He was an original Rolling Stone who called it quits in 1993, deciding he had done all he could with the Stones.
On his own, he remarried, had three kids, operated his Sticky
Fingers Restaurants and wrote three books. The unofficial Stones
historian formed the Rhythm Kings
and finally overcame his dislike for flying to return to the United
States. On Aug. 15, 2001 he made his first return to Cleveland
since the Stones' Steel Wheels tour of 1989. He and his band played
at the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame, of which he is an inductee.
The band played a wide variety of music including one Stones song, "Melody." So check out my pictures from that event and my other Stones pages. It's your right as a Stones fan!
BILL WYMAN'S TOUR DIARY from the Cleveland show, taken from his own web site.
TOUR DIARY - August 15th - Day 13
8/22/2001 5:40:52 PM
Cleveland (OH, USA)
PLAIN DEALER (Cleveland, US) (15-Aug-01) Had (1) colour photo
of Bill, & article by John Soeder headed `Music. Ex-Stone`s
Band Is Rolling Into The Rock Hall` (cont/d).
PLAIN DEALER (Cleveland, US) (15-Aug-01) Had (2) article by John Soeder (cont/d) headed `Wyman. Ex-Stone`s Band Is Rolling Into The Rock Hall`.
Bill’s Diary: I got up at 9:30am to a bright clear & sunny day, then got myself ready. I left at 12:15pm with Tony Panico, & went by taxi to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. They were playing Rhythm Kings tracks both outside & inside the building.
RADIO SHOW (US): WPCN From 12:30pm to 12:50pm. Live interview with Bill & a woman ?. We discussed the Rhythm Kings & the Bill Wyman Blues Odyssey. They played 2 Rhythm Kings tracks & also played 2 Stones tracks for some reason.
Bill’s Diary: I went to the ground floor & did a Book Signing for The Bill Wyman Blues Odyssey from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. There were some French people there amongst the crowd. They sold about 40 books in all. Then Tony & I were taken on a 45-minute conducted tour of the museum & saw much of interest. We then left & were driven back to the hotel, & I spoke on the phone to Joe Vitale (who recorded with me in 1975 for `Stone Alone`). He couldn`t make the gig tonight as he was off to another town today to rehearse with CSNY for a coming tour. Back at the hotel Tony & I ate a light lunch in the cocktail bar. At 3:30pm I returned to my room & relaxed, then got changed & ready for the show. We left at 7:15pm & travelled by bus to the venue, then relaxed backstage with drinks. We were given T-Shirts & caps, & I was presented with a baseball jacket for being an inductee in 1989 with the Stones.
SHOW: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland, OH, USA
We went onstage at 7:10pm & played to an audience of about 500 fans. The reception was wildly enthusiastic, & the sound was excellent onstage.
Set List: Let The Good Times Roll; Jitterbug Boogie; Walking One & Only; Jump Jive & Wail; Baby Workout; Anyway The Wind Blows; This Little Girl`s Gone Rockin`; Hit The Road Jack; Melody; I Put A Spell On You; Tell You A Secret; Good Golly Miss Molly; Mystery Train; Breakin’ Up The House; Tear It Up. Encores: Georgia On My Mind; A Whiter Shade Of Pale; I`m Ready.
Bob Lebzelter (Undercover Mailing List 15-Aug-01): “I saw Bill Wyman tonight at the rock hall. Saw Taylor in Cleveland two years ago about this time. I`ll take Bill`s band any day. Sorry. Bill is still the quiet one. Just plays his bass guitar, smirks & smiles once in awhile at the antics of the others. He is the antithesis of Jagger`s flamboyancy."
Bill’s Diary: We received standing ovations for I Put A Spell On You & each of the encores. People said that it was the best concert they`d ever seen, & the organisers said we were the best band they`d ever had there. The museum photographer Neal Hamilton took many digital photos of us during the show, & promised to send them to my website. We relaxed backstage, & everyone had a hot meal. We said our goodbyes to Georgie Fame, who will join us again in Chicago on Saturday. I left with Tony & Martin Taylor at 9:30pm, signed dozens of autographs outside, then returned to the hotel & relaxed. I then got changed & ready. At 11:15pm I left with Tony, & we were driven back to the Hall of Fame.
RADIO SHOW (US): Rockline From 11:30pm to 12:15am. Featured live interview with Bill & answering questions from listeners. They also played Stones & Rhythm Kings tracks.
Bill’s Diary: Everyone thanked us & we left &
returned to the hotel by taxi, arriving at 12:45am. I got to bed
at 3:30am.
Band members in picture, left,
are Georgie Fame on piano, Martin Taylor on guitar, Bill himself
on bass and Albert Lee on guitar.
My Stones page, with AP photos of Stones Bridges to Babylon concert
The Stones' No Security tour
Former Stone Mick Taylor in Cleveland in 1999
An interview with Stones' trombonist Michael Davis
Back to my main page
Bill's own web site
Order Wyman's CDs from 