Martin Turner

Martin Turner
Name	Martin Turner
Birth date	1949
Birth place	Birmingham, England
Occupation	Musician, singer-songwriter, bass guitarist
Years active	1968–present
Associated acts	Wishbone Ash, ELO, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple

Martin Turner Martin Turner (born 1949) is an English musician best known as the original bassist and lead vocalist of Wishbone Ash, a pioneering rock band formed in the late 1960s. Turner helped shape the twin‑lead guitar sound associated with Wishbone Ash and contributed songwriting and vocals to seminal albums that influenced progressive rock, hard rock, and blues rock acts. Over a career spanning decades he has also worked with numerous artists across the British rock scene and maintained a solo career.

Early life and education

Turner was born in Birmingham, England, an industrial city that produced notable musicians and bands such as Black Sabbath and Traffic. He grew up during the postwar cultural shifts that saw the rise of Beatles-era pop and Rolling Stones‑style rhythm and blues in British popular music. Turner attended local schools in Birmingham and took up the bass guitar inspired by touring acts and the burgeoning British Invasion; his early formative experiences included exposure to live performances in nearby venues and regional music scenes such as those in Coventry and Wolverhampton. He began collaborating with local musicians before co-founding the group that became Wishbone Ash.

Musical career

Turner co-founded Wishbone Ash in 1969, joining guitarists Andy Powell and Ted Turner (no relation) and drummer Steve Upton to form a lineup that quickly gained attention. The band's eponymous debut album and subsequent releases like Argus (1972) received acclaim from publications such as Melody Maker and NME and brought them festival bookings alongside artists including Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, and The Who. As bassist and lead vocalist Turner toured extensively across the United Kingdom, Europe, and United States, performing at major festivals and venues such as Wembley Arena and the Isle of Wight Festival. He played on classic albums including the charting Argus and other 1970s records that established Wishbone Ash’s reputation for twin‑lead guitar harmonies and melodic songwriting.

After departing Wishbone Ash in the 1980s and later line-up changes, Turner pursued solo projects and occasional reunions. His solo recordings and live appearances continued into the 21st century, performing material from his Wishbone Ash tenure alongside new compositions. Turner has also been involved in touring lineups that revisit the classic era repertoire and has participated in archival reissues and anniversary concerts celebrating early 1970s rock, often appearing at events alongside veterans from Uriah Heep, Ten Years After, and Status Quo.

Style and influences

Turner’s bass playing combines melodic counterpoint and supportive rhythmic grounding, drawing influence from bassists and bands who shaped post‑1960s British rock. Influences include American and British players heard in acts like Cream, The Rolling Stones, The Who, and Jimi Hendrix‑associated lineups. His vocal approach reflects the British blues‑rock and folk‑rock vocalists of the era, aligning stylistically with contemporaries in Fleetwood Mac and Fairport Convention. Turner’s songwriting often integrates narrative lyrics and harmonic structures that complement the twin‑lead guitar approach developed by Wishbone Ash, echoing the compositional ambitions of Yes and Genesis while retaining a rootsy connection to Muddy Waters‑inspired blues forms.

Discography

Solo and band recordings include studio albums, live recordings, and compilation tracks spanning several decades. Notable entries associated with Turner’s career are: - Wishbone Ash — debut album and early 1970s albums including Argus (1972) that charted in the UK Albums Chart. - Solo albums and live releases issued under his own name featuring reinterpretations of classic material and new songs. - Live archival releases and reissues that document Turner’s performances with Wishbone Ash and post‑band touring ensembles. Turner’s recorded output has been reissued and anthologized on formats ranging from vinyl to CD and digital releases, often packaged with liner notes referencing the band’s impact on progressive rock and classic rock radio playlists.

Collaborations and session work

Throughout his career Turner has collaborated with a variety of musicians from the British rock circuit. He has shared bills and studio time with artists and bands such as ELO, Pink Floyd associates, and members of Deep Purple on festival lineups and charity concerts. Turner has also contributed bass and vocal work on sessions and guest appearances for contemporaries and for tribute projects honoring figures like Eric Clapton and Robert Plant. His session activity spans studio projects, live guest spots at commemorative concerts, and participation in collaborative albums that draw on the legacy of 1970s rock.

Awards and recognition

Turner and the early Wishbone Ash lineup have been recognized in retrospectives and by music historians for pioneering the twin‑lead guitar sound that influenced subsequent guitar duos and bands. The band’s Argus album has received critical acclaim in lists compiled by publications such as Q (magazine), Rolling Stone, and Classic Rock (magazine), and Turner’s contributions are cited in books and documentaries about the era, including histories of progressive rock and British blues rock. Turner has been invited as a guest to specialist festivals, panel discussions, and radio programs focused on classic rock heritage, receiving acknowledgments from fellow musicians and fan communities.

Personal life and legacy

Turner has maintained a life connected to music through performing, recording, and participating in heritage events celebrating 1970s rock. He is regarded by fans and historians as a key figure in the development of the twin‑lead guitar aesthetic and as an influential bassist and vocalist in British rock. Turner’s legacy is preserved through reissues, live recordings, and ongoing influence on bands citing Wishbone Ash as inspiration, including modern acts in the progressive rock revival scene and guitar duos who reference the harmonic and melodic templates established in the early 1970s. He continues to appear at select concerts and to engage with archival projects, ensuring continued recognition among aficionados and scholars of popular music history.

Category:English bass guitarists Category:1949 births Category:Living people