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Richard Christopher Wakeman (born 18 May 1949) is an English keyboardist and composer best known as a member of the band Yes across five tenures between 1971 and 2004, and for his prolific solo career. describes Wakeman as a "classically trained keyboardist extraordinaire who plied his trade with Yes and developed his own brand of live spectacular in a solo act."

Born and raised in West London, Wakeman quit his studies at the Royal College of Music in 1969 to become a full-time . His early sessions included "", among other tracks, for , and songs by , , , and . In 1970, Wakeman joined the folk rock group , during which his virtuosity gained national press coverage. He left in 1971 to join Yes, with whom he played on some of their most influential albums across two stints until 1980. During this time Wakeman began a solo career in 1973 and became an iconic and prominent figure in progressive rock. His highest-selling and most acclaimed albums were The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973), the UK number-one Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974), and The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1975), all . In 1974, he formed his band the English Rock Ensemble, with which he toured worldwide and continues to perform, and went on to score his first major film, Lisztomania (1975).

Wakeman had uneven success in the next two decades following a change in musical fashion and financial issues from two divorces. His most popular album was the conceptual rocker 1984 (1981), which was followed by the minor pop hit single "Glory Boys" from (1985). He expanded into other areas such as hosting the television show , composing for television and film, forming record labels, and producing his first , , and with (1986) and The Gospels (1987), respectively. In 1988, he reunited with former Yes bandmates for Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe, which led to his third period in the group until 1992. Wakeman's most significant album of the 1990s was Return to the Centre of the Earth (1999), his first UK top 40 album in 18 years, and his piano album (2017) produced his first UK top 10 album since 1975. Starting in 2009, Wakeman revisited his three hit albums of the 1970s by performing them live with new and expanded arrangements. From 2016 to 2020, Wakeman was a member of Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman. He continues to record albums and perform concerts worldwide in various capacities. His most recent album was Yessonata, released in October 2024.

Wakeman's discography includes over 100 solo albums spanning a range of musical styles. He has also gained notoriety for his appearances on the television programs Live at Jongleurs, Countdown, Grumpy Old Men, and Watchdog, and for his radio show on Planet Rock that aired from 2005 to 2010. Wakeman has written an autobiography and two memoirs. In 2017, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Yes. He was awarded a for his services to music and broadcasting in 2021.

Early life
Richard Christopher Wakeman was born in , Middlesex on 18 May 1949. The only child of Cyril and Mildred Wakeman (née Eastment), the three lived in Wood End Gardens in nearby . Cyril worked at a building suppliers which he joined as an office boy at age fourteen, and worked his way up to become one of its directors. He was a pianist in Ted Heath's big band while he was in the . Mildred worked at a removals firm. Wakeman attended Drayton Manor Grammar School in , in 1959. The family spent their summer holidays in .

As a youngster Wakeman heard his parents, uncle, and aunts play the piano and sing songs from his upstairs bedroom, which made him want to take up the instrument. His father took him to a concert performance of Peter and the Wolf, which greatly influenced him, and he has since named Prokofiev as a musical hero. At seven, Wakeman began weekly piano lessons with Dorothy Symes, paid for by his father, who spent almost half of his income on tuition. Lessons with Symes lasted for eleven years; she recalled that Wakeman "passed everything with a distinction", was an "enjoyable pupil to teach, full of fun and with a good sense of humour", but lacked discipline when it came to practising. Wakeman's first ever two recitals were "Buy a Broom" and "See a Monkey on a Stick", which he performed on stage in adult life. In 1960, Symes entered Wakeman in his first music competition and he went on to win many awards, certificates, and cups in contests around London. Wakeman's first keyboard was a reed organ from Woolworths that he said cost £4. At twelve he took up the clarinet. In his teenage years, he learned to play the , became a teacher, and chose to be baptised at eighteen.

Wakeman described himself at school as "a horror ... I worked hard in the first year, then eased up". In 1961, during his time at Drayton Manor school, Wakeman played in his first band, the outfit Brother Wakeman and the Clergymen, with a uniform of the school shirt put on the wrong way round. In 1963, at fourteen, Wakeman joined the Atlantic Blues, a local blues group that secured a year's residency at a mental health rehabilitation club in . Two years later, Wakeman passed his O Levels in English, maths, art and music, and went on to study music, art, and British constitution at A-level. In 1966, he joined the Concordes, later known as the Concorde Quartet, playing dance and pop songs at local events with his cousin on saxophone and clarinet. Wakeman used the money earned from their gigs to buy a , his first electronic keyboard.

That year he also formed a dance band called the Green Dolphin Trio, spending a year's residency at a social club in , and Curdled Milk, a joke on "Strange Brew" by Cream, to play at the annual school dance. The band were unpaid after Wakeman lost control of his car and drove across the headmaster's rose garden at the front of the school, thereby forfeiting their performance fee to pay for the damage. In 1967, Wakeman began a tenure with the Ronnie Smith Band, a dance group based at the Top Rank ballroom in . He was sacked in the following year for not taking the dance music seriously enough, but was soon reinstated at the ballroom in Reading. Here he met singer Ashley Holt, who later sang on many of Wakeman's future albums and tours. Around this time, Wakeman frequented the Red Lion pub in where he took part in jam sessions with several known musicians including , , , and . Royal had Wakeman play on a live BBC radio session with Entwistle and guitarist Mick King.

In 1968, Wakeman acquired a scholarship at the Royal College of Music in London with the intention of becoming a concert pianist. To enter he needed to pass eight music exams to earn his in the subject, which required him, as his mother remembered, "to do two years' work in ten months". He put in the effort following a ten bet with his music teacher who believed he would not succeed, and refusing his father's offer to work with him at the building suppliers. Wakeman entered the college on a performer's course with the piano as his first study, clarinet his second, and and modern music his third, but quickly found out that "everyone else there was at least as good as me; and a lot of them much better", and switched to a teacher's course. His orchestration professor, Philip Cannon, had a long-lasting influence on his compositional skills.

He adopted a more relaxed attitude to his studies, spending much of his time drinking in pubs and hanging out with the staff at the Musical Bargain Centre, a music shop in . Wakeman's first booking as a , and his first time in a recording studio, occurred when guitarist entered the shop in need of an organist and brass arranger for members of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. The shop owner suggested Wakeman, who attended the session at where he met producers , , and , and engineer . Cordell was impressed with Wakeman's skills and offered him more session work for artists at Regal Zonophone Records. Wakeman accepted the additional income to compensate the small grant he had received to study, and began skipping classes in favour of the more lucrative sessions which was frowned upon at the college. After a year Wakeman dropped out with the encouragement from his clarinet professor Basil Tschaikov.

Career
1969–1971: Session work, the Strawbs, and joining Yes
Wakeman became a full-time session musician, performing and arranging music for other musicians, films, and television and radio jingles as often as eighteen times in a week. He estimated that he participated in around 2,000 sessions in his career. His ability to produce what was needed in a short time led to his nickname, One Take Wakeman. Among his first sessions were playing on Battersea Power Station by Junior's Eyes and, in June 1969, the on "" by for a £9 fee after Dudgeon needed a player, as neither knew much about the instrument. Wakeman went on to play on several tracks on Bowie's second album, David Bowie, and organ and piano on American singer 's only single, "Red Wind".

In one session, Visconti had Wakeman play a single bass note on the piano at the end of "Walk on Guilded Splinters" by Marsha Hunt, so he could be paid the session fee. In 1970, Wakeman performed on Seasons by Magna Carta, and records by Brotherhood of Man, Paper Bubble, , and White Plains. He took part in a one-off recording with Visconti and that was released as a single under the pseudonym Dib Cochran and the Earwigs. After a short return stint in the Ronnie Smith group, Wakeman spotted an advertisement in the Melody Maker for an organist in the Spinning Wheel, a pub band playing at The Greyhound in , for seven nights a week. He got the job and moved there with his first wife. Around this time Simper invited Wakeman to join his new band, Warhorse, but he lacked commitment and had difficulty adapting to their sound. He left before their first demo was recorded.

Wakeman's prominence rose during his tenure with the group . He had played the piano as a session musician on Dragonfly (1970), which was the first album released with Wakeman's name on its credits. During his stint in the Spinning Wheel, Strawbs frontman invited him to join the band in March 1970. The group went to to perform at a rock circus with various bands backing the circus acts. During one show, and unbeknownst to Wakeman, he pushed Salvador Dalí off the stage as he made a special guest appearance during his piano solo: "I didn't know who he was. I thought, 'Silly old sod, coming on the stage waving his stick'." The Strawbs' first major concert, on 11 July 1970 at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall, was recorded and released as Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios, both of which brought Wakeman's virtuosity into the national spotlight. "Where is This Dream of Your Youth" features an extended organ solo and "Temperament of Mind", a solo piano piece that developed from improvisations when the band would lose power, received a standing ovation. Wakeman was featured on the front page of for the first time, calling him "tomorrow's superstar" and "pop find of 1970". Also in July 1970, Wakeman launched a folk music night at the White Hart pub in Acton called the Booze Droop. It failed to make an impact and Wakeman owed the landlord money, so Bowie agreed to perform an acoustic set for £5 to help raise funds. The gig had around 12 attendees, as people thought the advertisements for the gig were a joke.

The income that Wakeman earned in sessions and the Strawbs allowed him to buy a home in . Despite being paid well, Wakeman soon became disillusioned with session work because he was not involved in the songwriting. He bought a synthesiser at half price from actor , who thought that it was defective because it only played . Wakeman was involved in several notable sessions in 1971. He arranged and played the piano on "Morning Has Broken" by , but was omitted from the credits and for many years was not paid. Stevens later apologised and had the record company pay Wakeman for the error, which was donated to one of Stevens' schools. Wakeman played the Hammond organ on Madman Across the Water by , and was a featured artist on Orange by . Bowie invited Wakeman to his home and played the outline of some songs on a guitar for him to learn, which Wakeman later called "the finest selection of songs I have ever heard in one sitting in my entire life". The result was "Changes", "Oh! You Pretty Things", and "Life on Mars?" for Bowie's album , which feature Wakeman on piano. He later reflected: "David was incredibly influential to me. I learned more about how to work in a studio from David than anybody. He was tremendous in that respect." Wakeman played a series of piano on "Get It On" for T. Rex, after frontman offered him the session as he was desperate to pay his rent for the week. In late 1971, an album of covers with Wakeman on the piano, the John Schroeder orchestra, and an unknown female vocalist was released as . His name is omitted from the cover and liner notes, and he was paid £36 for the four sessions it took to record it.

The Strawbs' album From the Witchwood (1971) marked the growing differences between Wakeman and the rest of the band as he prioritised session work and contributed little to the music. He struggled to cover his mortgage and bills with money earned from the group, and started to consider other career options. In July 1971, Bowie invited Wakeman to join his new backing band, the Spiders from Mars, on the same day that bassist of the group Yes offered him the chance to join the band, after Tony Kaye had been asked to leave following his resistance to learning instruments other than the piano and organ. Wakeman agreed to meet Yes as they rehearsed for their fourth album, Fragile (1971), and during his first session with the band, "Heart of the Sunrise" and "Roundabout", two of the band's iconic songs, were put together. Wakeman decided that Yes presented more favourable opportunities and declined Bowie's offer; his arrival in the band in August 1971 made front page news in Melody Maker, his second cover feature in a year. With Yes, his earnings rose from £18 to £50 to a week.

1971–1974: First Yes run, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth
Fragile was recorded in five weeks so the band could resume touring and help finance a new set of keyboards for Wakeman. The album features a solo track written by each member; Wakeman's track, "Cans and Brahms", is an adaptation of the third movement of Symphony No. 4 by played on electronic keyboards. He called it "dreadful" as contractual disputes between , who had signed Yes, and A&M prevented him from writing his own composition. Wakeman said he was never credited for his contributions on Fragile, including piano sections on "Heart of the Sunrise" and "South Side of the Sky", despite being told that management would sort the issue. He enjoyed the music too much to cause further rifts. Fragile reached the top ten in the UK and the US, and the marked Wakeman's first visit to North America. During the tour he signed a five-album deal with A&M Records as a solo artist. The commercial success of Fragile allowed Wakeman to buy a new home in and start a car collection, which he rented out through his new business, the Fragile Carriage Company.

In the 1972 Melody Maker readers' poll, Wakeman ranked second in the Top Keyboardist category behind . That same year, Yes followed Fragile with Close to the Edge, which is considered a landmark progressive rock album and features Wakeman playing a church organ and harpsichord. He is credited on the final track, "". Wakeman picked the album as "one of the finest moments of Yes' career." The Close to the Edge Tour marked the first time Wakeman wore a cape on stage after a fan offered his own for one of the band members to wear. He then had his own made; the first was made of sequins and cost US$300. The concert film Yessongs, filmed in 1972 at the , featured his solo spot in the show. Also that month at the venue, Wakeman was a guest musician at 's orchestral performances of Tommy. He also developed music for the 1972 film, Zee and Co.

In January 1973, Wakeman released his debut solo album, The Six Wives of Henry VIII. It was recorded in 1972 during gaps in touring and recording with Yes, and features members of the band, the Strawbs, and other guest musicians. The album is instrumental with its based on Wakeman's musical interpretations of the characteristics of the six wives of Henry VIII. The album was previewed with Wakeman performing excerpts on the BBC television show The Old Grey Whistle Test. Much of the television audience that night planned to watch , a controversial film by , but it was temporarily banned from being broadcast. Wakeman explained: "It seems most of them, rather than watch repeats, switched over to Whistle Test and saw my preview of Henry ... and suddenly it seemed as if the whole country had discovered my music ... it was a tremendous break." The album reached No. 7 in the UK and No. 30 in the US, and Time named the record one of the best albums of the year. At the Melody Maker readers poll awards in September 1973, Wakeman came out first in the top keyboardist category.

Yes's double concept album Tales from Topographic Oceans was released in November 1973, containing four side-long pieces based on ideas from Hindu scriptures in Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. Wakeman had doubts about its esoteric concept, and felt a lot of its music was too experimental, which required further rehearsal. He distanced himself from the group, and spent time in the bar at and played on "Sabbra Caddabra" on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath by in the adjacent studio. I am Ozzy. Ozzy Osbourne with Chris Ayres. Grand Central Publishing/Hatchet Book Group. 2009. Pages 160–162. . Yes toured the album for six months, playing the album in its entirety, which Wakeman also disagreed with. He openly criticised the album to the press, and his growing frustrations culminated in an incident in which he ate a curry on stage during a show in . In 2006, Wakeman clarified that his total dislike of the album is "not entirely true" and recognises some "very, very nice musical moments", but "we had too much for a single album but not enough for a double, so we padded it out and the padding is awful".

During the Topographic Oceans tour Wakeman recorded his new 40-minute work Journey to the Centre of the Earth, based on 's science-fiction novel. He came up with the idea in 1971, but shelved the project until The Six Wives of Henry VIII was complete.Concert programme for Rick Wakeman: Journey to the Centre of the Earth. 18 January 1974. After working with , , , and Danny Beckerman on the music, which features an orchestra, choir, and a rock band, Wakeman chose to record the piece in concert due to the high costs of a studio. To help finance the project, he sold some of his cars and "mortgaged up to the hilt", all of which cost around £40,000. Two concerts were held at London's Royal Festival Hall on 18 January 1974 with the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, actor as narrator, and a five-piece band formed of musicians that Wakeman played with in a west London pub: vocalists Ashley Holt and Gary Pickford-Hopkins, drummer , bassist Roger Newell, and guitarist Mike Egan. A&M wanted to use better known musicians, but Wakeman wanted the album to be known for its music rather than the performers. After cutting the album, A&M refused to sell it, but as Wakeman was under contract with its US division, a cassette was sent to co-founder who liked it and ordered its worldwide release.

After touring Topographic Oceans, Wakeman retreated to his Devonshire home. He heard early ideas for Yes's next album, felt he could no longer contribute to the style of music they were making, and confirmed his departure from the band on his twenty-fifth birthday. Later that day, A&M informed him that Journey had entered the UK charts at No. 1, a first for the label. Journey also reached No. 3 in the US, and earned Wakeman a and Ivor Novello Award nomination. The album has sold an estimated 14 million copies worldwide. On 27 July 1974, Wakeman headlined the Crystal Palace Garden Party concert, performing selections from Six Wives and Journey in its entirety. By this time, his excessive smoking and alcohol consumption, a lack of sleep five days prior to the show, and a wrist injury from a fall had taken a toll on his health, and he needed morphine injections to get through the performance. Soon after the show, he suffered a minor heart attack.

1974–1980: King Arthur, No Earthly Connection, and second Yes run
Although Wakeman's doctors advised him to reduce his workload and temper his excessive lifestyle, he continued to smoke and drink, and started to write music for his next album while recovering in hospital. He decided upon another concept album based on and the various people and stories surrounding the legend named The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Before recording the album Wakeman underwent his first tour as a solo artist that started with a 20-city trek across the US in September and October 1974, performing Journey to the Centre of the Earth plus selections from The Six Wives of Henry VIII with his band, the National Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir of America. Under doctors' orders, he was required to pass a heart monitor test before each performance. The tour continued to Japan, Australia, and New Zealand and finished in March 1975.

Recording for King Arthur was finished in January 1975, and features Wakeman, his band, and Measham conducting the New World Orchestra and English Chamber Choir. Following its release in March 1975, the album went to No. 2 in the UK and No. 21 in the US, and earned gold certifications in the UK, Brazil, Japan, and Australia.Booklet notes to Wakeman's 1994 live album, Live on the Test (1994). The album was promoted with three sold-out shows at the with Wakeman performing with his band, orchestra, and choir to a total of 27,000 people. As the arena floor was already set up as an ice rink for a different attraction, Wakeman chose to present the show as an ice pageant with 14 skaters in costume and the musicians' stage placed in the round and decorated as a castle. The shows, though well received and a contributory factor to the album's commercial success, were expensive to produce. In 2009, the concerts ranked 79th on VH1's 100 Greatest Shocking Moments in Rock and Roll program. From 1979 to 2005 (excluding 2001), and from 2019 onwards, the used "Arthur" as the opening theme of its electoral broadcasts in the UK.

By mid-1975, Wakeman had achieved considerable success as a musician and contemporary rock composer. He was featured on the front cover of the January 1975 edition of magazine, had a farmhouse in Woodbury Salterton, Devon and purchased a former nursing home in , Buckinghamshire, where he housed his many cars. He ran a group companies known as Complex 7, which had a payroll of staff and a full rehearsal facility in . His life and career was featured on an episode of the BBC television documentary series Success Story, broadcast in September 1975.

Wakeman assembled a new line-up of his band, now named the English Rock Ensemble, featuring Holt, Newell, Hodgson, and newcomers John Dunsterville on guitar, Reg Brooks and Martin Shields on brass, and Tony Fernandez on drums, who would perform on many of Wakeman's future albums and tours. The group toured the US, Canada, and Brazil from October to December 1975 with the latter dates featuring an orchestra and choir. The Brazilian leg was particularly successful, earning positive reviews and setting new audience attendance records which biographer Dan Wooding estimated to be 500,000 people in total.

In mid-1975, Wakeman composed and recorded the soundtrack album to Lisztomania, a surreal biographical film about composer written and directed by . The soundtrack features vocals from , who also stars in the film. Wakeman appears on-screen as , the god of thunder, covered in silver paint. The soundtrack failed to chart in the UK, but went to No. 145 in the US. Wakeman looked back on the album in negative light as "there was hardly anything of mine on it", and criticised the production and final mix. He supervised a reissue of his original score entitled The Real Lisztomania, released in 2002.

No Earthly Connection was recorded in France and features Wakeman and his English Rock Ensemble. Initially, it was to be about mythological gods, but its lyrical subject matter changed after he claimed to have seen a UFO one night which inspired him to read up on the origins of mysterious phenomena such as the , , and the Egyptian pyramids. Wakeman wrote the album without playing any of its music beforehand, and summarised it in the liner notes: "A futuristic, autobiographical look at music, the part it plays in our pre-earth, human and after life". Upon its release in April 1976, the album went to No. 9 in the UK and No. 67 in the US. Wakeman and his group toured the album worldwide.

After touring ended in August 1976, Wakeman fell into financial trouble and was ordered to pay £350,000 "in a matter of weeks". Matters were worsened as his most recent tour had met its minimal expectations and its expenses had exceeded the profits. To help the situation he sold his Rolls-Royces, closed his car service company, and disbanded the English Rock Ensemble, and had further relief when A&M agreed to pay his album royalties in advance. At the suggestion of his manager Brian Lane, Wakeman rehearsed with his former Yes bandmate and bassist/vocalist for six weeks with the plan to form a rock , but disputes between the three musicians' managements coupled with the story being reported in Melody Maker caused the group to split. Around this time Wakeman finished recording the soundtrack to White Rock, a documentary film about the 1976 Winter Olympics directed by . The track "After the Ball" was one that Wakeman forgot to write; he proceeded to play it as a completely improvised single take, rather than confessing to the producers.

Wakeman's fortunes changed when he was invited to join Yes in , Switzerland in November 1976, as they were working on new songs for Going for the One (1977). Keyboardist had left during the early stages in part due to the "enormous psychological pressures within the group". Upon hearing the new material, which was more accessible and in a style that he could relate and contribute towards, Wakeman agreed to join the band initially as a session musician. Hours after he subsequently agreed to rejoin full-time, he found the Melody Maker had printed the headline "Wakeman rejoins Yes" as its front cover article. Lane had informed the press of his return without consulting him. YesYears documentary, 1991. (1978) features Wakeman playing a , a tape replay keyboard that used 8-track tape cartridges and contributed funds to its development. He is reported to have given the album its name by throwing a tomato at a showing of the art used for the album's cover.

In 1977, the press named Wakeman as one of the acts on A&M Records who threatened to leave if the label signed the controversial punk band the Sex Pistols. He denied any involvement and said it was a publicity stunt derived by A&M to drop the band. Wakeman has since dispelled rumours that he disliked punk rock, and was a key figure in getting American punk band their first record deal, having suggested to George Daly that he contact A&M executive , who went on to sign them.

Wakeman's final albums for A&M were released in the late 1970s. Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record (1977) is an instrumental rock album (apart from humorous vocals from ) similar to The Six Wives of Henry VIII but loosely based on criminality, and features Yes bandmates on bass and Alan White on drums, with on percussion. The album went to No. 25 in the UK and No. 28 in the US. The track "Birdman of Alcatraz" was used as the theme music to the BBC drama series My Son, My Son and subsequently released as a single. Rhapsodies (1979) was recorded in Montreux and released as a , with Wakeman playing shorter tracks of varied musical styles. It features , Frank Gibson Jr., and as guest musicians. It also peaked at No. 25 in the UK. After touring with Yes in 1979, and failed attempts at making a new album with the band in Paris and London, Wakeman and Anderson left the group in early 1980.

1980–1988: Albums for Charisma and President Records and venture into New-age and Christian music
In 1980, after a four-year hiatus, Wakeman reformed the English Rock Ensemble for a European tour. Later that year he came close to forming a band with drummer , bassist , and guitarist , but opted out "on a matter of principle" as the record company was prepared to sign them without hearing any of the group's music. He looked back at this moment: "I basically sealed my financial fate, and things went downhill fast." His father's death in November 1980 prompted him to leave Switzerland and return to the UK, which led to a record deal with to avoid bankruptcy. For several months of 1980 Wakeman was homeless due to his financial difficulties and second divorce, and resorted to sleeping on benches in Kensington Gardens until a former roadie let him sleep at his house.

Wakeman's first album for Charisma was 1984, a concept rock album based on 's dystopian novel, with a band including on bass, on saxophone, and on drums. The album features tracks with , , , and on lead vocals, who also wrote the lyrics. 1984 was released in June 1981 and reached No. 24 in the UK. Plans to have the album adapted into a musical were cancelled after lawyers from Orwell's estate blocked its development. In July 1981, Wakeman performed Journey to the Centre of the Earth for two shows in , South Africa. This was followed by a world tour until the end of 1981, with a line-up of Holt, Fernandez, Tim Stone on guitar, Steve Barnacle on bass, and Cori Josiah on vocals. The tour became problematic due to growing friction within the band. In the same year, Wakeman recorded the soundtrack to the slasher horror film The Burning in New York City.

Wakeman's next album was Rock 'n' Roll Prophet, a humorous spoof on the pop duo released in 1982 on his own label, Moon Records. Initially titled Maybe '80, it was recorded in Switzerland in 1979 but remained unreleased until he secured the rights for it following an appearance at the music festival. A single from the album, "I'm So Straight I'm a Weirdo", featuring Wakeman on lead vocals, was released in 1980. Wakeman hosted the Channel 4 music show with that aired in January and February 1983. He then released a second album for Charisma, Cost of Living, a mixture of instrumental and rock tracks with Rice on vocals, which failed to impact the chart and "did nothing" to improve his finances. By this time, Wakeman was "managerless, penniless and homeless". In February 1983, he and Carter moved to , Surrey after the birth of their daughter Jemma. Wakeman took up work by recording the soundtrack to the official 1982 FIFA World Cup documentary film G'olé!, which was released around the same time as Cost of Living which hampered potential sales. He wrote the soundtrack for the film She with assistance from and , and his second Russell feature, Crimes of Passion, with Bell on vocals, Fernandez on drums, and past Strawbs bandmate on bass. Wakeman based the music around the themes of Symphony No. 9 by Antonín Dvořák. Wakeman also spent early 1983 writing the score to the ballet Killing Games, but problems during its development led to the project being shelved, along with a potential double album of its music. In early 1984, Wakeman contributed three songs to the soundtrack of B.C. Rock.

In 1984, Wakeman signed with the independent label President Records in an association that would last until 2007, for which he would produce almost 40 albums. The first was , Wakeman's first solo album in over two years, featuring Fernandez, Cronk, and on guitar and released in 1985. The single "Glory Boys" became a minor pop hit in the UK. In March 1985, Wakeman finished work on his part of the soundtrack to the comedy film Playing for Keeps, which was followed by a tour of the UK, North America, and Australia to promote Silent Nights. It was his first full-scale tour in four years, and his first shows in the US in over five. A live album from the UK leg was released as Live at Hammersmith. The tour left Wakeman "seriously in debt", and he was forced to remortgage his Camberley home. In September 1985, during the tour's Australian leg, Wakeman fell ill from his alcoholism and has been teetotal since. Also in 1985, a single of Wakeman's theme tunes for the television shows Lytton's Diary and Database was released. By this time he had also composed music for the BBC show Paddles Up and the Channel 4 documentary Supercat. Wakeman reunited with to play the piano on his 1986 single "Absolute Beginners".

The latter half of the 1980s saw Wakeman venture into new musical genres. In 1986, he released his first album of new age music titled , formed of solo piano tracks inspired by walks in the countryside. It was a record he never had wanted to make, but was in need of money and accepted a £5,000 advance from Coda Records to record it. It reached number one on the UK new age chart. Wakeman followed this with a tour of the Far East, and soundtrack work for Hero, the film to the 1986 World Cup. In 1987, Wakeman joined the rock band Sky as a guest musician for an Australian tour. His association with new age music continued as the host of a weekly new age radio show on , and the release of The Family Album, with a track dedicated to each of his family members and pets. The original pressing included music Wakeman had composed for the BBC television film The Day After the Fair and the feature documentary Mackintosh. Also in 1987, Wakeman put out his first album titled The Gospels, a double album based on the four Gospels that features tenor vocalist Ramon Remedios, actor as narrator, and the Eton College Chapel Choir. The music was originally written for a 1985 concert as part of a fund raising event for a church before it was expanded into a full album.Wakeman 1979, p. 179. Wakeman played the album with Remedios and his band at the Royal Albert Hall in London and in the following year, in Caesarea, Israel that was broadcast internationally on television. He returned to rock with Time Machine, loosely based on the science fiction novel by H. G. Wells and features and as guest vocalists. Released in 1988, Wakeman intended to record it with an orchestra and choir and put on a star-studded ice show, but the idea was cancelled due to lack of funds.

In March 1988, in a move to improve their finances, Wakeman and Carter sold their Camberley home and moved to Peel on the Isle of Man. A coach house on the site of their home was converted into a recording studio that Wakeman named Bajonor Studios, named after the first letters of his family. The 24-track studio was built as Wakeman had lost several opportunities to score films due to the high cost of renting large, professional studios, so he built his own as a compromise. Wakeman recorded there from 1990 until 2001. The new age-themed Aspirant Sunset, released in 1990, was the first, and marks the first album with his longtime recording engineer Stuart Sawney. Wakeman donated 50p from every sale of his Aspirant album trilogy to . Wakeman befriended fellow Isle of Man resident , and the two made an album together.

1988–1997: ABWH, third and fourth Yes runs, Phantom Power, and The Piano Album
In late 1988, Wakeman got together with former Yes bandmates , , and to form a new group, Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe. The band originated when Anderson had become increasingly frustrated with Yes's commercial direction, and left the band to make music that reflected the band's 1970s sound. Their self-titled album was released in 1989, and the tour marked Wakeman's first major US tour in ten years. Tracks originally put down for a second album were added to an in-progress Yes album and released as Union in 1991, which transformed Yes into an eight-piece formation with Wakeman sharing keyboards with original Yes member Tony Kaye. Wakeman has openly stated his dislike for Union, partly due to the fact that session musicians were brought in to re-write and perform parts that he and Howe had already put down. However, he later chose the Union Tour tour of 1991–1992 as his favourite with Yes, where he formed a strong friendship with their 1980s guitarist and singer-songwriter . Wakeman confirmed his exit from the group in 1993 following managerial disputes with the band's and his own.

Wakeman continued with his solo career in parallel; in 1990 he revived his English Rock Ensemble with Holt, Fernandez, and Paton for a European tour and recorded a new rock score for a colourised re-release of The Phantom of the Opera, featuring on vocals, put out as Phantom Power in 1991. He embarked on two UK tours supporting his two The Classical Connection albums with himself and Paton in a stripped back stage production. In the first half of the 1990s, Wakeman performed and released music in aid of ASSIST, a California-based Christian organisation founded by journalist Dan Wooding, author of Wakeman's biography. The pair reconnected in 1989, and their first venture was In the Beginning, an album of atmospheric music with Biblical readings read by Wakeman's then-wife Nina. Wakeman donated the album's entire proceedings to ASSIST. In 1994, Wakeman completed the Simply Acoustic Tour, a series of solo piano concerts in the US in aid of ASSIST. Recordings from shows in and the Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California was released on The Piano Album in 1995. The latter show was attended by 8,000 people. Wakeman formed Hope Records to release this new Christian music, and decided to use the royalty payments to fund the production of more albums for the label.

In October 1992, Wakeman embarked on a world tour with a four-piece group of Fernandez, guitarist and bassist Alan Thomson, and his son on additional keyboards. The tour lasted until 1994, and was organised as Wakeman wished to tour with a second keyboardist to "free him up to do more things" on stage. The tour marked the release of Wakeman with Wakeman, an album of keyboard compositions written and performed by the pair. They released No Expense Spared in 1993, Romance of the Victorian Age in 1994, and Vignettes in 1996. In 1993, Wakeman's financial situation took an unexpected turn when he was demanded to pay almost £70,000 to the for interest charges and unpaid penalties related to tax he had paid for the preceding six years. He later wrote: "With help from Brian Lane's office and Yes's accountants, in my signing away all publishing income from everything I had ever written ... Twenty-two years' work had vanished in the three seconds it had taken to sign my name." Wakeman credits his 1993 appearance on the evening talk show After All as a turning point in his television career, after he told a story about being arrested in Moscow for smuggling a uniform out of the country.

In mid-1995, Wakeman became involved with Phillip Gandey's family circus entertainment project , writing and recording "timeless" pieces to enhance the show's various characters. The show was initially held at the Brighton Festival, and Wakeman went out to perform it live with his band at other venues, including the Cheltenham Festival. Around the same time, Wakeman scored the soundtrack to Bullet to Beijing, a made-for-television film starring and . He also scored its sequel, Midnight in Saint Petersburg. Also in 1995, Wakeman played Mellotron on two songs of 's album , "Perry Mason" and "I Just Want You".

In the summer of 1995, Wakeman agreed to return to Yes which marked his fourth time in the group and the return of the "classic" line-up. They worked on new studio material and performed live shows in 1996 which was released on Keys to Ascension (1996) and Keys to Ascension 2 (1997). In March 1997, Wakeman staged the North American premiere of The New Gospels for five dates after it was reworked and extended into a two-hour with a 30-piece choir, in 1994. The concerts were free with donations to ASSIST. Wakeman left Yes in May 1997 before he could tour with them, due to scheduling conflicts and lack of coordination between the artists' management. In June 1997, Wakeman became the host of the stand-up comedy television show Live at Jongleurs. Later in 1997, his 20-minute choral piece "Noah", written for the English Chamber Choir, premiered in London. Wakeman performed the piece with the choir once more in 2011.

1998–2008: Return to the Centre of the Earth, English Rock Ensemble revival, and final Yes run
In 1998, he started 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. The idea first came to Wakeman in 1991 during a tour of Italy, which led to discussions about the project with that year about a re-recording of the original album with new equipment and arrangements, but the idea was rejected. It was revived in 1996 when Wakeman received offers from three record companies willing to fund and release a new "epic" album. After a deal with was made, a story based on three unnamed travellers and their attempt to follow the original route was finalised, and recording began in 1998 with a band, the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, as the narrator, and guest performances from , , and . Released in 1999, the album went to number 34 in the UK, Wakeman's first album to enter the chart in 12 years. Recording was temporarily disrupted because of Wakeman's health. In December 1998, Wakeman was featured on an episode of This Is Your Life.

Wakeman accepted an invitation to revive his English Rock Ensemble for a South American tour in September 2000, following a renewed interest in there. The band featured a new line-up of Fernandez, on vocals, on keyboards, Ant Glynne on guitar, and Lee Pomeroy on bass. Wakeman was particularly pleased with his playing, calling it his "best in a long time." The group returned in April 2001, followed by several European dates. Later that year, Wakeman entered discussions with regarding a potential music project, but the idea was shelved. In 2001, Wakeman performed in his first role as Abanazar in a production of in , for the Christmas season. He made a cameo appearance in the 2002 thriller horror film Alone as a hospital patient. In 2003, Wakeman starred in the BBC television show Grumpy Old Men, and stayed on as a regular until the show ended in 2006. The show increased his national profile and made him a regular in the after dinner speech circuit.

In April 2002, Wakeman rejoined Yes for the fifth and final time, and said it took eight months to get the necessary paperwork to make it happen. The band toured worldwide with the Full Circle Tour and 35th Anniversary Tours, which ran from 2002 to 2004. Wakeman described the band's playing during his return: "It was far and away the best the band had ever been ... there was no staleness, there was a lot of freshness." The only new studio material worked on during this time were bonus tracks on . After the 2004 tour Yes entered a four-year hiatus, during which Wakeman retired from large scale tours following ongoing health problems. When the band regrouped in 2008, Wakeman's son replaced him on keyboards.

In April 2005, Wakeman and his band performed three shows in , Cuba, including an outdoor show attended by an estimated 10,000 people. They came about after Wakeman was offered to perform there to support a charitable foundation that supports a children's cancer hospital. The first two shows were filmed and released as Made in Cuba, proceeds from which were given to the hospital. Cuban leader greeted Wakeman, thanking him for his humanitarian support. Wakeman received some criticism following the visit, which upset him personally and made him consider retiring from live performance. He addressed the false accusations on his website, clarifying that the visit was not staged for political reasons. Wakeman later revealed that Castro gave him some earth surrounding 's grave.

In June 2006, Wakeman toured the US with a solo piano tour. This was followed by a performance of Return to the Centre of the Earth with his band, orchestra, and choir in Quebec, Canada. The show featured as a guest performer, which led to the pair touring the UK together as Anderson/Wakeman. Wakeman scored the 2007 documentary film In Search of the Great Beast 666, about the life of occultist . He toured the UK in 2007 with a new production, the Grumpy Old Picture Show. Inspired by his appearances on Grumpy Old Men, the show combined live performances and stories with visual accompaniments including old photos and pre-recorded sketches. The initial run of 14 dates were so successful, Wakeman completed a further 24 dates in the following year.

2009–present: Revisiting classic 1970s albums, Yes feat. ARW, and piano albums
In May 2009, he performed his debut album The Six Wives of Henry VIII in its entirety for the first time at Hampton Court Palace, as part of the 500th anniversary celebrations of 's accession to the throne. He had originally asked to perform there in 1973, but was declined until he was invited 36 years later. The shows were released on CD and DVD as The Six Wives of Henry VIII Live at Hampton Court Palace.

In 2010, Wakeman reunited with former Yes bandmate and recorded The Living Tree Https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/andersonwakeman< /ref> In July 2011, Wakeman got together with keyboardist to compose and perform an original piece for the charity Sunflower Jam at the Royal Albert Hall. Following its success the pair were set to start making an album, but later in the same month Lord was diagnosed with cancer and died in 2012. Lord's performance with Wakeman was his final live concert appearance. Also in July 2011, Wakeman reunited with on their acoustic summer tour with a guest appearance at their show at AbbeyFest.

In 2012, Wakeman recorded a new and extended version of Journey to the Centre of the Earth, following the discovery of the original conductor's score three years prior which was considered lost. As the original album was shortened to fit a single LP, Wakeman re-recorded the album with the previously cut parts which expanded the work to 54 minutes. It features his English Rock Ensemble, the Orion Orchestra and English Chamber Choir conducted by , and narration by actor . In April and May 2014, Wakeman performed the expanded album on a 14-date UK tour to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the original. The re-recording of Journey became the catalyst for a new and expanded version of King Arthur, following a request from a South American concert promoter, for which Wakeman wrote new music based on additional Arthurian legends. The re-record version runs for 88 minutes, and features actor as narrator. It was Wakeman's first album produced via online support, and released on 19 June 2016, the same day that Wakeman performed it live at the Stone Free Festival at London's O2 Arena.

Wakeman performed a series of unique shows at the Blackfriars Priory in Gloucester and The Centaur in Cheltenham in June 2013 as part of the Medieval Mystery Play Festival. The former had Wakeman performing with his sons Oliver and Adam and daughter Jemma. The Cheltenham shows featured excerpts from Wakeman's first three albums from the 1970s with his English Rock Ensemble, the Cheltenham Symphony Orchestra and a cathedral choir with new arrangements. The original plan was for Wakeman to stage King Arthur at Kingsholm Stadium that year, but it fell through. In August 2013, Wakeman performed 12 solo piano shows as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. In June 2015 he announced Wakemanfest, a three-day festival at the Gliderdrome in Boston, Lincolnshire that October, featuring performances from himself and the English Rock Ensemble, the Strawbs, The Cadbury Sisters, and Cheetah vocalist Chrissie Hammond. It was postponed, in addition to a piano tour of Scandinavia following the festival, after Wakeman had an undisclosed "serious health scare" and took time off at the suggestion of his management and family. From 2016 to 2018, Wakeman reunited with Anderson and former Yes guitarist and toured worldwide as Anderson Rabin Wakeman (later known as Yes featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman), performing a selection of Yes music across its history.

In January 2016, Wakeman performed a piano version of "Life on Mars?" live on BBC Radio 2 as a tribute following the death of his longtime friend . The strong reception from listeners and viewers of the YouTube video led Wakeman to release a single of the track with a piano version of "" and an original song, "Always Together", in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. This inspired Wakeman to produce a solo piano album of tracks that he had played on throughout his career, plus original tunes and adaptations of classical pieces. was released in January 2017 and went to No. 6 in the UK, becoming Wakeman's highest-charting album since 1975 and his first to reach silver certification from the British Phonographic Institute since 1977. The follow-up album featured some orchestral and choir arrangements. Released in 2018, it reached No. 7 in the UK. Wakeman concluded the series of piano albums with the seasonal-themed Christmas Portraits in 2019. In September and October 2019, Wakeman embarked on his first solo tour of the US in 13 years with his piano shows.

In June 2020, Wakeman returned to his progressive rock roots with The Red Planet, an instrumental concept album inspired by and featuring his English Rock Ensemble. In March 2023, Wakeman released A Gallery of the Imagination, featuring tracks of varied styles including songs and instrumentals.

In February 2023, Wakeman performed two shows at the London Palladium featuring The Six Wives of Henry VIII, Journey to the Centre of the Earth and King Arthur played in their entirety with his English Rock Ensemble and choir, plus a selection of Yes music. The shows were released as a live album. After a UK tour performing the Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Yes sets in 2024, Wakeman began his final solo piano tours which has visited North America and Europe. The tour featured the debut of a 30-minute piano composition "Yessonata", featuring various themes and melodies from Yes songs that he had originally played on. A 20-minute studio version paired with a piano suite of similar length based on themes from King Arthur was released as an album. Rick Wakeman Official Facebook page > post "Available to pre-order now due to overwhelming public demand! 'YESSONATA' CD edition" (23 August 2024) blabbermouth.net > article "YES Keyboard Legend RICK WAKEMAN Announces 'Final One Man' Fall 2024 Solo Tour" (8 July 2024) Wakeman wrote a composition for orchestra and piano as a tribute to the life and achievements of primatologist and climate campaigner , which was performed at the 2024 with himself on piano.

Instruments
By the end of 1972, Wakeman's typical keyboard setup included piano, , , , and synthesizer, and he had played a and harpsichord on record. He went on to use many later models of synthesizers including the and the short-lived , 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 , a digital version of the original Mellotron.

An claims that Wakeman got so frustrated with one Mellotron that he poured 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, 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, 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, of The Daily Telegraph ranked him as the second greatest keyboard player of all time.

Keyboardists who have cited Wakeman as an influence included of

(2009). 9781136122781, CRC Press. .
and Mark Kelly of , 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 and had two sons, and . They divorced 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." Wakeman married Swiss-born Danielle Corminboeuf, a recording studio secretary, in January 1980 in the and lived with her in Montreux. They had one son, before they divorced in late 1980. In 1981, Wakeman met former Page 3 model 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 the Isle of Man and lived in hotels for several months.

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.

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. Wakeman stopped smoking in 1979, but continued to drink and recalled "wild" nights with , , and .

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 after he fell ill during an Australian tour. He flew home where a doctor revealed he had alcoholic hepatitis, signs of 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 , , high blood pressure, and showed signs of Legionnaire's 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. 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 , , and , who were part of the ownership group of the Philadelphia Fury, a new American soccer team to compete in the North American Soccer League. The team split in 1980. Wakeman is a lifelong 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 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 's 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".

Wakeman had a renewal of his Christian faith which began at around the time of his 1984 marriage to Carter.Wakeman, Rick (1995). Say Yes! An Autobiography, Hodder & Stoughton Religious,

In the 1990s, Wakeman bought a house in Los Cristianos, .

In 1993 Wakeman was invited to play the piano at the inauguration of US President . He declined due to unavailability.

In 1996, Wakeman was involved in a plane crash while landing at , Northern Ireland. The eight-seater plane lost power and its undercarriage collapsed, causing the plane to land on its rear wheel and the front crashing onto the tarmac, with the propellers and engine breaking off. After passing a medical check he played at an awards ceremony dinner for the same airline.

In 2003, Wakeman crashed into a stationary abandoned car while driving at around 65 mph at night on the M40 motorway. Despite bleeding in his mouth, he refused hospital treatment as Yes were due to start a North American tour in a couple of days. He remembered "nearly crying with agony on stage" during the first week.

In September 2005 Wakeman began to host a Saturday morning radio show on Planet Rock called Rick's Place, that went on to feature as co-host. The show ended in December 2010 after over 200 original episodes. Several months before its cancellation, Wakeman began a pre-recorded Saturday night show on -based Radio Nova with his friend David Hoffmann which lasted through 2012. In 2009, Wakeman recorded an online interview series called Face to Face with various musicians. In 2020 he launched Rick's Plaice, a subscription-based video series based on the format of his former Planet Rock show. The series lasted two seasons.

Freemasonry
In 2007 Wakeman became a , joining the Chelsea Lodge No. 3098 which is made up of entertainers. His father was a member of the Brent Valley Lodge No. 3940, and the support that Wakeman and his mother received from his friends at the Lodge following his death was a catalyst for Wakeman to learn more about Freemasonry. In 2019, Wakeman was elected as an honorary member of his late father's Lodge. In 2011, Wakeman joined the Knights Templar fraternity, and is also a member of the Vaudeville Lodge. In 2014 he was installed as the 110th Worshipful Master of the Chelsea Lodge. He was and elected as the 125th King Rat in the showbusiness fraternity and charity organisation, the Grand Order of Water Rats. Wakeman was the first person to hold both titles. He hosted the Grumpy Old Rockstar's Chelsea Lodge Ladies Festival in the following year. Wakeman appears in his Masonic apron in the 2017 documentary series Inside the Freemasons.

Charity work and patronage
In 1988, Wakeman was elected into the Lord's Taverners cricket charity, and was chairman of the Isle of Man branch with his wife in the early 1990s. He took up golf in the 1980s after becoming teetotal, and has since taken part in many charity tournaments. From 1995 until at least 2012, the Rick Wakeman Celebrity Classic golf tournament took place at Burhill Golf Club in Surrey, raising funds in aid of the children's charity Sparks.

Wakeman is an honorary president of the Classic Rock Society, formed in Rotherham in 1991. In 2009, he became a patron of . He was one of the board of directors of the Performing Artists' Media Rights Association (PAMRA), a non-profit organisation committed to promoting musicians' rights and income.

He is a patron and active supporter of several animal welfare charities, including Friends of the Animals and Saving Strays. In 2017, Wakeman was made an ambassador to Animals Asia Foundation, of which he has supported since 2013.

Awards and honours
In October 1997, Wakeman received a Golden Badge Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA), given for outstanding contributions to the British music and entertainment industry.

In 2008, Wakeman gave a class to students of the London College of Music and later that year, received an honorary professorship from the college for his contributions to music. In 2010, Wakeman was awarded the Spirit of Prog Award at the annual Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards. In 2012, Wakeman received an honorary fellowship of the Royal College of Music in a ceremony presented by HRH The Prince of Wales, the college's president. In 2022, he received the Musicians' Company Honorary Fellowship at the Royal College.

Wakeman was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to music and broadcasting. He is a Freeman of the City of London, and a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Glovers.

Discography
Selected solo releases

  • (1971)
  • The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973)
  • Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974; live)
  • The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1975)
  • No Earthly Connection (1976)
  • Rick Wakeman's Criminal Record (1977)
  • Rhapsodies (1979)
  • 1984 (1981)
  • Cost of Living (1983)
  • (1985)
  • Time Machine (1988)
  • (1989)
  • Phantom Power (1990)
  • (1990)
  • Classic Tracks (1993)
  • Rick Wakeman's Greatest Hits (1993)
  • Light Up The Sky (1994; EP)
  • The Seven Wonders of the World (1995)
  • Return to the Centre of the Earth (1999)
  • (2017)
  • (2018)
  • Christmas Portraits (2019)
  • The Red Planet (2020)
  • A Gallery of the Imagination (2023)
  • Yessonata (2024)

Film scores

  • Zee and Co. (1972)
  • Lisztomania (1975)
  • White Rock (1977)
  • The Burning (1981)
  • G'olé! (1983)
  • She (1984)
  • Crimes of Passion (1984)
  • Creepshow 2 (1987; with Les Reed)
  • Hero (1987)
  • Phantom Power (1990)
  • Bullet to Beijing (1995)
  • White Rock II (1999)
  • In Search of the Great Beast 666 (2007)

Video games and CD-ROM

  • Microcosm (1993; Sega Mega Drive)
  • Between Earth and the End of Time: The Worlds of (1996; CD-ROM)

Bibliography
Books
  • Say Yes! An Autobiography (1995)
  • Grumpy Old Rockstar: and Other Wondrous Stories (2008)
  • Further Adventures of a Grumpy Old Rockstar (2010)

SongbooksMusic Exchange (Manchester) Ltd. 1981 Catalogue of Printed Music; p. 5

  • Criminal Record
  • Journey to the Centre of the Earth
  • The Myths & Legends of King Arthur & the Knights of the Round Table
  • The Six Wives of Henry VIII

Notes and references
Notes

References

Sources

External links

: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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