Gwyn Ashton's music encompasses a unique blend of hard-edged blues, roots, country, rock, boogie and funky grooves and rhythms, all played with dexterity. He’s a great solo act who will amaze you with his intense guitaring, sounding as big as a 3-piece band, and together with drummer Darren Lee they make a fantastic duo that breaks every musical boundary there is.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2007 - Prohibition G u i t a r And B a s s m a g a z i n e ( U K )

Welsh-born Gwyn Ashton migrated to Adelaide, South Australia in the ‘60s, picked up a guitar at 12 and, from the age of 16, played every seedy bar, festival and biker show imaginable. He relocated to Sydney in the ‘80s, playing stints with Swanee and Stevie Wright. With his own band, he carved up stages nationwide – some in the middle of nowhere, fronted with chicken wire, sometimes driving for days through the outback to get to the next show. In the ‘90s he moved to Melbourne, played shows with Jim Keays and Mick Pealing, recorded his first two albums and opened for Junior Wells, Rory Gallagher, Steve Morse and Albert Lee.

He has delivered show-stopping performances at festivals such as: Cognac Blues Passions, Great British R&B Festival, Maryport, Beauvais, Gympie Muster, Thredbo, Dobrofest, Prague Blues Festival, coheadlined the Marseille Blues Festival with Robben Ford and has been highly acclaimed by such luminaries as Robert Plant, Johnny Winter and Eric Johnson. Ashton has played onstage with the likes of Mick Fleetwood, Hubert Sumlin, Marc Ford, Jon Paris, Canned Heat and opened for BB King, Buddy Guy, Rory Gallagher, John Hammond, Johnny Winter, Robin Trower, Mick Taylor, Peter Green, Van Morrison, Pat Travers, Jeff Healey, Tony Joe White and many others.

He also appears and gives tutorials in numerous guitar magazines, has two of his songs in movie soundtracks in France and Asia, conducts master classes in Australia and Europe (inc GIT and Guitar X, London) and performs live on radio and television worldwide.

Solo
Gwyn Ashton's solo show encompasses a unique blend of hard-edged blues, roots, country, rock, boogie and funky grooves and rhythms, all played with dexterity on his old National steel, lap-slide, 3-string cigar box, 12 & 6-string guitars, mandolin, harmonica, bass pedal and stomp box. The consummate songwriter and versatile performer draws from his 4 albums for material, sounding as big as a 3-piece band - with an impact so powerful he doesn't need the extra instrumentation. His organic song writing and tasteful, fluid, sometimes berserk, guitaring plus 30 years as a road warrior on a mission have given him a do-or-die attitude and a goal to constantly push the boundaries of his craft.

Guitarist of the Year 2001
Guitar Part magazine
1: Jeff Beck
2: Gary Moore
3: Gwyn Ashton

Discography

Feel The Heat - ‘93
Album of the Month Oct ‘98 Guitar & Bass, FR
Amazon France Top 100 albums, 2000

Beg, Borrow & Steel - ’96 Fang It! – 2000
Amazon France Top 100 albums, 2000
Album of the Month Sept 2000 Guitar, FR Prohibition -’07
Album of the Year 2007 Guitar & Bass, UK
With special guests: Chris Glen, Ted McKenna (Sensational Alex Harvey Band, MSG, Gary Moore, Greg Lake) and Don Airey (Deep Purple, Rainbow, Whitesnake, Black Sabbath).

Pressure Makes Diamonds - Jim Keays ‘93
Real Australian Blues Vol. 2 - ‘94
Classic Rock coverdisc - Dec. 2000 Blues Guitar Heroes -’03
Resonator - Jim Keays - ‘07 Bone Rattlin’ Blues - ‘07
Hollywood Rocks - ’07

Status Quo
Promoting his then current album Feel The Heat, Ashton’s band opened for UK rock icons Status Quo on their 15-date British arena tour in ‘99. This included dates at Birmingham NEC and Wembley Arena.

Rory Gallagher
In 2000 Ashton recorded Fang It! with Gerry McAvoy and Brendan O’Neil, former Rory Gallagher rhythm section now with Nine Below Zero. He then fronted Band of Friends, replacing ex Motörhead guitarist Brian Robertson. This was a tribute to Rory, with Gerry, Brendan, Lou Martin, Mark Feltham and Ted McKenna who all played with Rory over the years.