Former Yes Keyboardist Rick Wakeman Weds for the Fourth Time

Posted on Dec 31st 2011 12:00PM by Amy Sciarretto Comments

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Four times is the charm for former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman.

Wakeman, 62, wed Rachel Kaufman, 37, on Dec. 14. It's his fourth marriage and to a woman 25 years younger after proclaiming in interviews that he would never marry again.

Despite their age difference, it was a romantic ceremony at a windmill in Norfolk, England. Wakeman's agent Roger de Courcey confirmed the news to the Daily Mirror. He said, "It was a very small wedding and reception, a private affair. Rick thoroughly enjoyed a pleasant day and he is very happy. He did say he wasn't going to marry again but Rachel is a lovely lady and she must have changed his mind."

Wakeman himself even went about things the old-fashioned way, admitting that he even asked Kaufman's parents' permission. He said, "I was worried about an aging old rocker like me marrying a lovely young girl like Rachel. So I asked her parents' permission before I asked her for her hand in marriage. Thankfully, they said yes." That was certainly the right move!

Wakeman has five children – four sons, one daughter- from his previous marriages. He divorced his last wife, Nina Carter, in 2004. They were married for 20 years.

The keyboard wizard joined Yes in 1971 and has been in and out of the band throughout the years. He's played on eight studio albums with the progressive-rock giants.

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