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Rick Wakeman

Rick Wakeman (born May 18, 1949) is a progressive rock keyboard player. He is a classically trained pianist and has been highly acclaimed for his virtuosity. In his early years he was a pioneer in the use of electronic keyboards, and his name has become a byword for a keyboard player surrounded by a vast array of equipment.

He was born in Perivale, Middlesex, England.

Wakeman came to fame in 1970 playing with The Strawbs, and joined Yes for the first time in 1971. Wakeman has joined and left Yes at least four times in his turbulent long-term relationship with the group. In 2002, he joined the band for a fifth time.

Wakeman has enjoyed a long, extremely prolific, but only occasionally successful solo career. He has also performed as a guest or session musician for artists as disparate as John Williams, Brotherhood Of Man, Elton John, Lou Reed, David Bowie and Black Sabbath.

Wakeman became highly skilled at playing the temperamental and notoriously hard to play Mellotron - an electronic musical instrument that worked using continuous tape loops wound into cassettes (like the old 8 track tapes used in automobiles). He went on to invent the Birotron, developed with David Biro, and designed to overcome the quirks and challenges on the Mellotron. The Birotron was not a commercial or technical success.

Once known as one of the hardest-partying rock musicians, he has been calmed down somewhat by an early heart attack, marriage (to a former topless model), children and conversion to Christianity. Despite once being a director of Brentford F.C, he now supports Manchester City F.C after a disagreement with the board.

Table of contents
1 Discography
2 External links

Discography

Solo and with his son Adam

External links