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Biography
Tony Ashton (1 March 1946, Blackburn , Lancashire – 28 May 2001, London ) was an English people|English rock music|rock pianist , keyboardist , singer , composer , Record producer|producer and artist .
Biography
Born Edward Anthony Ashton, he spent his formative years in the seaside town of Blackpool where his parents had an upright piano . When he was a child, his mother sent him to piano lessons. In 1959, at the age of 13, whilst Tony was a student at St. George's School, Blackpool, he joined a local group "The College Boys" Bob Broome Vocals, Pete Fielding Lead Guitar, Tony Ashton Piano/Rhythm Guitar, Harry Kershaw BassGuitar and Ronnie Turner Drums, this was where he started his musical career. When Tony left school at the age of 15 (normal school leaving age at the time) he was already an accomplished pianist . He played in a jazz trio, 'The Tony Ashton Trio' with drummer John Laidlaw and bass player Pete Shelton in 1961-62 at the 'Picador Club', Blackpool. Although his work began during the Beatles era, his roots lay firmly in Soul music|soul , jazz and the blues .Tony Ashton Obituary, by Chris Welch, The Independent - London After playing with various Blackpool bands, Tony was invited to join the Liverpool group the Remo Four as organist/vocalist. The group spent some time being the resident band at Hamburg's legendary Star club (Germany), followed by a US tour accompanying the Beatles. They recorded some singles but their best work came in 1966 when they released their album Smile . Before their break-up in 1968, they backed George Harrison on his album Wonderwall .
Career
Tony met Deep Purple in the early 1970s, when the last recording of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke was a collaboration with keyboardist Jon Lord on the soundtrack for a b-movie called The Last Rebel . In the meantime, Ashton had appeared on Jon Lord's first solo album Gemini Suite in 1971. In 1973, Ashton joined the group Family for their last album and tour. That same year, he and David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes were guest vocalists on Jon Lord's second album Windows . Tony became close friends with Jon Lord. In the summer of 1974, during a break in Purple's busy touring schedule, Tony Ashton and Jon Lord recorded their album First of the Big Bands . This project was launched with a gig at the London Palladium the same year and the BBC taped a special live appearance at Golders Green Hippodrome in London. The album of this show is a tour-de-force groovy, rhythm and blues, boogie piano and Hammond organ , big band fest. Tony also contributed to Roger Glover 's Butterfly Ball project.A Tribute to Tony Ashton, by Rasmus Heide In these years, Ashton and Lord found a second home in Zermatt , an alpine resort in Switzerland, sometimes to ski, but more often to offer giant and brilliant non-profit gigs in a unique complex (one hotel-two night-clubs-two restaurants and four pubs) called "Hotel Post" which was run by American-born Karl Ivarsson. Ashton managed to come to the place almost until his death, and Jon is still a regular visitor even if the "(in)famous" hotel doesn't exist anymore.
In August 1976, when Purple split, Jon Lord and Ian Paice found themselves with a lot of free time on their hands and a need to steer away from the hard rock scene. The logical step to take was to call on their old friend Tony Ashton. The result was the formation of Paice, Ashton, Lord (P.A.L.), a band rooted in funk, jazz and rock. The line-up was completed by future Whitesnake guitarist Bernie Marsden and bass player Paul Martinez . They recorded Malice In Wonderland in Munich and a nation-wide tour of the UK was set in motion. Unfortunately the tour was cancelled halfway because of big financial losses. The band broke up leaving Ashton without a record deal and not many future prospects.Tony Ashton Obituary.
Last years
By the early 1990s, Tony Ashton had got back on his feet and began to develop his second career, as an artist, specialising in idiosyncratic drawings and more elaborate paintings. He had always dabbled in artas a minor hobby but became very serious about it, thanks to his mother in-law who owned an art gallery. Many of Ashton's paintings were bought by the television presenter and DJ Chris Evans (presenter)|Chris Evans for exhibition at his art gallery, Well Hung, in Notting Hill . Apart from selling a lot of paintings (ink drawings and oil/acrylic), his work can be seen on the covers of various CDs, including his maxi-single Mr Ashton Sings Big Red and OtherLove Songs .Tony Ashton website:www.tonyashtonart.com. In 1996, Tony played in some gigs in Germany and reunited with Bernie Marsden. Together they played at various Festivals (in Norway and in the UK). In 1999, when he became seriously ill, a special benefit concert was recorded and filmed at EMI 's Abbey Road Studios , featuring the many diverse talents of a number of Tony's friends and colleagues over the years, including Jon Lord, Ian Paice, Micky Moody , Bernie Marsden, Howie Casey , Chris Barber , John Entwistle , Zak Starkey , Pete York , Zoot Money , Joe Brown (singer)|Joe Brown , Geoff Emerick , Mike Figgis and Ewan McGregor .Tony Ashton website. In the early nineties, Ashton also wrote the first of a planned trilogy of books, which has tales of various aspects of his career including Paice Ashton Lord, the Gastank TV series, and his love affair with Zermatt in Switzerland, which he first visited with Ashton Gardner & Dyke in 1970, and which gave him the title for the book: ''Zermattitis: a musicians' guide to going downhill fast . It has been recently published by Wymer Publishing, as a limited edition with a DVD of rare and previously unreleased film of Ashton Gardner & Dyke, including a live performance from Montreux Jazz Festival 1970.
Tony Ashton died from cancer on 28 May 2001 at his home. He was 55. Shortly before he sent this message:
Dear everyone, Thanks for all the messages and enquiries - recent tests show the cancer has spread ''and I've decided to refuse further treatment and come home. So - thanks to all, have a drink for me - cheers and bollox... - Tony Ashton .
Ashton, Gardner and Dyke -Ashton, Gardner and Dyke (1969 - CD:1995)
The Worst of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke -Ashton, Gardner and Dyke (1970 - CD:1994)
The Last Rebel - Soundtrack -Music composed by Tony Ashton and Jon Lord; performed by Ashton, Gardner and Dyke with Jon Lord& the Royal Liverpool Symphony Orchestra (1971 - CD:2002)
''What a Bloody Long Day It's Been -Ashton, Gardner and Dyke (1972 - CD:1994)
''It's Only a Movie -Family (1973)
The First of the Big Bands -Tony Ashton and Jon Lord (1974 - CD:1988)
Malice in Wonderland -Paice, Ashton and Lord (1977)
Live in Studio -Tony Ashton (1984 - CD:1994)
BBC Live in Concert -Paice, Ashton and Lord (1977 - CD:1992)
BBC Live in Concert -Tony Ashton and Jon Lord (1974 - CD:1993)
My Way on the Highway -Guitar Shorty and Otis Grand (1991)
Wind in the Willows -Eddie Hardin and Friends (1995)
''Wizard's Convention 2 -Eddie Hardin and Friends (1995)
''Wizard's Convention 3 -Eddie Hardin and Friends (1997)
''The Masters: Wizard's Convention -Eddie Hardin and Friends (2 CD Set, 1999)
References
External links
http://www.tonyashtonart.com Tony Ashton art gallery
http://www.waliditayim.com/ashton.html A Tribute to Tony Ashton
http://www.paiceashtonandlord.co.uk/ Paice, Ashton and Lord page
http://www.guitardaddy.co.uk/tonyashton.htm Tony Ashton in Belsize Park
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=lXAfmN1zy9w Paice, Ashton and Lord Live : Ballad of Mr Giver on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=bzO_egjm84o& feature=related Tony Ashton: Resurrection Shuffle (Ashton, Gardner and Dyke) on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=pitmR2vVgCo Ian Paice and Tony Ashton: Resurrection Shuffle on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=McMTTngpiJY& feature=related Tony Ashton and Maggie Bell: ''Blackpool's First Twist Victim on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=jvE0a-UhGw0 Ashton, Gardner and Dyke featuring Tony Ashton -vocals, piano and keyboard- 1969 on YouTube
commons category|Tony Ashton Family (band) Persondata | NAME =Ashton, Tony | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH = 1March 1946 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = 28 May 2001 | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Ashton, Tony Category:Family (band) members Category:1946 births Category:2001 deaths Category:People from Blackburn Category:English rock musicians Category:English keyboardists
