According to publishers Future: Rick Wakeman (pictured) is one of the most respected and celebrated keyboardists in the world of music. An innovator of the instrument, a composer and songwriter, he is best known as a member of Yes. Having sold over 50 million solo albums alone including the classics of ‘The Six Wives Of Henry VIII’, ‘Journey To The Centre Of The Earth’ and ‘The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table’, he also co-wrote and performed on seven Yes albums including ‘Fragile’, ‘Close To The Edge’, ‘Tales from Topographic Oceans’ and ‘Going For The One’. Consistently touring through his career as a solo performer and with bands such as The Strawbs, New English Rock Ensemble and ABWH (Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe), he has played some of the most extravagant and groundbreaking live shows ever seen, to millions of people around the world.
From the beginning of Wakeman’s musical career straight out of college in 1969, he became one of the most sort after sessions musicians in the world. He played on Cat Stevens ‘Morning Has Broken’ and David Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars?’, ‘Changes’, ‘Oh! You Pretty Things’, ‘Space Oddity’ and ‘Absolute Beginners’. Other artists he has recorded with include Black Sabbath, T. Rex and Elton John.
Rick Wakeman on winning the first ever Prog God Award: “I’m very proud indeed. I've always believed that these days there is hardly a band or musician anywhere who haven't used some element of prog in their music. It's all about freedom of expression, which in my case is often in seven different time signatures! I am genuinely very very proud to get this award.”
Prog Magazine has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2009, and has had a market-defying three years at the forefront of the prog scene. Originally part of the Classic Rock Magazine brand, Prog became its own entity this year and continues to find success, and The Progressive Music Awards are a credit to this. Having been embraced by prog’s affluent and notably dedicated cult following, the magazine has established itself at the heart of this most unique and underground of rock scenes.
