My Take
Rick Wakeman is one of those musicians who makes you rethink what a keyboard can even do — the guy trained at the Royal College of Music and then spent decades proving that progressive rock and genuine virtuosity aren't mutually exclusive. His stints with Yes gave us some of the most ambitious, gloriously over-the-top arrangements in rock history, and his solo records like The Six Wives of Henry VIII and Journey to the Centre of the Earth leaned so hard into theatrical grandeur that you almost forget how technically jaw-dropping the playing actually is. He's had more comebacks and departures from Yes than most bands have albums, but every time he sits down at that wall of keyboards, the result is unmistakably, unapologetically him. I find his self-deprecating humor on social media genuinely charming too — the man earned the right to be a bit grumpy and hilarious about it all.
Overview
Richard Christopher Wakeman (born 18 May 1949) is an English keyboardist and composer best known for his multiple tenures in the progressive rock band Yes and for his prolific solo career, which has spanned six decades.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Rick Wakeman
- Name (Japanese)
- リック・ウェイクマン
- Reading
- りっく・うぇいくまん
- Born
- May 18, 1949 (age 77)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Ox
- Origin
- Perivale, United Kingdom
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- composer / keyboardist / songwriter / pianist / film score composer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Drayton Manor High School
- University
- Royal College of Music
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.