William Scott "Bill" Bruford (born 17 May 1949) is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the
progressive rock group
Yes, from 1968–1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring drummer for
Genesis in 1976 and U.K. in 1978. Following his departure from Yes and at various times until 1997, Bruford was the drummer for progressive rock band
King Crimson. Then, Bruford moved away from
progressive rock to concentrate on
jazz in 1987, leading his own jazz group,
Earthworks, for several years. He was inducted into the
Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1990. He retired from public performance in 2009, but continues to run his two record labels and to speak and write about music. His autobiography,
Bill Bruford: The Autobiography, was published in early 2009.