Rock Stars and Musicians Who Are Freemasons

Music and Freemasonry have a long shared history, from Mozart in 18th-century Vienna to jazz legends in the 20th century. But the internet is full of lists naming rock stars as Masons with no evidence at all. This guide sticks to musicians whose membership is documented, and flags the popular claims that are not.

Rick Wakeman (Yes)

The keyboard virtuoso of Yes is the best-documented rock star in the Craft. Rick Wakeman was initiated into Chelsea Lodge No. 3098 in London in 2008 and served as its Worshipful Master in 2014. Chelsea Lodge has a long tradition of members from the entertainment world, and Wakeman has spoken openly about what the fraternity means to him.

John Entwistle (The Who)

The Who's bassist, John Entwistle (1944–2002), was a member of Ezekiel Bates Lodge in Attleboro, Massachusetts. He kept his membership fairly private, and it became widely known only after his death in 2002.

Brad Paisley (Country)

Not rock, but one of the most open Masons in popular music today. Brad Paisley is a member of Hiram Lodge No. 7 in Franklin, Tennessee. He joined the Scottish Rite in 2006 at the House of the Temple in Washington, D.C., alongside his father, and he is also a Shriner. He has served as an ambassador for DeMolay International, the Masonic youth organization.

Earlier Generations of Masonic Musicians

Before rock and roll, Freemasonry counted many major musicians among its members. Jazz greats Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Nat King Cole belonged to Prince Hall lodges. Country pioneers Gene Autry and Roy Acuff were Masons and Shriners, and march composer John Philip Sousa was raised in Hiram Lodge No. 10 in Washington, D.C., in 1881. For many touring musicians, the lodge offered friendship and a welcome in towns far from home.

Popular Claims Without Evidence

Several names show up on almost every "rock star Freemasons" list but have never been confirmed:

Using Masonic symbols in art or fashion does not make someone a Mason. The only reliable evidence is a lodge record, a Grand Lodge publication, or the musician's own statement.

Why Musicians Join

Musicians who talk about their membership tend to give the same reasons as anyone else: friendship with men from different walks of life, a structure for personal growth, and the chance to support charity. For performers who spend much of their lives on the road, a lodge can feel like an extended family.

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