Bill Wyman: biography, musical activity

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Bill Wyman is best known as the bass player of The Rolling Stones, the famous rock band featuring Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. The group performed successfully for many years, starting in the 1960s. Some of her best albums are Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed and Tattoo You. Wyman used the band's success to launch a solo career before leaving the Stones altogether in the 90s to head the Rhythm Kings.

Early years

Bill Wyman was named William George Perks Jr. at birth. He was born on October 24, 1936 in Lewisham, London, England. As a child, he played the organ with his father, receiving piano lessons from the age of 10. In 1955, he joined the British Air Force at a base in Germany. It was during his military service that Wyman would first hear on American radio channels and would be inspired by rock and roll from then on, worshiping artists such as Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Fats Domino. It was in the army that Billy became friends with Lee Wyman, whose last name he later adopted as a pseudonym.

After demobilization, Wyman returned to England, married and worked in various places topay multiple bills. It is safe to say that the young man did not shy away from absolutely no work. However, he did not forget about music for a second, it was his dream. By 1960, Bill had made it happen and was playing in a band with which he was able to earn a few pounds playing gigs all over the city. Billy soon chose the bass guitar as his instrument, which he played for the rest of his life.

Rolling Stones

In 1962, Bill Wyman auditioned and got a spot in The Rolling Stones, which then included Mick Jagger (solo, harmonica), Richards (guitar, solo), Charlie Watts (drums) and Brian Jones (guitar)). The group released their first album The Rolling Stones in 1964. The band used the popular blues sound. "Rolling Stones" became part of the "British Invasion" in the US in 1960.

The rock band is positioned as an alternative to The Beatles. Bill Wyman, who took the Rolling Stones to a new level of performance, and the other members of the band did their best to make it so. The Stones were clearly "sharper" than their Liverpool counterparts, thanks to pompous bandleader Jagger.

Subsequent albums over the following decades, including Beggars Banquet (1968), Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! (1970), Exile on Main St. (1972) and Tattoo You (1981) made "The Stones" famous all over the world. The group had numerous hits such as "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1968), "Brown Sugar" (1971), "Start Me Up"(1981).

Solo career

At the height of the Stones' popularity, the British bass player began his solo career. He created his first album, Monkey Grip, in 1974, followed by a second, his release Stone Alone (1976), which received critical acclaim but sold poorly. Wyman remained with the Stones until 1993, when he formed his own personal musical team, the Rhythm Kings. The band has released a number of albums, including Double Bill in 2001, which featured ex-Beatle George Harrison as a guest.

Private life

Bill Wyman has been married three times. He married Susan Accosta in 1993 and they have three daughters: Katherine, Jessica and Matilda. He also has a son, Stephen, from his first union with Diana Corey. Wyman was married to Mandy Smith from 1989 to 1993.

In March 2016, Wyman announced through a spokesman that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Wyman has written several books on music and is considered a gifted photographer. Also, in her free time, she likes to do archeology, the search for precious metals.

I've always been interested in a few things since I was a teenager. I was interested in ancient cultures, archeology, astronomy, photography, art. I tried to learn more about all this by reading books and watching documentaries. When I was in a band for 30 years, it was very difficult to do what I loved, becausethat I didn't have the opportunity to spend a lot of time on it,” he says.