Rick Wakeman
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 18, 1949 (age 77)
- Birthplace
- Perivale, London, England
Biography
Richard Christopher Wakeman (born 18 May 1949) is an English keyboard player, composer and songwriter best known for being the former keyboardist in the progressive rock band Yes. He is also known for his solo albums, contributing to the BBC comedy series Grumpy Old Men and for Rick's Place, his former radio show on Planet Rock that aired until December 2010. Born in west London, Wakeman purchased his first electronic keyboard at 12 years of age. In 1968, he studied the piano, clarinet, orchestration and modern music at the Royal College of Music before leaving after a year in favour of session music work. He went on to feature on songs by artists including Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie, T. Rex, Elton John and Cat Stevens. Wakeman joined the folk group Strawbs in 1969 and played on three of their albums. He first joined Yes in 1971 to replace Tony Kaye, and left the group in 1974 to work on his solo career. He returned in 1976 before leaving with lead vocalist Jon Anderson in 1980. Wakeman was part of the side project Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, a group of ex-Yes members formed in 1989, and the eight-member Yes lineup that followed until his third departure in 1992. He returned for two years in 1995 and once more in 2002, where he was part of the band's 35th anniversary tour until its end in 2004. Wakeman began his solo career during his first run with Yes. His perhaps most known records being his first three, The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973), Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974) and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1975). He has produced over 100 solo albums that have sold more than 50 million copies. In November 2010, Wakeman was awarded the Spirit of Prog award at the annual Marshall Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Rick Wakeman & The English Rock Ensemble , Special Guest Brian May – Live At Starmus
Movie
Yes: Live at Montreux 2003
Movie · as Self — Keyboards
Rick Wakeman: The Return of the Caped Crusader Part 2
Movie · as Self
David Bowie: London Boy
Movie · as Self
Rick Wakeman - Live Portraits
Movie
David Bowie: Finding Fame
Movie · as Self
Yes - Live at the Apollo
Movie · as Keyboards
BowieNext - Nascita di una galassia
Movie
Beside Bowie - The Mick Ronson Story
Movie · as Self
XTC: This Is Pop
Movie · as Self (uncredited)
When Pop Went Epic: The Crazy World of the Concept Album
Movie · as Self - Presenter
Tales from the Tour Bus: Rock 'n' Roll on the Road
Movie · as Self - Presenter
Rick Wakeman on Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Movie
Top Gear: From A-Z
Movie · as Self
Yes - Songs From Tsongas
Movie · as Self - Keyboard
Celebrating Jon Lord
Movie · as Keyboards
Ozzy Osbourne: Memoirs of a Madman
Movie
Celebrating Jon Lord - Live at The Royal Albert Hall
Movie · as Self
Yes: Close to the Edge
Movie · as Organ, Grand Piano, Mellotron, Synthesizer
The Sunflower Superjam 2012
Movie · as Self
Jongleurs Live!
TV · 12 eps
Yes - Union Live
Movie · as Self - Keyboards
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip
TV · as Self - Participant · 1 ep
Perspectives
TV · 1 ep
The Chase: Celebrity Special
TV · as Self - Contestant · 1 ep
Rick Wakeman: The Six Wives of Henry VIII. Live at Hampton Court Palace
Movie
Rick Wakeman: The Six Wives Of Henry VIII
Movie · as Himself
Prog Rock Britannia
Movie · as Self
Prog Rock at the BBC
Movie · as Self
Yes: The New Director's Cut
Movie
What the Dickens?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Yes: Live at Montreux 2003
Movie · as Keyboards
Yes: Classic Artists
Movie · as Himself
Rick Wakeman: Made in Cuba
Movie
The One Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Yes - Songs From Tsongas - 35th Anniversary Concert
Movie · as Keyboards
Yes: Greatest Video Hits
Movie
Yes Acoustic: Guaranteed No Hiss
Movie · as Keyboards
Eco Rock Festival
Movie
Moog
Movie · as Self
Rick Wakeman: Out There
Movie
Yes: Acoustic
Movie
Yes: Yesspeak
Movie · as Keyboards
Keyboard Wizards - The Ultimate Anthology
Movie
Grumpy Old Men
TV · as Self · 14 eps
Celebrity Mastermind
TV · 1 ep
YES: Fragile
Movie · as Keyboards
Top Gear
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Rick Wakeman & English Rock Ensemble Live From Buenos Aires
Movie
Roger Dean: Views
Movie
Songs of Praise
TV · as Rick Wakeman · 1 ep
Rick Wakeman: The Legend - Live in Concert 2000
Movie · as Self - Keyboard
Yes: Keys To Ascension
Movie · as Keyboards
The Alphabet Game
TV · 10 eps
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
TV · as Self · 4 eps
The Music Biz
TV · as Self · 1 ep
An Audience with Jimmy Tarbuck
Movie · as Self - Audience Member
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe: An Evening of Yes Music Plus
Movie · as Himself - Keyboard
YesYears
Movie
Rick Wakeman: The Classical Connection
Movie
Yes - Union Tour Denver
Movie · as Self
Have I Got News for You
TV · as Self · 1 ep
A Week In The Life Of Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe
Movie · as Keys
Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe In The Big Dream
Movie
Crimes of Passion
Movie · as Wedding Photographer (uncredited)
Countdown
TV · 82 eps
Night Music
TV · as Self (performer) · 1 ep
The New Sound of Music
Movie · as Self
Yes: Live In Philadelphia 1979
Movie
Friday Night, Saturday Morning
TV · 1 ep
An Audience with...
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Yessongs
Movie · as Himself - Keyboards
Lisztomania
Movie · as Thor
Rick Wakeman - Journey To The Centre Of The Earth
Movie · as Keyboard
Omnibus
TV · as Self · 1 ep