Bill Wyman

**William George Wyman** (born *William George Perks* on 1936-10-24 in Lewisham Hospital, Lewisham, London) is an English **musician**, *songwriter* and photographer best known as the longtime bass guitarist of the Rolling Stones. Raised in a working‑class family in Penge, he survived The Blitz and left school early to work for a bookmaker before serving two years in the Royal Air Force, where he first heard rock ’n’ roll on the American Forces Network. After returning to England he experimented with guitar and piano before converting a second‑hand Dallas Tuxedo bass into a **fretless** instrument that would become his signature sound, pioneering a walking‑bass style influenced by Willie Dixon and Ricky Fenson. Auditioning for the Rolling Stones in December 1962, Wyman joined the band as the oldest member and remained a core part of the lineup for three decades, contributing backing vocals, occasional lead vocals (notably *In Another Land*), and songwriting credits on tracks such as “Downtown Suzie.” He played on the first nineteen Stones albums, toured worldwide, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. Beyond the Stones, he recorded with blues legends like Howlin’ Wolf, contributed to film scores for Dario Argento’s *Phenomena* and *Opera*, and launched charitable concerts with Willie and the Poor Boys, featuring stars such as Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.

After departing the Stones in 1993, Wyman formed Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings in 1997, a rotating‑lineup ensemble that explored blues, jazz, rock ’n’ roll and soul, while he also pursued photography, publishing *Treasure Islands* and exhibiting his work in France and London. His personal life includes marriages to Diane Cory (1959‑1969), Mandy Smith (1989‑1992) and Suzanne Accosta (1993‑present), producing four children: a son born in 1962 and three daughters with Accosta. A lifelong Crystal Palace fan, avid cricketer, and treasure‑hunter, Wyman has continued to record into the 2020s, appearing on the Rolling Stones’ 2023 album *Hackney Diamonds* and releasing his ninth solo album *Drive My Car* in 2024.