Bill Wyman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Wyman
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Wyman in 2020
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| Birth name | William George Perks |
| Born | 24 October 1936 Lewisham, London, England |
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William George Wyman (born 24 October 1936) is an English musician. He is best known as the bass guitarist for the famous rock band The Rolling Stones. He was with the band from 1962 to 1993.
Bill Wyman was a key part of the band's early success. He played on their first 19 albums. Since 1997, he has led his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings. In 1989, he was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Rolling Stones. He even played with the Rolling Stones again in 2023 for a new album.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Music
William George Perks Jr. was born in Lewisham, South London. His father, William George Perks Sr., was a bricklayer. Bill was one of six children. He grew up in Penge, Southeast London.
He went to Oakfield Primary School. Later, he attended Beckenham and Penge County Grammar School. He left school at 16 to work for a bookmaker.
Bill started taking piano lessons when he was 10. He continued until he was 13. In 1959, he married Diane Cory. A year later, he bought an electric guitar. He paid £52 for it.
He soon switched to the bass guitar. He heard one at a concert and liked the sound. Bill even made his own fretless electric bass. He did this by removing the frets from a used Dallas Tuxedo bass. He played this unique bass in a band called the Cliftons in 1961. In 1964, he officially changed his last name to Wyman.
Joining The Rolling Stones
In December 1962, Bill heard that a new band, the Rolling Stones, needed a bass player. He went to an audition in Chelsea. The band was very impressed by his bass and amplifiers. Bill had even changed one of his amplifiers himself. He was hired to join the band.
Bill Wyman was the oldest member of the Rolling Stones. Besides playing bass, he often sang backing vocals. He also wrote a song called "In Another Land". This song was on the album Their Satanic Majesties Request. It was released as a single just for him.
Bill was good friends with Brian Jones, another member of the band. They often shared rooms on tour. They also spent time together even when Brian was not close to the rest of the band. Bill was very sad when Brian passed away. He was one of only two band members to attend Brian's funeral.
Bill kept a journal throughout his life. He used it to write his autobiography, Stone Alone, in 1990. He also wrote Rolling with the Stones in 2002. In his book, he said he helped create the famous guitar part for "Jumpin' Jack Flash".
Bill also played on other albums with famous musicians. These included The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions in 1971. He also played on Jamming with Edward in 1972. In 1981, his solo song "(Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star" became a top-20 hit. He also wrote music for films like Phenomena (1985) and Terror at the Opera (1987).
In the mid-1980s, Bill helped organize a concert tour. It was to raise money for research into Multiple Sclerosis. The group was called Willie and the Poor Boys. Many guest musicians joined them, like Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.
After the Rolling Stones' 1989–90 tour, Bill Wyman decided to leave the band in January 1993. The Rolling Stones continued to play and record music.
In 2012, Bill Wyman joined the Rolling Stones on stage for a few songs. This happened at shows in London and Newark. He played "It's Only Rock 'n Roll" and "Honky Tonk Women". He later said he did not want to join them for more tours.
Later Music and Activities
In 1997, Bill Wyman started a new band called Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings. The band often had different musicians playing with them. They played blues, soul, rock 'n' roll, and jazz songs. Sometimes, they even played Rolling Stones songs. Bill usually sang lead vocals on a few songs, like "You Never Can Tell".
Bill was also a judge for the Independent Music Awards. This helped new artists in their careers. In 2009, he played a reunion show with the band Faces.
In 2011, Bill played on two songs for an album called Boogie 4 Stu. This album honored musician Ian Stewart. One song, "Watchin' the River Flow", was recorded with the Rolling Stones.
In 2019, a documentary film about Bill's life was released. It was called The Quiet One. In 2023, Bill briefly played bass on one song for the Rolling Stones' album Hackney Diamonds. This was the first time he had played on a Rolling Stones studio album since 1991. On August 9, 2024, he released his ninth solo album, Drive My Car.
Musical Instruments
Bill Wyman's bass sound was special. It came from his 30-inch short scale fretless bass. This was a modified Dallas Tuxedo bass. He also used a "walking bass" style of playing.
Bill has played many different basses. Most of them were short scale. These included a Framus Star bass and a Vox Teardrop bass. Vox even made a Bill Wyman signature model. He also played a Fender Mustang Bass and Steinberger basses.
In 2011, The Bass Centre in London created the Wyman Bass. This was a new version of his first homemade bass. One of Bill's basses set a record. His 1969 Fender Mustang Bass sold for $380,000 at an auction in 2020.
Personal Life
Bill Wyman married Diane Cory in 1959. Their son, Stephen Paul Wyman, was born in 1962. They later divorced. In 1993, Bill married model Suzanne Accosta. They have three daughters together.
Bill bought a country home called Gedding Hall in Suffolk in 1968. It is a very old house, built in 1458. He also lives in St Paul de Vence in the South of France. Many artists are his friends there.
He loves cricket and has played in celebrity matches. He is also a lifelong fan of the Crystal Palace F.C. football team. He once pretended to have a toothache to go watch his team play!
Bill started selling metal detectors in 2007. He wrote a book called Treasure Islands in 2005. It is about his adventures finding treasure with metal detectors. In 2009, Bill stopped smoking after 55 years.
Bill is also a talented photographer. He has taken photos throughout his career. In 2010, he had an exhibition of his work in St Paul de Vence. It included photos of his musician and artist friends. In 2013, another exhibition showed his photos that other artists had changed.
In 2016, Bill faced a health challenge. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was expected to make a full recovery.
Discography
Albums
Studio
- Jamming with Edward! (January 1972) (with Ry Cooder, Nicky Hopkins, Mick Jagger, and Charlie Watts)
- Monkey Grip (May 1974)
- Stone Alone (March 1976)
- Green Ice (soundtrack) (1981)
- Bill Wyman (April 1982)
- Willie and The Poor Boys (May 1985) (with Mickey Gee, Andy Fairweather-Low, Geraint Watkins, and Charlie Watts)
- Stuff (October 1992)
- Back to Basics (June 2015)
- Drive My Car (August 2024)
Compilation albums
- Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey (2002)
- A Stone Alone: The Solo Anthology 1974–2002 (2002)
Singles
- "In Another Land" (December 1967)
- "Monkey Grip Glue" (June 1974)
- "White Lightnin'" (September 1974)
- "A Quarter to Three" (April 1976)
- "If You Wanna Be Happy" (1976)
- "Apache Woman" (1976)
- "(Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star" (July 1981)
- "Visions" (1982)
- "Come Back Suzanne" (March 1982)
- "A New Fashion" (March 1982)
- "Baby Please Don't Go" (June 1985)
- "What & How & If & When & Why" (June 2015)
Other appearances
Soundtrack contributions
- "Valley", for Phenomena (1985)
- "Opera Theme" and "Black Notes", for Opera (1987) (with Terry Taylor)
Guest appearances
- I Can Tell (1967) (John Hammond, Jr.)
- The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions (1971)
- Manassas (1972)
- Jamming with Edward! (1972)
- Goodnight Vienna, Ringo Starr (1974)
- Drinkin' TNT 'n' Smokin' Dynamite (1982, recorded live 1974) (Buddy Guy & Junior Wells)
Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
- Struttin' Our Stuff (October 1997)
- Anyway the Wind Blows (October 1998)
- Groovin' (May 2000)
- Double Bill (May 2001)
- Just for a Thrill (May 2004)
With The Rolling Stones
- The Rolling Stones / England's Newest Hit Makers (1964)
- The Rolling Stones No. 2 / The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)
- Out of Our Heads (1965)
- Aftermath (1966)
- Between the Buttons (1967)
- Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
- Beggars Banquet (1968)
- Let It Bleed (1969)
- Sticky Fingers (1971)
- Exile on Main St. (1972)
- Goats Head Soup (1973)
- It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974)
- Black and Blue (1976)
- Some Girls (1978)
- Emotional Rescue (1980)
- Tattoo You (1981)
- Undercover (1983)
- Dirty Work (1986)
- Steel Wheels (1989)
- Hackney Diamonds (2023)
Images for kids
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Wyman signing his book for staff of the British Museum and the Portable Antiquities Scheme
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See also
In Spanish: Bill Wyman para niños
