Rick Wakeman is a well-known English producer, TV and radio presenter, and author. He is best known as a member of the popular rock band “Yes,” as well as for his solo albums. “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” (1973), “Journey to the Center of the Earth” (1974), and “The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table” (1975) are among his most popular albums (1975). As a member of the band “Yes,” he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. He has also written an autobiography and two memoirs.
Quick Facts
| Celebrated Name: | Rick Wakeman |
| Real Name/Full Name: | Richard Christopher Wakeman |
| Gender: | Male |
| Age: | 75 years old |
| Birth Date: | 18 May 1949 |
| Birth Place: | Perivale, London, England |
| Nationality: | British |
| Height: | 1.89 M |
| Weight: | 90 Kg |
| Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Wife/Spouse (Name): | Roz Woolford (m, 1970; div, 1977), Danielle Corminboeuf (m, 1980; div, 1981), Nina Carter (m, 1984; div, 2004), Rachel Kaufman (m, 2011) |
| Children/Kids (Son and Daughter): | Yes (Oliver, Adam, Benjamin, Jemma Kiera, Oscar, Amanda) |
| Dating/Girlfriend (Name): | N/A |
| Is Rick Wakeman Gay?: | No |
| Profession: | Producer, Television and Radio Presenter, and Author |
| Salary: | … |
| Net Worth in 2024: | $15 Million |
Rick Wakeman Biography
Rick Wakeman, full name Richard Christopher Wakeman, was born on May 18, 1949, to Cyril Frank Wakeman and Mildred Helen Wakeman. While in the army, his father used to play in a dance band and worked at a building supply company, eventually becoming one of its directors.
In terms of education, he attended Drayton Manor Grammar School. For the past 11 years, he has also taken weekly piano lessons from Dorothy Symes. In 1968, he enrolled at the Royal College of Music in London to study piano, clarinet, orchestration, and modern music, but he dropped out a year later.
Rick Wakeman Age, Height, Weight
Rick Wakeman was born on May 18, 1949, and is 75 years old as of 2024. His height is 1.89 meters and his weight is 90 kilograms.
Career
Rick Wakeman rose to prominence in 1969 as a member of the folk-rock band “The Strawbs,” with whom he remained until 1971. He played piano on the band’s second album, “Dragonfly.” One of his most notable achievements with the band occurred on July 11, 1970, at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, where the band received a standing ovation.
In 1971, he joined the popular rock band “Yes,” and the following year, they released the album “Fragile,” which reached the Top 10 in both the UK and the US. They released “Close to the Edge” in 1972, which was a huge commercial and critical success.
Rick’s debut album, “The Six Wives of Henry VIII,” was released in 1973 and peaked at number seven in the United Kingdom and thirty-first in the United States. He left the band in 1974, and the same year, his third solo album, “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” was released, taking third place in the US and earning him an Ivor Novello Award. The album went on to sell more than 14 million copies worldwide.
In 1975, he released the album “The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table,” which was a commercial success, reaching number two in the United Kingdom and number twenty-one in the United States. The album was also certified gold in Brazil, Japan, and Australia. He rejoined the band “Yes” in 1976. In 1977, the band released the album “Going for the One,” which reached number one in the United Kingdom. In 1980, he left the band once more.
A few years later, he contributed to the soundtrack of “G’olé!”, the official 1982 FIFA World Cup documentary film. He rejoined “Yes” in 1995, but left a couple of years later. He rejoined the band for the fifth time in 2002 and is currently a member of the band with Jon Anderson and Trevor Rabin. He is still performing with his rock band, “The English Rock Ensemble,” which he founded in 1974. With his band, he scored his first film, “Lisztomania” (1975).
Rick Wakeman Achievements and Awards
Here is a list of some of Rick Wakeman’s awards and accomplishments:
- In 1974, 1976, and 1977, he won the NME Award for Best Keyboardist.
- In 2015, he received the AMI Award for Best Progressive Rock Production Work.
- In 2017, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of “Yes.”
Rick Wakeman’s Net Worth in 2024
Rick Wakeman has a net worth of $15 million as of February 2024. He made the majority of his money as an English producer, television and radio presenter, and author. He has worked on several popular albums with the band, including “Fragile” and “Close to the Edge.”
His solo albums include “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” (1973) and “The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table” (1976). (1975). As a member of the band “Yes,” he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
Rick Wakeman is a fantastic musician, as evidenced by his work. The kind of passion he has for his work is one lesson we can all take from his life. With that said, we wish him the best of luck in all of his future endeavors and hope he continues to entertain us as he always has.
Rick Wakeman Wife, Marriage
Rick Wakeman married Roz Woolford in 1970, but seven years later, in 1977, they divorced. They have two sons, Oliver (born 1972) and Adam (b. 1974). In 1980, he married Danielle Corminboeuf, but they divorced the following year. They have a son, Benjamin, together (b. 1978).
He later married popular model Nina Carter in 1984, but they divorced a few decades later in 2004. They have two children: a daughter, Jemma Kiera (b. 1983), and a son, Oscar (b. 1986). He also has a daughter, Amanda (b. 1986), with the well-known designer Denise Gandrup. He had an extramarital affair with her, but he chose to keep the relationship and child hidden from his family to protect them. He did, however, financially support Amanda.
He married popular journalist Rachel Kaufman in December of 2011, and the two have been together ever since. In terms of his personal life, he has dealt with a number of health issues. He had three heart attacks in his twenties as a result of smoking and heavy drinking. Although he stopped smoking in 1979, he continued to drink, which led to cirrhosis of the liver and alcoholic hepatitis, after which he stopped drinking as well. In 1999, he was placed in a coma due to double pneumonia and pleurisy.
