Rick Wakeman had his first international exposure as the keyboardist on David Bowie's album The Man Who Sold the World, though he also did most of the keyboards on Bowie's 1971 masterpiece Hunky Dory. After a brief stint in Magna Carta, he joined the Strawbs.

When original keyboardist Tony Kaye left Yes in 1971, Wakeman was recruited to fill his spot. Wakemen's first LP with Yes was 1972's Fragile, with the hit single, "Roundabout,” and both established Yes (and Wakeman) as international stars.