He’s rubbed shoulders with the likes of David Bowie and Elton John; he’s toured the world, performing for awestruck crowds at Madison Square, Wembley Arena and the Royal Albert Hall.

Now, he is preparing for a first-of-its-kind concert next week for the rescued bears, performing for the animals who captured his heart when he learned of their suffering.

But what is the highlight of Wakeman’s extraordinary life?

“I was ‘Suffolk-ated’, as the expression goes – and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me!” laughed Rick.

Rick Wakeman pictured at the unveiling of a blue plaque outside the former home of the late T.Rex singer and guitarist Marc Bolan. (Image: PA / James Manning)

Now 77, Rick had lived in Norfolk for 17 years before he took the plunge and moved south of the border with his wife, Rachel. The couple purchased a house in Shotley in 2019, and what they hoped would be a relatively speedy renovation quickly turned into several years, thanks to the pandemic.

They finally moved into their home, nestled away on the Shotley Peninsula, around three years ago, and Rick says he has never looked back.

“There’s always something happening – there’s always something that will suit your mood, or what you want to do. It’s a remarkable county, which I knew very little about until we moved here,” he enthused.

Rick started out as a classically trained pianist, having studied at the Royal College of Music with designs on becoming a concert pianist.

This dream changed when the young Rick was given the opportunity to become a sessions musician, which led to him playing for some of the biggest names in rock and pop – David Bowie, aka Ziggy Stardust, Elton John onYour Song, as well as Marc Bolan, Cat Stevens and Lou Reed.

Many will know Rick from his years as the keyboardist for the progressive rock band Yes, although life could have turned out quite differently, for at the same time he was given an offer by Bowie to join his new backing band, the Spiders from Mars.  

Rick plumped for Yes, and played several stints with the group until 2004, as well as developing his prolific solo career.

We caught up with Rick ahead of his departure for Vietnam, where his latest and perhaps most unusual concert is set to take place.

No tickets will be sold for this performance, and there will be no dramatic lights or screaming crowds.

It will be one of the most poignant of Rick’s career.

Rick will be playing the piano for the bears at Animals Asia’s sanctuary at Tam Dao National Park. With the piano positioned on the sanctuary’s edge, rather than inside the compound, the bears will be able to approach and listen as Rick plays.

“We know that animals react to music – they’re not great fans of heavy metal, but they do like classical music, that gentle sort of music that’s nice and soothing,” said Rick. Staff at the sanctuary have been playing his music to the bears for a few weeks already, to prepare them for the concert.

“That’s a slight worry!” laughed Rick. “I’m a bit concerned that when I climb up onto the stage, or plinth, which overlooks the compound and sit at the piano, some of the bears who are more inquisitive will come over to have a look – then when I start playing, they go, ‘Oh no, we’ve heard all this!’”

Rick Wakeman was formerly a guardian to Cyril the bear, now deceased. (Image: Animals Asia)

Moon pictured at the Animals Asia sanctuary. (Image: Animals Asia)

The late Cyril, Rick’s former bear. (Image: Animals Asia)

These bears, explained Rick, have been through a harrowing ordeal. While they have been given a safe haven in the large, open sanctuary, the animals have been rescued from cages at bile farms.

Bear bile is the fourth biggest market in the illegal wildlife trade in East Asia, resulting in a dramatic decline in the Asiatic black bear populations in Vietnam. These bears are now on the official list of vulnerable animals and are being pushed to the brink, with nearly a third of their numbers around the world lost in 30 years.

Extracting bile from bears is now banned in Vietnam. However, there are still around 125 bears still trapped in cages at former farms, the last survivors of this devastating trade.

Rick has been an ambassador for Animals Asia for the past eight years. He was deeply moved when he heard of the plight of the bears from his friend, the actor Peter Egan, and has been a passionate advocate on their behalf ever since.

Rick Wakeman will soon arrive in Vietnam for this first-of-its-kind concert. (Image: Animals Asia)

Rick named Cyril after his father. (Image: Animals Asia)

Moon enjoying his new freedom at his sanctuary home. (Image: Animals Asia)

Rick’s current bear, Moon, at another of Animals Asia’s sanctuaries in China. (Image: Animals Asia)

Around four bears die in these horrific conditions each month, meaning that the race against time grows ever more desperate.

“We have to save them,” said Rick Wakeman.

The bears’ plight has had a profound effect on Rick. In 2016, he became a guardian to a bear he named Cyril in honour of his late father. He later became guardian to a second bear, Rocky, and now a third, Moon.

“I just looked at the photo, and he [Cyril] was just a really gentle, kind bear,” said Rick. “And I kept thinking of my dad who died in 1980. He was a very kind gentleman, who would do anything for anybody. And I thought, ‘That’s what this bear is like’, so I named him Cyril after my dad.”

Rick continued: “When Cyril bear passed away, I put a load of photos of him all over the piano. I do this quite a lot and I’m going to do this for Moon, my other bear.

“So, instead of looking at music I’m looking at all the pictures.  And that’s how I wrote this piece of music, Cyril Wolverine. And I did exactly the same for Rocky because Rocky is a moving story as well. And I will do the same for Moon.”

Rick Wakeman and Animals Asia founder and CEO Jill Robinson in Rick’s garden. (Image: Animals Asia)

Free the Final Bears Concert will be performed live on a Yamaha grand piano positioned in the surroundings of Animal Asia’s bear sanctuary and will include piano pieces written by Rick Wakeman especially for rescued bears.  The music will be heard across multiple grassy enclosures by over 150 rescued bears as they enjoy their freedom and the tranquillity of their new home.

Rick is one of 33 celebrities, as well as almost 55,000 members of the public, to sign an open letter to the Vietnamese Prime Minister, calling for the final bears to be freed.

To sign the letter, visit:

https://www.animalsasia.org/support-us/free-the-final-bears-letter