William George Wyman (

né A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth reg ...

Perks; born 24 October 1936) is an English musician who achieved international fame as the bassist for

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

from 1962 until 1993. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Rolling Stones. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings. He has worked producing records and films, and has scored music for films and television. Wyman has kept a journal since he was a child during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and has published seven books. He is also a photographer, and his works have been displayed in galleries around the world. Wyman became an amateur archaeologist and enjoys metal detecting. He designed and marketed a patented "Bill Wyman signature

metal detector A metal detector is an instrument that detects the nearby presence of metal. Metal detectors are useful for finding metal objects on the surface, underground, and under water. The unit itself, consist of a control box, and an adjustable shaft, ...

", which he has used to find relics in the English countryside dating back to the era of the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediter ...

Early life

Born William George Perks in

Lewisham Hospital University Hospital Lewisham (formerly known as Lewisham Hospital) is a teaching hospital run by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and serving the London Borough of Lewisham. It is now affiliated with King's College London and forms part of the ...

Lewisham Lewisham () is an area of southeast London, England, south of Charing Cross. It is the principal area of the London Borough of Lewisham, and was within the historic county of Kent until 1889. It is identified in the London Plan as one of ...

, South London, the son of bricklayer William George Perks and Kathleen May ("Molly"), née Jeffery. One of six children, Wyman spent most of his early life living in the rough streets of

Penge Penge () is a suburb of South East London, England, now in the London Borough of Bromley, west of Bromley, north east of Croydon and south east of Charing Cross. History Penge was once a small hamlet, which was recorded under the name Pence ...

, Southeast

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. Wyman described his wartime childhood as "scarred by poverty", having survived the blitz and enemy fighter plane strafing that killed neighbours. Wyman attended Oakfield Primary School, passing his eleven plus exam to gain entry to Beckenham and Penge County Grammar School from 1947 to Easter 1953, leaving before the GCE exams after his father found him a job working for a

bookmaker A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds. History The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795. Range of events Bookm ...

and insisted that he take it.

Music career

Wyman took piano lessons from age 10 to 13. A year after his marriage on 24 October 1959 to Diane Cory, an 18-year-old bank clerk, he bought a

Burns Burns may refer to: * Burn, an injury (plural) People: * Burns (surname), includes list of people and characters Business: * Burns London, a British guitar maker Places: ;In the United States * Burns, Colorado, unincorporated community in Eagle ...

electric guitar for £52 () on

hire-purchase A hire purchase (HP), also known as an installment plan, is an arrangement whereby a customer agrees to a contract to acquire an asset by paying an initial installment (e.g., 40% of the total) and repaying the balance of the price of the asset pl ...

, but was not satisfied by his progress.Wyman 1990. pp. 82–84. He switched to bass guitar after hearing one at a

Barron Knights The Barron Knights are a British humorous pop rock group, originally formed in 1959 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire,Colin Larkin, ''Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music'', (Muze UK Ltd, 1997), ), p. 32 as the Knights of the Round Table. C ...

concert. He created a

fretless A fretless guitar is a guitar with a fingerboard without frets, typically a standard instrument that has had the frets removed, though some custom-built and commercial fretless guitars are occasionally made. The classic fretless guitar was first ...

electric bass guitar by removing the frets on a second hand UK-built Dallas Tuxedo bass and played this in a south London band, the Cliftons, in 1961. He legally changed his surname to Wyman in August 1964, taking the phonetic surname of a friend, Lee Whyman, with whom he had done

national service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The ...

in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

from 1955 to 1957.Wyman 1990. p. 141.

The Rolling Stones and 1980s side projects

When drummer

Tony Chapman Anthony Chapman is a British drummer and songwriter who was especially active during the 1960s. He gained valuable drumming experience as part of the Cliftons in 1960, then jammed with an early line-up of the Rolling Stones before they settled ...

told him that a

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

band called the Rolling Stones needed a bass player, he auditioned at a pub in

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

on 7 December 1962 and was hired as a successor to

Dick Taylor Richard Clifford Taylor (born 28 January 1943) is an English musician, best known as the guitarist and founding member of the Pretty Things. Taylor was an early bassist for the Rolling Stones, but left the band to resume his studies at Sidcu ...

. The band were impressed by his instrument and amplifiers (one of which Wyman modified himself, and a Vox

AC30 The Vox AC30 is a guitar amplifier manufactured by Vox. It was introduced in 1958 to meet the growing demand for louder amplifiers. Characterised by its "jangly" high-end sound it has become widely recognized by British musicians and others, su ...

). Wyman was the oldest member of the group. In addition to playing bass, Wyman frequently provided backing vocals on early records, and through 1967, in concert as well. He wrote and sang lead on the track "

In Another Land "In Another Land" is a song by the Rolling Stones, released in December 1967 as the first single from the album ''Their Satanic Majesties Request'', and credited solely to Bill Wyman. In America, London Records released it as a single a week ...

" from the album ''

Their Satanic Majesties Request ''Their Satanic Majesties Request'' is the 6th British and 8th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released in December 1967 by Decca Records in the UK and by London Records in the US. It is their first to be relea ...

'', which was released as a single and credited solely to Wyman, making it his first official solo single. The song is one of two Wyman compositions released by the Rolling Stones; the second is "Downtown Suzie" (sung by

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

), on '' Metamorphosis'', a collection of Rolling Stones outtakes. The title "Downtown Suzie" was chosen by their erstwhile manager

Allen Klein Allen Klein (December 18, 1931 July 4, 2009) was an American businessman whose aggressive negotiation tactics affected industry standards for compensating recording artists. He founded ABKCO Music & Records Incorporated. Klein increased profits ...

without consulting Wyman or the band. The original title was "Sweet Lisle Lucy", named after Lisle Street, a street in the

red light district A red-light district or pleasure district is a part of an urban area where a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, and adult theaters, are found. In most cases, red-light districts are partic ...

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was develo ...

, London. Wyman was close to

Brian Jones Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones (28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969) was an English multi-instrumentalist and singer best known as the founder, rhythm/lead guitarist, and original leader of the Rolling Stones. Initially a guitarist, he went on to prov ...

; they usually shared rooms while on tour and often went to clubs together. He and Jones hung out together even when Jones was distancing himself from the band. Wyman was distraught when he heard the news of Jones' death, being one of two members (Watts was the other) to attend Jones' funeral in July 1969. Wyman was also friends with guitarist

Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, he appeared on: ''Let It Bleed'' ...

. Like the other Rolling Stones, he has worked with Taylor since the latter's departure from the band in 1974. Wyman has kept a journal throughout his life, beginning when he was a child, and used it in writing his 1990 autobiography ''Stone Alone'' and his 2002 book ''Rolling with the Stones''. In ''Stone Alone'', Wyman states that he composed the

riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or acc ...

of "

Jumpin' Jack Flash "Jumpin' Jack Flash" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released as a non-album single in 1968. Called "supernatural Delta blues by way of Swinging London" by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, the song was perceived by some as t ...

" with

and drummer Charlie Watts. Wyman mentions that " (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was released as a single only after a 3–2 vote within the band: Wyman, Watts and Jones voted for, Jagger and

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...

against, feeling it not sufficiently commercial. Bill Wyman - Rolling Stones - 1975 cropped

Wyman also played on ''

The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions ''The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions'' is an album by blues musician Howlin' Wolf released in 1971 on Chess Records, and on Rolling Stones Records in Britain. It was one of the first super session blues albums, setting a blues master among famous mu ...

'', released 1971, with

Howlin' Wolf Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910January 10, 1976), better known by his stage name Howlin' Wolf, was an American blues singer and guitarist. He is regarded as one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. Over a four-decade care ...

, Eric Clapton, Charlie Watts and Stevie Winwood, and on the album ''

Jamming with Edward ''Jamming with Edward!'' is a 1972 album by three Rolling Stones band members (Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman) accompanied by Nicky Hopkins and Ry Cooder. Background The album was recorded at London's Olympic Studio on April 2 ...

'', released in 1972, with Ry Cooder,

Nicky Hopkins Nicholas Christian "Nicky" Hopkins (24 February 1944 – 6 September 1994) was an English pianist and organist. Hopkins performed on many popular and enduring British and American rock music recordings from the 1960s to the 1990s, most notably ...

, Jagger and Watts. He played bass on at least two tracks of the 1967 album "I Can Tell" by

John P. Hammond John Paul Hammond (born November 13, 1942 in New York City) is an American singer and musician. The son of record producer John H. Hammond, he is sometimes referred to as John Hammond Jr. Background Hammond is a son of record producer and ta ...

In July 1981, Wyman's solo single " (Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star" became a top-20 hit in many countries. Also in 1981, Wyman composed the soundtrack album ''Green Ice'' for the

Ryan O'Neal Ryan O'Neal (born April 20, 1941) is an American actor and former boxer. He trained as an amateur boxer before beginning his career in acting in 1960. In 1964, he landed the role of Rodney Harrington on the ABC nighttime soap opera '' Peyton Pla ...

/ Omar Sharif film of the same name. In the mid-1980s, he composed music for two films by Italian director Dario Argento: '' Phenomena'' (1985) and '' Terror at the Opera'' (1987). In 1983, Wyman helped organize a fundraiser for Action Research into Multiple Sclerosis in the form of a concert tour with a group calling themselves Willie and the Poor Boys. The group played shows in the U.S. and Great Britain that included a rotating group of guest musicians, including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. The effort was inspired by Wyman's friend and former

Small Faces Small Faces were an English rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966. The ...

and

Faces The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may affe ...

musician

Ronnie Lane Ronald Frederick Lane (1 April 1946 – 4 June 1997) was an English musician and songwriter who is best known as the bass guitarist and founding member of Small Faces (1965–69) and subsequently Faces (1969–73). Lane formed Small Faces ...

. The group produced an album of the same name that lists Wyman, Charlie Watts,

Geraint Watkins Geraint Meurig Vaughan Watkins (born 5 February 1951) is a Welsh singer, songwriter, rock and roll pianist and accordionist. He has backed many notable artists, including Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds, Van Morrison, Mark Knopfler, Paul McCartney, Ro ...

Mickey Gee Michael Richard Gee (3 July 1944 – 21 January 2009) was a rock and roll guitarist who played alongside some of the most prominent Welsh musicians of the last forty years. He died on 21 January 2009 in Cardiff, Wales, from emphysema. Career ...

, and

Andy Fairweather Low Andrew Fairweather Low (born 2 August 1948) is a Welsh guitarist and singer. He was a founding member and lead singer of 1960s pop band Amen Corner, and in recent years has toured extensively with Roger Waters, Eric Clapton and Bill Wyman's R ...

as principal members, plus Ray Cooper, Jimmy Page, Willie Garnett,

Chris Rea Christopher Anton Rea ( ; born 4 March 1951) is an English rock and blues singer and guitarist from Middlesbrough. A "gravel-voiced guitar stalwart" known for his slide guitar playing, Rea has recorded twenty five solo albums, two of which t ...

, Steve Gregory, Paul Rodgers,

Kenney Jones Kenneth Thomas "Kenney" Jones (born 16 September 1948) is an English drummer best known for his work in the groups Small Faces, Faces, and the Who. Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Small Faces/Faces ...

Henry Spinetti Enrico Antonio Giorgio Spinetti (born 31 March 1951) is a Welsh session drummer whose playing has featured on many prominent rock and pop albums. Career Spinetti was born in Cwm, near Ebbw Vale, Monmouthshire, Wales. His first band, aged about ...

, and Terry Williams. Wyman made a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

in the 1987 film ''

Eat the Rich "Eat the rich" is a political slogan associated with class conflict and anti-capitalism. The phrase is commonly attributed to political philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, from a quote first popularized during the French Revolution: "When the pe ...

''. He produced and played on a few albums of the group Tucky Buzzard. After the Rolling Stones' 1989–90

Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels Tour was a concert tour which was launched in North America in August 1989 to promote the band's album '' Steel Wheels''; it continued to Japan in February 1990, with ten shows at the Tokyo Dome. The European leg ...

s, Wyman left the band in January 1993. The Rolling Stones have continued to record and tour with

Darryl Jones Darryl Jones (born December 11, 1961) is an American bass guitarist. He has been recording and touring with the Rolling Stones since 1993. He has also played in bands with Miles Davis and Sting, among others. Career Darryl Jones was born on ...

on bass, but not as an official member of the band. In 2012, Wyman and Mick Taylor were expected to join the Rolling Stones on stage at shows in London (25 and 29 November) and

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

(13 and 15 December), though Darryl Jones supplied the bass for the majority of the show. At the first London show on 25 November, Wyman played on two back-to-back songs, "

It's Only Rock 'n Roll ''It's Only Rock 'n Roll'' is the 12th British and 14th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 18 October 1974 by Rolling Stones Records. It was the last Rolling Stones album to feature guitarist Mick Ta ...

" and "

Honky Tonk Women "Honky Tonk Women" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was released as a non-album single on 4 July 1969 in the United Kingdom, and a week later in the United States (although a country version called "Country Honk" was ...

". He later stated that he was not interested in joining the band for further tour dates in 2013.

Later activity

Wyman was a judge for the 5th annual Independent Music Awards to support independent artists' careers. On 25 October 2009, Wyman performed a reunion show with

, filling in for the late

as he had previously done in 1986 and 1993. On 19 April 2011, pianist Ben Waters released an Ian Stewart tribute album titled ''Boogie 4 Stu''. Wyman played on two tracks: "Rooming House Boogie" and "Watchin' the River Flow", the latter recorded with the Rolling Stones.

Musical instruments

Wyman's bass sound came not only from his 30-inch short scale fretless bass (the so-called "homemade" bass; actually a modified Dallas Tuxedo bass), but also from the "

walking bass Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, dub and electronic, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played (in jazz and some ...

" style he adopted, inspired by Willie Dixon and

Ricky Fenson Ricky Fenson (also Rick Brown; born Richard Brown, 22 May 1945, in Chopwell, County Durham) is a British rock bass guitarist. The Rolling Stones He briefly played with an early version of The Rolling Stones before he was replaced by Bill Wym ...

. Wyman has played a number of basses, nearly all short scale, including a

Framus Framus is a German string instrument manufacturing company, that existed from 1946 until going bankrupt in 1975. The Framus brand was revived in 1995 as part of Warwick GmbH & Co Music Equipment KG, in Markneukirchen, Germany. The company's cu ...

Star bass and a number of other Framus basses, a

Vox Teardrop The Mark is an electric guitar made by Vox. The instrument is also known as the Vox Teardrop, but this is not the official name. The Vox Mark came in three variations, a 6 string (the Mark VI), a 9 string (the Mark IX) and a 12 string (the Mark ...

bass (issued as a Bill Wyman signature model), a

Fender Mustang Bass The Fender Mustang Bass is an electric guitar, electric bass guitar model produced by Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Fender. Two variants, the Musicmaster Bass and the Bronco Bass, have also been produced from time to time using the sa ...

, two

Ampeg Ampeg is a manufacturer best known for its bass amplifiers. Originally established in 1946 in Linden, New Jersey by Everett Hull and Stanley Michaels as "Michael-Hull Electronic Labs," today Ampeg is part of the Yamaha Guitar Group. Although ...

Dan Armstrong Dan Kent Armstrong (October 7, 1934 June 8, 2004) was an American guitarist, luthier, and session musician. Biography Armstrong was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He started playing the guitar at age 11, and moved to New York in the early 1 ...

basses, a

Gibson EB-3 The Gibson EB-3 is an electric bass guitar model produced by the Gibson Guitar Corporation. Origins and history The Gibson EB-3 is a bass guitar introduced in 1961 and discontinued in 1979. It was produced at Gibson's plant in Kalamazoo, MI. It ...

, and a

Travis Bean Clifford Travis Bean (21 August 1947 – 10 July 2011, aged 63) was an American luthier and machinist from California. In 1974, he partnered with Marc McElwee and Gary Kramer to start Travis Bean Guitars, which made high-end electric guitars and ...

bass. Since the late 1980s, Wyman has primarily played Steinberger basses. In 2011, The Bass Centre in London issued the Wyman Bass, a fretted interpretation of Wyman's first "homemade" fretless bass, played and endorsed by Wyman. One of Wyman's basses was the most expensive bass ever sold. Hi
1969 Fender Mustang Bass
sold in an auction for $380,000 in 2020.

Personal life

Wyman, although moderate in his use of alcohol and drugs, has stated that he became "girl mad" as a psychological crutch. Wyman married his first wife, Diane Cory, in 1959 and their son Stephen Paul Wyman was born on 29 March 1962. They separated in 1967 and divorced in 1969.Wyman 2002. pp. 23, 34, 254 and 339. On 2 June 1989, aged 52, Wyman married 18-year-old

Mandy Smith Amanda Louise Smith (born 17 July 1970) is an English former pop singer and model. She became known in the mid-1980s for her romantic relationship with, and subsequent marriage to, Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman, who is 33 years her senior. ...

, whom he had "fallen in love with" when she was 13 and, according to Smith, had a sexual relationship with when she was 14. The couple separated two years later and finalised their divorce two years after that. In April 1993 Wyman married model Suzanne Accosta, whom he first met in 1980; the two had remained friends until their romance developed. The couple have three daughters.Wyman 2002. p. 487, pp. 496–97. In 1993, Wyman's son Stephen Wyman married Patsy Smith, the 46-year-old mother of Bill's ex-wife Mandy Smith. Stephen was 30 years old at the time. Therefore, Bill became the father-in-law of his ex-mother-in-law as well as the stepgrandfather of his former wife. In 1968, Wyman bought Gedding Hall as his country home near Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, it dates back to 1458 Wyman also lives in St Paul de Vence in the

South of France Southern France, also known as the South of France or colloquially in French as , is a defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', A ...

where his friends include numerous artists. He is a keen

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...

enthusiast and admired Denis Compton and played in a celebrity match at

the Oval The Oval, currently known for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, located in the borough of Lambeth, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since ...

against a former England XI, taking a

hat-trick A hat-trick or hat trick is the achievement of a generally positive feat three times in a match, or another achievement based on the number three. Origin The term first appeared in 1858 in cricket, to describe H. H. Stephenson taking three wic ...

. He is a lifelong

Crystal Palace F.C. Crystal Palace Football Club is a professional football club based in Selhurst in the Borough of Croydon, South London, England, who compete in the Premier League, the highest level of English football. Although formally created as a profes ...

fan, attending his first match as a birthday treat with father William. On a 1990 European tour with the Rolling Stones, he feigned a toothache and said he needed to travel back to London to see a dentist when in fact he went to watch Palace at Wembley in the

1990 FA Cup Final The 1990 FA Cup Final was a football match played to determine to winners of the 1989–90 FA Cup. It was contested by Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium, London, England. The match finished 3–3 after extra time. Bryan Ro ...

. It was around this period of the Stones "Steel Wheels" tour he developed his fear of aeroplane flying. Wyman started selling metal detectors in 2007. Treasure detecting adventures in the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

are detailed in his 2005 illustrated book, ''Treasure Islands'', co-written with Richard Havers. In 2009, Wyman quit smoking after 55 years. Wyman is a photographer who has taken photographs throughout his career, and in June 2010 he launched a retrospective of his work in an exhibition in St Paul de Vence. The exhibition included images of his musical and artistic acquaintances from the South of France including Marc Chagall. In 2013, the Rook & Raven Gallery in London hosted an exhibition of a selection of Wyman's images which had been reworked by artists including

Gerald Scarfe Gerald Anthony Scarfe (born 1 June 1936) is an English cartoonist and illustrator. He has worked as editorial cartoonist for ''The Sunday Times'' and illustrator for ''The New Yorker''. His other work includes graphics for rock group Pink ...

. In March 2016 Wyman was diagnosed with prostate cancer but expected to make a full recovery.

Discography

With

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

* '' The Rolling Stones / England's Newest Hit Makers'' (1964) * ''

12 X 5 ''12 × 5'' is the second American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released in 1964 following the success of their American debut '' The Rolling Stones (England's Newest Hit Makers)'', is an expanded versio ...

'' (1964) * ''

The Rolling Stones No. 2 ''The Rolling Stones No. 2'' is the second studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released in 1965 following the success of their 1964 debut album ''The Rolling Stones''. It followed its predecessor's tendency to largely fe ...

'' / ''

The Rolling Stones, Now! ''The Rolling Stones, Now!'' is the third American studio album by English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 13 February 1965 by their initial American distributor, London Records. Although it contains two previously unissued songs an ...

'' (1965) * ''

Out of Our Heads ''Out of Our Heads'' is the 3rd British and 4th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released in two editions with different covers and track listings. In the US, London Records released it on 30 July 1965, whil ...

'' (1965) * ''

December's Children (And Everybody's) ''December's Children (And Everybody's)'' is the fifth American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 4 December 1965. Compiled from disparate sources across the band's recording career up to that point, includin ...

'' (1965) * ''

Aftermath Aftermath may refer to: Companies * Aftermath (comics), an imprint of Devil's Due Publishing * Aftermath Entertainment, an American record label founded by Dr. Dre * Aftermath Media, an American multimedia company * Aftermath Services, an America ...

'' (1966) * ''

Between the Buttons ''Between the Buttons'' is the fifth British and seventh American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 20 January 1967 in the UK and on 11 February in the US as the follow-up to '' Aftermath''. It reflected the S ...

'' (1967) * ''

'' (1967) * '' Beggars Banquet'' (1968) * ''

Let It Bleed ''Let It Bleed'' is the eighth British and tenth American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released 28 November 1969 on London Records in the United States and shortly thereafter by Decca Records in the United Kingdom. ...

'' (1969) * ''

Sticky Fingers ''Sticky Fingers'' is the 9th British and 11th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. The Stones released it on 23 April 1971 on their new, and own label Rolling Stones Records. They had been contracted by Decc ...

'' (1971) * '' Exile on Main St.'' (1972) * ''

Goats Head Soup ''Goats Head Soup'' is the 11th British and 13th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones. It was released on 31 August 1973 by Rolling Stones Records. Like its predecessor '' Exile on Main St.'', the band composed and ...

'' (1973) * ''

'' (1974) * ''

Black and Blue ''Black and Blue'' is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 23 April 1976 by Rolling Stones Records. This album was the first recorded after former guitarist Mick Taylor qu ...

'' (1976) * ''

Some Girls ''Some Girls'' is the 14th UK and 16th US album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 9 June 1978 by Rolling Stones Records. It was recorded in sessions held between October 1977 and February 1978 at Pathé Marconi Studios in ...

'' (1978) * ''

Emotional Rescue ''Emotional Rescue'' is the 15th British and 17th American studio album by English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 20 June 1980 by Rolling Stones Records. Following the success of their previous album, ''Some Girls'', their biggest h ...

'' (1980) * ''

Tattoo You ''Tattoo You'' is the 16th British and 18th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 24 August 1981 by Rolling Stones Records. The album is mostly composed of studio outtakes recorded during the 1970s, an ...

'' (1981) * ''

Undercover To go "undercover" (that is, to go on an undercover operation) is to avoid detection by the object of one's observation, and especially to disguise one's own identity (or use an assumed identity) for the purposes of gaining the trust of an ind ...

'' (1983) * '' Dirty Work'' (1986) * '' Steel Wheels'' (1989)

Solo albums

* '' Monkey Grip'' (June 1974) UK No. 39, AUS No. 36, US No. 99 * '' Stone Alone'' (March 1976) US No. 166 * ''

Green Ice ''Green Ice'' is a 1981 British adventure film starring Ryan O'Neal. It was also released under the name ''Operation Green Ice''. Plot A down on his luck engineer gets involved in an adventure with a mysterious woman and an emerald magnate. Cast ...

'' (soundtrack) (1981) * '' Bill Wyman'' (April 1982) UK No. 55, AUS No. 59 * ''Stuff'' (October 1992 in Japan and Argentina only, 2000 UK) * '' Back to Basics'' (22 June 2015)

Collaborative album

* ''Willie & The Poor Boys'' (May 1985) US No. 96 2 wks(with

Andy Fairweather-Low Andrew Fairweather Low (born 2 August 1948) is a Welsh guitarist and singer. He was a founding member and lead singer of 1960s pop band Amen Corner, and in recent years has toured extensively with Roger Waters, Eric Clapton and Bill Wyman' ...

, and Charlie Watts)

Compilation albums

* ''Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey'' (2002) - US Blues Albums No. 11 * ''A Stone Alone: The Solo Anthology 1974–2002'' (2002, UK)

Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings

* '' Struttin' Our Stuff'' (October 1997) * '' Anyway the Wind Blows'' (October 1998) * ''

Groovin' "Groovin" is a single released in 1967 by American rock band the Young Rascals that became a number-one hit and one of the group's signature songs. It has been covered by many artists, including the Young Rascals themselves in other languages. ...

'' (May 2000) UK No. 52 wks* ''Double Bill'' (May 2001) UK No. 88 wks* ''Just for a Thrill'' (May 2004) UK No. 149 wk* ''Studio Time'' (April 2018)

Also plays on

* ''I Can Tell'', John Hammond, Jr., 1967 * ''

'', 1971 * '' Manassas'', 1972 * '' Jamming with Edward!'', 1972 * '' Goodnight Vienna'', Ringo Starr, 1974 * ''Drinkin' TNT 'n' Smokin' Dynamite'',

Buddy Guy George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaugh ...

Junior Wells Junior Wells (born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr., December 9, 1934January 15, 1998) was an American singer, harmonica player, and recording artist. He is best known for his signature song " Messin' with the Kid" and his 1965 album '' Hoodoo Man Blues ...

, 1982 (recorded live at

Montreux Montreux (, , ; frp, Montrolx) is a Swiss municipality and town on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps. It belongs to the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, and has a population of approxima ...

1974; also the 1991 film ''Messin' with the Blues'' from the same festival, which features eight songs with this line-up, including four fronted by

Muddy Waters McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913 April 30, 1983), known professionally as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer and musician who was an important figure in the post-war blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of modern Chicago ...

)

Solo singles

* "

" (December 1967) - US No. 87, Canada No. 21 * "Monkey Grip Glue" (June 1974) * "White Lightnin'" (September 1974) - AUS No. 99 * "A Quarter to Three" (April 1976) * "

If You Wanna Be Happy "If You Wanna Be Happy" is a 1963 song recorded by Jimmy Soul, written by Rafael de Leon and adapted by Joseph Royster, Carmella Guida and Frank Guida. Background "If You Wanna Be Happy" is based on the song "Ugly Woman" by the Trinidadian cal ...

" (1976) * "Apache Woman" (1976) * " (Si Si) Je Suis un Rock Star" (July 1981) - UK No. 14, AUS No. 5 * "Visions" (1982) * " Come Back Suzanne" (March 1982) - AUS No. 12 * "A New Fashion" (March 1982) - UK No. 37 * "

Baby Please Don't Go An infant or baby is the very young offspring of human beings. ''Infant'' (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'unable to speak' or 'speechless') is a formal or specialised synonym for the common term ''baby''. The terms may also be used to ...

" (June 1985) - US Mainstream Rock No. 35 * "What & How & If & When & Why" (June 2015)

Bibliography

Bill Wyman has authored or co-authored the following titles:

Archaeology

* ''Bill Wyman's Treasure Islands''

The Rolling Stones

* ''Stone Alone'' * ''Rolling with the Stones'' . * ''Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey'' * ''The Stones – A History in Cartoons'' The last three books and ''Bill Wyman's Treasure Islands'' were all written in collaboration with Richard Havers. A Journey through America with the Rolling Stones. Robert Greenfield. Helter Skelter Publication. ISBN 1-900924-24-2

Art

* ''Wyman Shoots Chagall''

References

External links

*
Bill Wyman's villa in Vence, South of France

Bill Wyman
at

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wyman, Bill 1936 births Amateur archaeologists English expatriates in France English rock bass guitarists Male bass guitarists English non-fiction writers Living people People educated at Beckenham and Penge County Grammar School People from Penge People from the Borough of St Edmundsbury Royal Air Force airmen The Rolling Stones members People from Sydenham, London British rhythm and blues boom musicians English archaeologists Musicians from Kent Conservative Party (UK) people English male non-fiction writers 20th-century Royal Air Force personnel 20th-century English bass guitarists 21st-century English bass guitarists Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings members All-Stars (band) members