure with Yes

In July 1971, Wakeman reached a pivotal juncture in his career when he was simultaneously invited to join Bowie's new backing group, the Spiders from Mars, and the progressive rock band Yes. The latter offer arose following the dismissal of founding keyboardist Tony Kaye, whose reluctance to expand beyond the piano and organ conflicted with the band's desire to incorporate more electronic instrumentation. Wakeman chose Yes, citing the greater musical freedom and long-term potential. His arrival was a significant industry event, earning him his second Melody Maker cover feature within a year, while his weekly salary increased from £18 to £50.

Wakeman made an immediate impact during rehearsals for Fragile (1971), contributing heavily to the arrangements of the band's signature tracks "Roundabout" and "Heart of the Sunrise". The album was recorded in just five weeks to facilitate a return to touring, which was necessary to finance Wakeman's expanding array of equipment. In keeping with the album's concept of featuring a solo piece from each member, Wakeman recorded "Cans and Brahms", a multi-tracked synthesiser adaptation of the third movement of Brahms' Symphony No. 4. He later expressed dissatisfaction with the track, labelling it "dreadful"; he explained that a contractual dispute between Yes's label, Atlantic Records, and his previous label, A&M, prevented him from recording an original composition. Despite his significant creative input, including piano sections on "South Side of the Sky", Wakeman received no formal songwriting credits. Although management had promised to resolve the oversight, he chose not to pursue the matter further to maintain band harmony.

The commercial success of Fragile transformed Wakeman's personal and professional standing. His increased earnings enabled a move to a large residence in Gerrards Cross and the establishment of the Fragile Carriage Company, a business through which he managed a growing collection of luxury cars for hire. The subsequent tour marked Wakeman's debut performances in North America, during which he leveraged his rising profile to secure a five-album solo contract with A&M. His rising profile was reflected in the 1972 Melody Maker readers' poll, where he was ranked the second-best keyboardist, trailing Keith Emerson.

In 1972, Yes released Close to the Edge, now regarded as a landmark album of the progressive rock genre. The album showcased Wakeman’s expanding technical range, incorporating diverse instrumentation such as the harpsichord and a pipe organ. Unlike his uncredited work on Fragile, Wakeman received a formal arrangement credit for the final track, "Siberian Khatru". During the subsequent American tour in September 1972 Wakeman began to wear a cape on stage, becoming the visual trademark that would define his public image. After an audience member offered him a cape for free, Wakeman commissioned his own bespoke versions, the first of which was a $300 sequined one designed by Denise Gandrup. Combined with his long blonde hair, the capes provided a striking visual contrast to the more reserved stage presence of his bandmates. Wakeman's performances during this period were documented on the live album Yessongs (1973) and its subsequent concert film. His versatility beyond Yes continued with a guest appearance in the orchestral performances of the Who's Tommy (1972) at the Rainbow Theatre and contributions to the soundtrack of the British drama film Zee and Co. (1972).

1973–1974: Solo breakthrough and departure from Yes

In January 1973, A&M released Wakeman's debut solo studio album, The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Recorded intermittently throughout 1972, the instrumental concept album featured his personal musical interpretations of the personalities of Henry VIII's wives with contributions from his bandmates in Yes and the Strawbs alongside various session musicians. Wakeman's profile was significantly boosted by a fortuitous television appearance on The Old Grey Whistle Test; a large segment of the national audience, displaced by the last-minute censorship of Andy Warhol's Blue Movie, tuned in to see Wakeman perform "Catherine Howard" on the show. He later reflected that this accidental exposure was a "tremendous break" that introduced his music to the wider British public. The album was a commercial and critical success, reaching No. 7 in the UK and No. 30 in the US, where it was certified Gold for selling 500,000 copies. Time magazine named it one of the year's best records, and the 1973 Melody Maker readers' poll saw Wakeman overtake Emerson to be named top keyboardist.

Wakeman's solo triumph contrasted with his growing alienation during the sessions for Yes's double concept album, Tales from Topographic Oceans (1973). He was sceptical of the project's esoteric themes, based on scriptures outlined in Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi, and felt the music was overextended and insufficiently rehearsed. He distanced himself from the group during recording, frequently retreating to the studio bar and contributing to Black Sabbath's "Sabbra Cadabra" in the adjacent studio. His frustration peaked during the subsequent six-month tour; in a well-publicised act of protest against the setlist, he ate a takeaway curry on stage during a performance at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. Though he later acknowledged some "very nice musical moments" on the album, he maintained that the material suffered from "awful" padding.

During a hiatus in the Yes tour, Wakeman recorded Journey to the Centre of the Earth, a 40-minute adaptation of the Jules Verne novel conceived in 1971 that required an orchestra, choir, and rock band. To finance the £40,000 production costs, Wakeman re-mortgaged his home, sold several of his luxury cars, and was forced to record the work live in concert. The performance took place at the Royal Festival Hall on 18 January 1974 with the London Symphony Orchestra and the English Chamber Choir conducted by David Measham, and featured narration by actor David Hemmings. For his band, Wakeman enlisted musicians that he had played with in a West London pub–vocalist Gary Pickford-Hopkins, drummer Barney James, and bassist Roger Newell–with his former Top Rank bandmate Ashley Holt on second vocals, and session guitarist Mike Egan. Despite initial resistance from A&M's UK division, the label's co-founder Jerry Moss personally ordered its worldwide release.

1974–1976: King Arthur, commercial peak, and No Earthly Connection

While recovering in hospital from his heart attack, Wakeman disregarded medical advice to moderate his lifestyle and reduce his workload; he continued to smoke and drink while beginning to compose music for his next project. He settled on another concept album, this time based on Arthurian legend, titled The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Before recording commenced, Wakeman embarked on his first solo world tour in September 1974. The initial 20-city North American leg featured his backing band alongside the National Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir of America conducted by David Measham, performing Journey to the Centre of the Earth and selections from The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Under strict medical instructions, Wakeman was required to pass a heart monitor test before taking the stage each night. The tour concluded in March 1975 following dates in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Recording for King Arthur was completed at Morgan Studios in January 1975, featuring Wakeman's band and Measham conducting the New World Orchestra and English Chamber Choir. Released that March, the album reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 21 in the US, earning a gold certification in the UK for selling 100,000 copies, as well as in Brazil, Japan, and Australia. To promote the record, Wakeman staged three sold-out shows at London's Empire Pool for a total of 27,000 spectators. Because the venue floor was already frozen for another attraction, Wakeman presented the concert as an ice pageant featuring 14 costumed skaters and a castle-themed stage set in the round. Although the production was a commercial success, it was prohibitively expensive to produce. The shows were later ranked 79th on VH1's 100 Greatest Shocking Moments in Rock and Roll. The album's opening track, "Arthur", subsequently served as the theme music for BBC general election broadcasts from 1979 to 2005 (with the exception of 2001), and from 2019 onwards.

By mid-1975, Wakeman had reached the height of his commercial success. He was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone in January and managed his business interests with a staff payroll through Complex 7, a group of companies with a dedicated rehearsal facility at a former bus depot in High Wycombe. His personal wealth was reflected in his acquisition of a farmhouse in Woodbury Salterton, Devon, and a former nursing home in Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, which he used to house his luxury car collection. His career was profiled in an episode of the BBC documentary series Success Story in September 1975.

1976–1980: Second Yes tenure and final A&M albums

Following his 1976 solo tour, Wakeman faced a severe financial crisis. High operating costs and accrued tax liabilities resulted in a personal debt of £350,000, forcing him to liquidate his Rolls-Royce collection, shutter his Fragile car service company, and disband the English Rock Ensemble. He secured financial relief through a substantial royalty advance from A&M Records and by completing the soundtrack for White Rock, a documentary film covering the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck that reached number 14 in the UK. The score included "After the Ball", a track Wakeman entirely improvised in a single take after forgetting to compose the piece prior to the recording session. During this period, Wakeman's manager, Brian Lane, proposed the formation of a progressive rock supergroup featuring former Yes bandmate Bill Bruford and King Crimson bassist John Wetton. The trio rehearsed for six weeks, but the project collapsed due to management disputes and premature coverage in the music press.

Wakeman's professional fortunes shifted in November 1976 when he was invited to join Yes in Montreux, Switzerland, during the recording sessions for Going for the One (1977). The band's previous keyboardist, Patrick Moraz, had departed due to internal pressures, and Wakeman found the new material more accessible and musically satisfying than the group's previous experimental direction. Though initially hired as a session musician, he quickly agreed to rejoin the band as a full-time member. This international relocation was executed as a tax exile and ultimately coincided with the permanent separation from his first wife, Rosaline. His official return was complicated when Lane leaked the news to Melody Maker without consulting him, resulting in a premature front-page announcement. During the recording of the follow-up album, Tormato (1978), Wakeman extensively utilised the Birotron, a unique tape-replay keyboard instrument he had helped fund. The album's final title and cover art were famously inspired by an incident in which Wakeman, frustrated by the band's initial artwork choice, threw a tomato at the design boards.

Wakeman's final solo releases for A&M Records saw him return to instrumental concepts. Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record (1977), loosely themed around criminality, was recorded in Montreux. Wakeman recorded his keyboard tracks first, before inviting Yes bandmates Chris Squire and Alan White to contribute bass and drums to the album's first side. Instead of providing preconceived arrangements, Wakeman granted the rhythm section complete creative freedom, intentionally leaving the studio entirely while they tracked their parts. "The Breathalyser" features a humorous guest vocal from comedian Bill Oddie. The album reached No. 25 in the UK and No. 28 in the US; its track "Birdman of Alcatraz" gained further recognition when it was used as the theme to the BBC television drama series My Son, My Son and subsequently released as a single. Wakeman's final effort for the label, the double album Rhapsodies (1979), was also recorded in Montreux and featured shorter tracks spanning diverse musical styles, with Bruce Lynch, Frank Gibson Jr., and Tony Visconti appearing as guest musicians. It peaked at No. 25 in the UK. Following a 1979 tour, Yes attempted to record new material in Paris and London; however, these sessions were ultimately aborted due to deep creative differences and internal friction. In early 1980, both Wakeman and lead vocalist Jon Anderson exited the group, concluding Wakeman's second tenure with the band.

1980–1984: Financial instability and Charisma years

Following a four-year hiatus, Wakeman reformed the English Rock Ensemble for a European tour in 1980. That same year, he declined an invitation to form a rock supergroup with drummer Carl Palmer, bassist John Wetton, and guitarist Trevor Rabin. Despite the project's high commercial potential, Wakeman opted out on a matter of principle after discovering the record company was prepared to sign the band without hearing any of their music—a decision he later reflected had effectively "sealed [his] financial fate." Palmer and Wetton ultimately formed Asia. The death of his father in November 1980, coupled with the beginning of his second divorce, prompted Wakeman to leave Switzerland and return to England. Facing bankruptcy, he experienced a brief period of homelessness, sleeping in Kensington Gardens before finding temporary accommodation with a former roadie.

To stave off bankruptcy, Wakeman signed a record deal with Tony Stratton-Smith of Charisma Records. His first release for the label was 1984 (1981), a concept rock album based on George Orwell's eponymous dystopian novel. The project featured lyrics by Tim Rice and included guest vocals from Jon Anderson, Chaka Khan, and Kenny Lynch. The album reached No. 24 in the UK, becoming Wakeman's highest-charting album of the decade, though concurrent plans to adapt the material into a full stage musical were ultimately halted by legal intervention from the Orwell estate. A subsequent world tour followed in 1981, featuring a line-up of drummer Tony Fernandez, guitarist Tim Stone, bassist Steve Barnacle, and vocalist Cori Josias, though the performances were marred by growing internal friction among the band members. Before the tour Wakeman travelled to South Africa for two performances of Journey to the Centre of the Earth in Durban.

Throughout 1981 and 1982, Wakeman diversified his creative output by focusing on television and film scores. He composed and recorded the soundtrack for the American slasher film The Burning (1981) and later wrote the score for G'olé!, the official documentary of the 1982 FIFA World Cup. In 1982, he also released the humorous album Rock 'n' Roll Prophet on his independent Moon Records label. Intended as a satirical spoof of the synth-pop duo the Buggles, the album featured the eccentric single "I'm So Straight I'm a Weirdo" with Wakeman on lead vocals. Although the material had originally been recorded in Switzerland in 1979, it had remained unreleased until Wakeman successfully secured the legal rights to the master tapes. The accompanying music video famously featured a cameo appearance by a young Boy George. In early 1983 Wakeman expanded into broadcasting, co-hosting the Channel 4 music programme GasTank alongside Tony Ashton.

1984–1988: President Records, personal recovery, and new musical directions

In 1984, Wakeman began a 23-year association with the independent label President Records, eventually producing nearly 40 albums for the company. His inaugural release for the label, Silent Nights (1985), was his first solo studio effort in over two years. Recorded with a backing band featuring guitarist Rick Fenn and bassist Chas Cronk, the album featured the single "Glory Boys", which gained national exposure in the UK. During this period, Wakeman also expanded his portfolio of television music, composing theme tunes for the ITV drama Lytton's Diary, the tech programme Database, the BBC show Paddles Up, and the documentary Supercat.

To support Silent Nights, Wakeman embarked on his first full-scale world tour in four years, which included his first North American performances since 1979. The British leg of the tour was documented on the album Live at Hammersmith (1985). Despite the tour's scale, it proved a financial failure, leaving Wakeman in debt and forcing him and his third wife, Nina Carter, to remortgage their home. The Australian leg of the tour in September 1985 marked a critical turning point in Wakeman's personal life. After falling dangerously ill due to his long-standing alcoholism, he committed to sobriety and has remained teetotal since. Following his recovery, Wakeman resumed high-profile session work by reuniting with David Bowie to provide the distinctive piano contribution for the 1986 single "Absolute Beginners".

The latter half of the 1980s was defined by Wakeman's diversification into New Age and Christian music. In 1986, he released his first New Age album, Country Airs, a collection of minimalist solo piano pieces inspired by a walk in the British countryside. Although Wakeman later admitted he recorded the album in just two days primarily to secure a desperately needed £5,000 advance to clear pressing bills, it became an unexpected commercial success, topping the UK New Age chart. This success solidified his association with the genre, leading to a weekly New Age radio residency on Capital Radio and the release of The Family Album (1987), which featured compositions dedicated to his relatives and pets alongside original scores for the films The Day After the Fair and Mackintosh.

Wakeman's first Christian release was his 1987 double album The Gospels. Based on the four canonical gospels, the project featured operatic tenor Ramon Remedios, narrator Robert Powell, and the Eton College Chapel Choir. Originally conceived for a brief 1985 church fundraising concert, the work was expanded into a full studio production and premiered at the Royal Albert Hall. A subsequent 1988 performance in Caesarea, Israel, was broadcast to an international television audience. During this period, Wakeman maintained ties to the rock and pop worlds, touring Australia in 1987 as a guest member of the instrumental rock band Sky. He also returned to conceptual rock with Time Machine (1988), loosely inspired by the H. G. Wells science-fiction novel. The album featured guest vocalists Roy Wood and Tracy Ackerman, though Wakeman's grand ambitions of staging the album alongside a full orchestra, choir, and a celebrity ice show were ultimately abandoned due to insufficient funding.

1988–1997: Third and fourth Yes tenures and media transition

In late 1988, Wakeman reunited with former Yes bandmates Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, and Steve Howe to form a new progressive rock group, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (ABWH). The band originated when Anderson became increasingly frustrated with Yes's commercialised pop direction and left the band to create music that reflected their progressive 1970s sound. Their self-titled album was released in 1989, and the supporting world tour marked Wakeman's first major performances in the US in ten years. Tracks originally recorded for a second album later merged with an in-progress Yes project and released as Union in 1991. This transformed Yes into a combined eight-piece formation, with Wakeman sharing keyboard duties with original member Tony Kaye. Wakeman has openly stated his dislike for Union, partly because external session musicians were brought in to rewrite and overdub parts that he and Howe had already recorded. However, he later chose the 1991–1992 Union Tour as his favourite with Yes, largely due to the strong friendship he formed with their 1980s guitarist and singer-songwriter Trevor Rabin. Wakeman confirmed his second exit from the group in 1993 following managerial disputes.

Wakeman continued with his solo career in parallel with his band engagements. In 1990, he revived his English Rock Ensemble with Holt, Fernandez, and bassist David Paton for a European tour. The following year, he recorded a new rock score for a colourised re-release of the silent film The Phantom of the Opera, featuring Chrissie Hammond on vocals; it was released as Phantom Power in 1991. He subsequently embarked on two UK tours supporting his The Classical Connection album series, performing alongside Paton in a stripped-back stage production.

During the first half of the 1990s, Wakeman regularly performed and released music in aid of ASSIST, a California-based Christian organisation founded by journalist Dan Wooding, the author of Wakeman's first biography. The pair reconnected in 1989, and their first venture was In the Beginning, an album of atmospheric music featuring Biblical readings spoken by Wakeman's then-wife Nina Carter. Wakeman donated the entire proceeds from the album to the charity. In 1994, Wakeman completed the Simply Acoustic Tour, a series of solo piano concerts across the US in aid of ASSIST. Live recordings from these performances in Virginia and the Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California—the latter attended by an audience of 8,000—were compiled and released as The Piano Album in 1995. Wakeman formed Hope Records specifically to distribute this new Christian material, allocating all subsequent royalty payments to fund the production of future albums for the label.

1998–2008: Career resurgence, English Rock Ensemble revival, and final Yes tenure

In 1998, Wakeman began work on Return to the Centre of the Earth, a sequel album to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Journey to the Centre of the Earth. He originally conceived the project in 1991 during a tour of Italy, leading to initial talks with Atlantic Records that year regarding a re-recording of the original album with modern equipment; however, the label rejected the proposal. The concept was revived in 1996 after Wakeman received funding offers from three separate record companies eager to back a new symphonic rock epic. Following an agreement with EMI Classics, a storyline tracking three unnamed travellers following the original subterranean route was finalised. Recording commenced in 1998 utilising his core band alongside the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, and actor Patrick Stewart as narrator, with additional guest performances from various musicians, including Trevor Rabin, Ozzy Osbourne, and Bonnie Tyler. Released in 1999, the album reached number 34 on the UK Albums Chart, marking Wakeman's first charting record in 12 years. Production was temporarily disrupted after Wakeman was hospitalised with a life-threatening illness. In December 1998, his career was celebrated when he was featured on an episode of the biographical television show This Is Your Life.

Spurred by a resurgence of interest in progressive rock across South America, Wakeman accepted an invitation to revive his English Rock Ensemble for a tour there in September 2000. The reformed line-up featured drummer Tony Fernandez, vocalist Damian Wilson, his son Adam Wakeman on additional keyboards, guitarist Ant Glynne, and bassist Lee Pomeroy. Wakeman was highly satisfied with the band's performances, assessing his own keyboard playing as his "best in a long time." The ensemble returned for further South American legs in April 2001, followed by a series of European concerts. Later that year, collaborative sessions were discussed with keyboardist Keith Emerson for a joint project, though the plans were ultimately shelved. In a departure from conventional concert work, Wakeman made his pantomime debut during the 2001 Christmas season, starring as Abanazar in a production of Aladdin at the Hall for Cornwall in Truro. He also made a minor cameo appearance as a hospital patient in the 2002 independent horror thriller film Alone. In 2003, Wakeman joined the cast of the BBC comedy television series Grumpy Old Men, remaining a fixture on the show until its conclusion in 2006. The series significantly enhanced his British public profile, leading to regular bookings on the lucrative corporate after-dinner speaking circuit.

2009–present: Revisiting classic albums and collaborative projects

In May 2009, Wakeman participated in the 500th anniversary celebrations of Henry VIII's accession by performing his debut solo album, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, in its entirety at Hampton Court Palace for two nights with his backing band, orchestra, and choir. The event fulfilled a performance request he had originally made and been denied in 1973. The concerts were subsequently released as a live CD and DVD featuring narration by Brian Blessed. Following this event, he reunited with former Yes bandmate Jon Anderson in 2010 to record The Living Tree as Anderson/Wakeman, , which they supported with tours across the UK and North America in 2010 and 2011. During this period, Wakeman also collaborated with Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord for a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Sunflower Jam charity. Although the duo planned to record a collaborative studio album, the project was curtailed by Lord's cancer diagnosis and subsequent death in 2012; their charity set remained Lord's final live appearance. In July 2011, Wakeman briefly rejoined Strawbs during their acoustic summer tour, making a guest appearance at their AbbeyFest concert.

The discovery of a long-lost conductor's score in 2009 prompted Wakeman to record an expanded version of Journey to the Centre of the Earth in 2012. Originally truncated to fit the constraints of a single vinyl LP, the re-recorded version spanned 54 minutes and featured the English Rock Ensemble alongside original vocalist Ashley Holt, second vocalist Hayley Sanderson, the Orion Orchestra, and narration by Peter Egan. To commemorate the original album's 40th anniversary, Wakeman performed this expanded edition on a 14-date UK tour in 2014. This undertaking served as the catalyst for a similar overhaul of The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Released in June 2016, this 88-minute version, narrated by Ian Lavender, marked Wakeman's first studio album financed through direct-to-fan crowdfunding. He premiered the work live on its release day at the Stone Free Festival at London's O2 Arena.

In June 2013, Wakeman participated in the Medieval Mystery Play Festival with performances at Blackfriars Priory—where he was joined by his children Oliver, Adam, and Jemma—and the Cheltenham Centaur. The latter featured new arrangements of his 1970s conceptual trilogy performed with the English Rock Ensemble and the Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra. Although he had planned to stage a massive production of King Arthur at Kingsholm Stadium that same year, the event was eventually cancelled. Following a 10-show piano residency at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2013, he announced a curated "Wakemanfest" event at the Gliderdrome in Boston, Lincolnshire for October 2015. However, both the festival and a subsequent Scandinavian tour were postponed after Wakeman suffered an undisclosed health scare. Upon his recovery, he spent much of 2016 to 2018 touring globally alongside former Yes bandmates Jon Anderson and Trevor Rabin under the moniker Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman, performing material spanning different eras of the band's history..

Instruments

By the end of 1972, Wakeman's typical keyboard setup included piano, electric piano, Mellotron, Hammond organ, and Minimoog synthesizer, and he had played a pipe organ and harpsichord on record. He went on to use many later models of synthesizers including the Polymoog and the short-lived Birotron, which he helped fund in its development. Because of the advent of digital keyboards at that time, and expensive components used in the instruments' manufacture, the Birotron was never a commercial or technical success and only 35 were produced. In recent years, Wakeman has used various Korg models, a Yamaha Montage, and the Memotron, a digital version of the original Mellotron.

An urban legend claims that Wakeman got so frustrated with one Mellotron that he poured petrol on it and set fire to it, which he said in 2010 was only "semi-true", and had become an exaggerated story over time. He clarified that some were so far beyond repair they were taken apart and burnt, but he kept the frames. A double Mellotron that he had made was stolen and reappeared in America.

In addition to keyboards, Wakeman still owns the soprano saxophone that he used at the Royal College of Music, and can play some rhythm and bass guitar.

Recognition and influence

In his foreword for Wakeman's 1979 biography, Elton John named The Six Wives of Henry VIII as one of his favourite albums. He noted Wakeman's "brilliant" technique and wrote that his "mastery of electronic instruments only adds to his abilities". In 2011, MusicRadar included Wakeman among "The 27 greatest keyboard players of all time". In 2019, readers of Prog voted him the second greatest progressive rock keyboard player, with the magazine stating, "Wakeman's time with Yes helped define prog as we know it, being filled with timeless brilliance [...] The man's style is fluent, and underlines a love of many genres, all cohesively brought into focus." In 2024, Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph ranked him as the second greatest keyboard player of all time.

Keyboardists who have cited Wakeman as an influence included Dave Greenfield of the Stranglers and Mark Kelly of Marillion, who cited Wakeman as his primary influence.

Personal life

Family

Wakeman has been married four times and has six children. In March 1970, at the age of 20, he married Rosaline Woolford. They had two sons, Oliver and Adam. Their marriage became strained by the end of 1976, as Wakeman was advised to take a year out of the country for tax purposes and was to spend several months recording with Yes in Switzerland. Woolford was reluctant to move with the family, and for this and other reasons, filed for divorce in 1977. In later life Wakeman said the marriage was a mistake for both of them as they were too young and were "not ready for what the musical world was about to throw at me." He began a relationship with Swiss-born Danielle Corminboeuf, a secretary at Mountain Studios in Montreux, while recording with Yes at the same studio. They married in January 1980 in Barbados. They had one son, before they split after Wakeman returned home from his 1981 world tour "with my suitcase on the doorstep and Danielle in Belgium with a nineteen-year-old catering student". Their divorce was finalised in 1984. In 1981, Wakeman met former Page 3 model Nina Carter and had a daughter, before they married in November 1984 and had a son. The couple separated in 2000 and finalised their divorce in 2004. Wakeman left their home on the Isle of Man and for a period lived in hotels.

In the early 2000s, Wakeman had a relationship with Italian artist Alina Bencini who produced artwork for his albums released during this time. In 2004, Wakeman revealed that he had had an extramarital affair with American-born designer Denise Gandrup, who first met Wakeman in 1972 and made several of his capes. After they split in 1981, they reconnected in 1985 and had one daughter. Wakeman felt it best to keep the relationship and child secret to protect his family, but continued to financially support his daughter. As of 2023, Wakeman has thirteen grandchildren.

In December 2011, Wakeman married journalist Rachel Kaufman, who is 25 years his junior. The pair met in 2004 when Kaufman conducted a press interview with him, and were engaged in 2007. Wakeman moved from Norfolk to Suffolk in 2019, and lives with his wife by the Shotley Peninsula.

Health

Wakeman has faced a number of health issues. In his twenties he had three heart attacks due to smoking and drinking heavily and overworking. The first two were minor and he was told they may have gone unnoticed. The third occurred soon after his headline performance at the Crystal Palace Park in July 1974, when he was 25. Wakeman stopped smoking in 1979, but continued to drink and recalled "wild" nights with Keith Moon, Vivian Stanshall, and Rick Parfitt.

In September 1984, Wakeman was fined £155 and banned from driving for one year for speeding and being over the drink drive limit. On 8 August 1985, Wakeman became teetotal after he fell ill during an Australian tour. He flew home where a doctor revealed he had alcoholic hepatitis, signs of cirrhosis and organ failure, and said he had six months to live if he continued to drink. In 1998, Wakeman collapsed on a golf course and was rushed to hospital, where he was diagnosed with double pneumonia, pleurisy, high blood pressure, and showed signs of Legionnaires' disease. He was placed in an induced coma, and at one point his doctors gave him 24 hours to live. Wakeman has had a vasectomy.

In 2016 Wakeman announced he had type-2 diabetes. In 2023, he said his playing was affected by macular degeneration in his left eye, which he treats with monthly injections. He also has arthritis in his hands, legs and feet, for which he wears half gloves while performing. In 2025, Wakeman had surgery on his spine and brain to treat his normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Wakeman has never used drugs and believes that had he taken them he would have done so to excess and died.

Other activities

In the 1970s, Wakeman met Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and bought Tropical Saint, a racehorse that belonged to her. After it died, he bought Balinloning, a small horse that he had in care for a year and entered in races.

In 1977, Wakeman was one of several musicians, along with Peter Frampton, Mick Jagger, and Paul Simon, who were part of the ownership group of the Philadelphia Fury, a new football team to compete in the North American Soccer League. The team split in 1980. Wakeman is a supporter of Brentford F.C. and in 1979, was a director of the team for one year. In 1983, he became chairman of Camberley Town F.C. while he was living there. He quit in 1987 due to his busy work schedule, but remained active as an honorary vice-president. Wakeman is also a supporter of Manchester City F.C.

In 1977, media reports identified Wakeman as one of several artists at A&M Records who allegedly threatened to leave if it signed the controversial punk band the Sex Pistols. Wakeman denied the claims, calling it a publicity stunt by A&M to justify terminating the band's contract, and clarified that he was instrumental in securing a deal for the American punk group the Tubes; upon seeing them perform, Wakeman recommended them to George Daly, advising him to contact A&M executive Kip Cohen, who subsequently signed them to A&M.

In a 2010 interview, Wakeman was critical of Wikipedia, saying it has too many inaccuracies and mistakes, and that he would love to see it "closed down".

In June 2017 he was the castaway for the BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs. His favourite piece was Giuseppe Verdi's Anvil Chorus and his book choice was Principles of Orchestration by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, which his orchestration professor at the Royal College had introduced to him.

Wakeman's agent for TV and media work is entertainer Roger De Courcey, best known for performing with his puppet Nookie Bear.

Wakeman has been a supporter of the Conservative Party, saying he was "unique in [Yes] as a card-carrying Conservative".

Band members

Sources:

Discography

Selected solo releases

Film scores

Video games and CD-ROM

Microcosm (1993; Sega Mega Drive)

Between Earth and the End of Time: The Worlds of Rodney Matthews (1996; CD-ROM)