Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash are a British hard rock band, formed in Devon, 1969, forming out of the ashes of the group The Empty Vessels, later Tanglewood.

Wishbone Ash was formed in October 1969

Wishbone Ash are a British hard rock band, formed in Devon, 1969, forming out of the ashes of the group The Empty Vessels, later Tanglewood.

Wishbone Ash was formed in October 1969 by bassist Martin Turner and drummer Steve Upton. After an extensive search for a guitar player, the band could not decide between the final two candidates, Andy Powell and Ted Turner. Martin Turner suggested that they try both guitar players "just to see what it sounds like". Unbeknownst to Turner, he was helping to pioneer a brand new technique in rock: the "twin lead" harmonising guitar sound, though this sound was later refined to the Judas Priest and Iron Maiden style harmonies by legendary hard rock band Thin Lizzy. Coincidentally, across the ocean in America, Dickey Betts and Duane Allman were utilizing the same technique, as The Allman Brothers Band was formed around the same time in Macon, Georgia. Though both bands were heavily rooted in the blues, the Wishbone Ash twin lead sound also included strong elements of folk, progressive rock, and classical music. Asking their fans to suggest a name for the new band, the names 'Wishbone' and 'Ash' happened to be alongside each other on the decision sheet; a happy juxtaposition that Martin Turner spotted and encouraged the others to accept as a decision really needed to be made. They all agreed with Martin's choice. The name allowed the band to be as diverse as they pleased without any musical constraint implied.