Chris Squire to receive a posthumous award from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Days after he categorically ruled out attending Yes’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Rick Wakeman has revealed why he’s reversed his decision.

Published 5th Jan 2017

In a Grumpy Old Rick’s Ramblings blog over the festive period, Rick explained he won’t go to the New York ceremony in April as Yes’s nod had come too late in the wake of Chris Squire’s death in 2015.

“I find it hard to come to terms with the fact that so many bands are inducted into the Hall of Fame too late in their careers after key members have passed away,” he wrote.

“Classic examples are The Who and John Entwhistle, Deep Purple and Jon Lord and now YES and there will be no Chris Squire.”

In an update to his blog, Rick says that he will now attend after the Hall of Fame agreed to present Chris’ wife Scottie with a special posthumous honour recognising the co-founding member’s pivotal role in the band.

Rick wrote: “I am very pleased to announce that as the Hall of Fame have now agreed to present Chris Squire’s wife with a posthumous award acknowledging his massive contribution to YES, I have agreed to attend the Induction ceremony in New York to both stand proudly with my fellow band mates Jon and Trevor and also to watch Chris’s wife Scottie collect this well deserved award on his behalf.

“I also hope that this move to acknowledge members of bands who sadly did not live to receive their own honour, means they can get them posthumously in the future”.

Yes will be inducted alongside Pearl Jam, Journey, Electric Light Orchestra, Joan Baez and late rapper Tupac Shakur at the Barclays Center in New York on 7th April.