List of Wishbone Ash members

Last updated

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Wishbone Ash playing at The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, 28 October 2006.jpg
Wishbone Ash 2015 - 05.jpg
Three lineups of Wishbone Ash in 1972 (top), 2006 (middle) and 2015 (bottom).

Wishbone Ash are an English hard rock band from Torquay, Devon. Formed in October 1969, the group originally included bassist and lead vocalist Martin Turner, guitarists and vocalists Andy Powell and Ted Turner, and drummer Steve Upton. [1] The band currently consists of Powell, alongside bassist Bob Skeat (since 1997), guitarist Mark Abrahams (since 2017) and drummer Mike Truscott (since 2022).

Contents

History

Their first lineup change came in the spring of 1974, when Ted Turner was replaced by former Home guitarist Laurie Wisefield. [2] [3] [4] Martin Turner had also left by 1980, with John Wetton replacing him for the 1981 album Number the Brave . [5] After Wetton left to form Asia in early 1981, Trevor Bolder joined Wishbone Ash and remained until 1983, when he returned to his previous band Uriah Heep. [6] Bolder was replaced by former Trapeze bassist and vocalist Mervyn Spence. [7] Wisefield was replaced by Jamie Crompton in late 1985, [8] and Andy Pyle replaced Spence in 1986. [9]

In 1987, Martin and Ted Turner returned as part of an original lineup reformation for former manager Miles Copeland's I.R.S. No Speak instrumental album series, to which they contributed Nouveau Calls at the end of the year. [10] [11] Powell was left as the sole remaining constant member of Wishbone Ash by mid-1990, when Upton left the group and retired from the music business. [12] He was replaced briefly by Robbie France and later in the year by Ray Weston, both of whom featured on the 1991 release Strange Affair . [13] [14] Shortly after the album's release, Martin Turner was fired from the group on 1 October 1991, with Pyle returning to take his place. [15] Ted Turner was the final original member of the band to leave in early 1994, [16] with bassist Pyle and drummer Weston following him in leaving the group shortly after. [9] [14]

Powell rebuilt the band with the addition of guitarist Roger Filgate, bassist Tony Kishman and drummer Mike Sturgis. [17] [18] [19] Martin Turner briefly returned for the group's 25th anniversary tour in 1995 and began working on new material, before leaving for a third and final time. [15] After the release and touring of Illuminations , Filgate, Kishman and Sturgis were replaced by Mark Birch, Bob Skeat and Weston, respectively. [20] Birch remained until 2001, when he was replaced by Finnish guitarist Ben Granfelt. [21] After the studio album Bona Fide and live release Almighty Blues: London & Beyond, Granfelt left in 2004 after playing his final show on 30 October. [22] He was replaced by another Finnish guitarist, Jyrki "Muddy" Manninen. [23] Long-term drummer Weston left for a second time in early 2007 due to tiring of touring, with Joe Crabtree taking his place. [24] on 9 May 2017, when Mark Abrahams replaced Manninen as their ninth guitarist. [25] In 2022 Crabtree left the band and was replaced by Mike Truscott. [26]

Members

Current

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
2018 Lieder am See - Wishbone Ash - Andy Powell - by 2eight - DSC0487.jpg
Andy Powell 1969–present
  • guitar
  • vocals
  • mandolin
all Wishbone Ash releases
2018 Lieder am See - Wishbone Ash - Bob Skeat - by 2eight - DSC0680.jpg
Bob Skeat1997–present
  • bass
  • backing vocals
  • occasional keyboards
all Wishbone Ash releases from Trance Visionary (1997) onwards
2018 Lieder am See - Wishbone Ash - Mark Abrahams - by 2eight - DSC0723.jpg
Mark Abrahams 2017–presentguitar Coat of Arms (2020)
Mike Truscott2022–present
  • drums
  • percussion
Live Dates Live: 1973–2023 (2023)

Former

ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions
Steve Upton 1969–1990
  • drums
  • percussion
all Wishbone Ash releases from Wishbone Ash (1970) to Here to Hear (1989)
Martin Turners Wishbone Ash.jpg
Martin Turner
  • 1969–1980
  • 1987–1991
  • 1995–1996
  • bass
  • vocals
  • keyboards
Ted Turner
  • 1969–1974
  • 1987–1994
  • guitar
  • vocals
  • banjo
all Wishbone Ash releases from Wishbone Ash (1970) to Live Dates (1973), and from Nouveau Calls (1987) to Live in Chicago (1992)
Laurie Wisefield 1974–1985all Wishbone Ash releases from There's the Rub (1974) to Raw to the Bone (1985)
John Wetton playing bass live (cropped).jpg
John Wetton 1980–1981 (died 2017)
  • bass
  • vocals
  • keyboards
Number the Brave (1981)
Trevor-Bolder Milan.jpg
Trevor Bolder 1981–1983 (died 2013)
  • bass
  • vocals
Twin Barrels Burning (1982)
Mervyn Spence 1983–1986Raw to the Bone (1985)
Jamie Crompton
  • 1985–1987
  • 1988 (touring)
  • guitar
  • backing vocals
none
Andy Pyle
  • 1986–1987
  • 1991–1994
  • bass
  • vocals
Live in Chicago (1992)
Robbie France 1990 (died 2012)drumsStrange Affair (1991)
Ray Weston
  • 1990–1994
  • 1997–2007
  • drums
  • percussion
  • Strange Affair (1991)
  • Live in Chicago (1992)
  • all Wishbone Ash releases from Trance Visionary (1997) to Live in Hamburg (2007)
Roger Filgate 1.jpg
Roger Filgate1994–1997
  • guitar
  • backing vocals
  • bass
  • keyboards (studio)
MikeSturgisLive1995.jpg
Mike Sturgis drums
Tony Kishman
  • 1994–1995
  • 1996–1997
  • bass
  • vocals
Mark Birch 1997–2001
  • guitar
  • vocals
all Wishbone Ash releases from Trance Visionary (1997) to Live Dates 3 (2001)
BenGranfelt.jpg
Ben Granfelt 2001–2004
  • Bona Fide (2002)
  • Almighty Blues: London & Beyond (2004)
Muddy Manninen, Wishbone Ash, 09-01-30, PB GER - 2.jpg
Muddy Manninen2004–2017all Wishbone Ash releases from Live on XM Satellite Radio (2005) to Live at Metropolis 16/05/15 (2015)
2018 Lieder am See - Wishbone Ash - Joe Crabtree - by 2eight - DSC0728.jpg
Joe Crabtree 2007–2022
  • drums
  • percussion
  • backing vocals
all Wishbone Ash releases from The Power of Eternity (2007) to Coat of Arms (2020)

Timeline

List of Wishbone Ash members

Lineups

PeriodMembersReleases
October 1969 – June 1974
  • Martin Turner – vocals, bass
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Ted Turner – guitar, vocals
  • Steve Upton – drums, percussion
June 1974 – November 1980
  • Martin Turner – vocals, bass
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Laurie Wisefield – guitar, vocals
  • Steve Upton – drums, percussion
November 1980 – April 1981
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Laurie Wisefield – guitar, vocals
  • John Wetton – bass, keyboards, vocals
  • Steve Upton – drums, percussion
April 1981 – April 1983
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Laurie Wisefield – guitar, vocals
  • Trevor Bolder – bass, vocals
  • Steve Upton – drums, percussion
April 1983 – December 1985
  • Mervyn Spence – vocals, bass
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Laurie Wisefield – guitar, vocals
  • Steve Upton – drums, percussion
December 1985 – February 1986
  • Mervyn Spence – vocals, bass
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Jamie Crompton – guitar, backing vocals
  • Steve Upton – drums, percussion
none
February 1986 – July 1987
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Jamie Crompton – guitar, backing vocals
  • Andy Pyle – bass
  • Steve Upton – drums, percussion
July 1987 – July 1990
  • Martin Turner – vocals, bass, keyboards
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Ted Turner – guitar, vocals
  • Steve Upton – drums, percussion
July – November 1990
  • Martin Turner – vocals, bass, keyboards
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Ted Turner – guitar, vocals
  • Robbie France – drums
November 1990 – October 1991
  • Martin Turner – vocals, bass, keyboards
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Ted Turner – guitar, vocals
  • Ray Weston – drums, percussion
  • Strange Affair (1991)
October 1991 – January 1994
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Ted Turner – guitar, vocals
  • Andy Pyle – bass
  • Ray Weston – drums, percussion
Early 1994 – October 1995
October 1995 – January 1996
  • Martin Turner – vocals, bass
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Roger Filgate – guitar
  • Mike Sturgis – drums
none
January 1996 – 1997
  • Tony Kishman – vocals, bass
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Roger Filgate – guitar
  • Mike Sturgis – drums
1997 – May 2001
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Mark Birch – guitar, vocals
  • Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals
  • Ray Weston – drums, percussion
May 2001 – October 2004
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Ben Granfelt – guitar, vocals
  • Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals
  • Ray Weston – drums, percussion
  • Bona Fide (2002)
  • Almighty Blues: London & Beyond (2004)
October 2004 – April 2007
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Muddy Manninen – guitar, backing vocals
  • Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals
  • Ray Weston – drums, percussion
April 2007 – May 2017
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Muddy Manninen – guitar, vocals
  • Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals
  • Joe Crabtree – drums, percussion
May 2017 – February 2022
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Mark Abrahams – guitar
  • Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals
  • Joe Crabtree – drums, percussion
February 2022 – present
  • Andy Powell – guitar, vocals
  • Mark Abrahams – guitar
  • Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals
  • Mike Truscott – drums, percussion
  • Live Dates Live: 1973-2023 (2023)

Related Research Articles

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<i>Wishbone Ash</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Wishbone Ash

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<i>Pilgrimage</i> (Wishbone Ash album) 1971 studio album by Wishbone Ash

Pilgrimage is the second studio album by the rock band Wishbone Ash. The album focuses more on folk and acoustic music as opposed to the blues rock sound that dominated the first album. The album also contains the instrumental jazz workout "Vas Dis" as well as moodier, slower instrumentals such as "Alone" and "Lullaby".

<i>Wishbone Four</i> 1973 studio album by Wishbone Ash

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<i>Theres the Rub</i> 1974 studio album by Wishbone Ash

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<i>Locked In</i> (album) 1976 studio album by Wishbone Ash

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<i>New England</i> (Wishbone Ash album) 1976 studio album by Wishbone Ash

New England is the seventh studio album by rock band Wishbone Ash released only seven months after Locked In. It was a success compared to Locked In but still did not chart as high as most of their previous albums. It peaked at No. 22 in the UK Albums Chart. This album marked the "Americanization" of Wishbone Ash, as the band relocated from England to the Northeastern United States for tax purposes.

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<i>No Smoke Without Fire</i> 1978 studio album by Wishbone Ash

No Smoke Without Fire is the ninth studio album by English rock band Wishbone Ash. It was the first album since 1972's Argus to be produced by Derek Lawrence. The album peaked at No. 43 in the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Live Dates 2</i> 1980 live album by Wishbone Ash

Live Dates 2 is the third live album by rock band Wishbone Ash. The album was recorded partly on dates between 1976 and 1980, including the tour in support of the album Just Testing. It peaked at No. 40 in the UK Albums Chart.

<i>Number the Brave</i> 1981 studio album by Wishbone Ash

Number the Brave is the 11th studio album by rock band Wishbone Ash. It is the first album in the band's history recorded without founding bassist/vocalist Martin Turner. Turner was replaced by John Wetton, formerly of King Crimson and Uriah Heep. Also featured on Number the Brave was singer Claire Hamill as a backing vocalist, who would join Wishbone Ash on the 1981 tour to promote the album. Following "Vas Dis" on Pilgrimage and "Helpless" on Just Testing, the album featured only the third cover version released by the band on a studio album, Smokey Robinson's "Get Ready", previously a hit for The Temptations.

<i>Twin Barrels Burning</i> 1982 studio album by Wishbone Ash

Twin Barrels Burning is the twelfth studio album by British rock band Wishbone Ash. It was recorded at Sol Studios and released in 1982. It was the highest charting Wishbone Ash album since 1976, reaching No. 22 in the UK Albums Chart. Conversely, it was the final album to appear in that listing to date.

<i>Trance Visionary</i> 1998 studio album by Wishbone Ash

Trance Visionary is an electronic-based dance studio album by rock band Wishbone Ash recorded during 1996. Their 18th overall. It features techno and dance collaborations between band leader Andy Powell and electronica guru Mike Bennett.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Turner</span> Musical artist

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David Alan "Ted" Turner is an English guitarist and vocalist best known for his work with the 1970s rock band Wishbone Ash, in which he was famed for his twin lead guitar instrumental arrangements with Andy Powell. Turner also contributed lap steel guitar to a variety of Wishbone Ash recordings.

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