Ex Band of Friends singer/guitarist Gwyn Ashton is smashing stages around the world as a nu age “one-man power trio”, promoting his 10th album, Mojosoul.
Ashton is on the top of the list of the new wave of modern blues rock artists, spearheaded by The Black Keys, Jack White, Seasick Steve etc. Live, his dynamic performances also include haunting and mesmerising bottleneck and lap steel moments.
Laying down a dirty backbeat on a foot drum kit, bass lines with his thumb, he attacks his guitar with a bottleneck slide, sings and blows blues harp into a lofi radio microphone, creating the illusion of a full band. From a scream to a whisper in a split second, his dynamic sensitivity on all these instruments defines his musicality and flexibility.
With a new single Get Outta Town feat Guns N’ Roses guitarist Richard Fortus and members of Australian bands Cold Chisel and Superjesus, the Welsh-Australian recently appeared across Europe with prog rockers Wishbone Ash, co-headlined the Adelaide Guitar Festival in Australia and blazed his way across the UK, Germany, Balkans, Czechia, Slovakia and Poland. He‘s played dozens of festivals across Europe, UK, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and Russia and tours with some of the biggest names in rock and blues.
Inspired by the likes of Hendrix, Ry Cooder and David Lindley, his “guitarsenal” includes a rack of electric and acoustic instruments including lap slide, resonator, 12-string and old pawn shop guitars. He plays venues, festivals, guitar shows and conducts masterclasses worldwide.
Ashton has multiple Tracks of The Week in the UK’s Classic Rock Magazine with guests Don Airey (Deep Purple), Neil Murray (Whitesnake), Robbie Blunt (Robert Plant) and Rory Gallagher’s band.
Formerly with Virgin Records, France, Gwyn Ashton was lead guitarist in Europe with Band of Friends (Rory Gallagher’s band) and in Australia with Stevie Wright (Easybeats) and Jim Keays (Master’s Apprentices). He has opened shows for BB King, Buddy Guy, Ray Charles, Peter Green, Van Morrison, Hubert Sumlin (Howlin’ Wolf), Mick Taylor, Status Quo, The Yardbirds, Slade, Robin Trower, Steve Hackett, Wishbone Ash, The Troggs and more. He has been invited onstage to jam with Mick Fleetwood, Canned Heat, Walter Trout, Elliot Randall (Steely Dan) and many others.