Biography
Steve Ashley has shaped British folk music over a span of nearly forty years. He joined the Albion Country Band for its brief existence in the early 1970s and later appeared in many different lineups, leading both Ragged Robin and the Steve Ashley Band while also forming a duo in the 1980s with Chris Leslie, later a multi-instrumentalist in Fairport Convention. His harmonica work appears on recordings by Plainsong, Marc Ellington, Richard Thompson, Ashley Hutchings, and Mike D’Abo. Folk Roots observed that “Ashley’s freshness and vigour are constants,” whereas Melody Maker called him “one of the finest singer/songwriters in Britain, if not the entire English-speaking world.”
Still a teenager and enrolled at Ealing Art College, Ashley began performing traditional folk material in West London clubs. After relocating to Maidstone in 1964 to pursue graphic design, he befriended Peter Bellamy of the Young Tradition and, with him, established the Maidstone Folk Club. Drawn to American blues, he played in the Art College blues group the Tea Set. Upon receiving his diploma in 1967, he took a graphic-design post at the Observer and simultaneously started writing original songs. With guitarist Dave Menday he formed the duo Tinderbox, which cut the unreleased single “Farewell Britannia” late that year. Their first BBC radio session featured Shirley Collins as well. After Tinderbox dissolved, Ashley remained associated with Collins, contributing vocals to Shirley & Dolly Collins’ 1969 album Anthems in Eden. A 1971 publishing deal with Harbrook Music brought early recognition when Anne Briggs recorded his composition “Fire and Wine.” He also served for three weeks as a regular guest on the BBC program Start the Week.
Although he performed with several notable ensembles, Ashley found it difficult to secure record releases. As a member of the Albion Country Band alongside Ashley Hutchings, Simon Nicol, Dave Mattacks, Royston Wood, and Sue Draheim, he participated in a 1972 album that remained unreleased until 1974. Ragged Robin, formed with Richard Byers, Brian Diprose, and John Thompson, built a loyal audience during a six-month residency at the Howff in London’s Primrose Hill yet disbanded in October 1973 after completing only one unreleased album. His own recordings fared better: the debut Stroll On was named Contemporary Folk Album of 1974 by Folk Review. Speedy Return, issued on Gull in 1975, was followed by the single “Old Rock & Roll,” recorded with Fairport Convention personnel. From the early 1980s onward Ashley turned increasingly to political and social themes, producing two anti-nuclear albums for the U.K. Peace Movement—Demo Tapes in 1981 and More Demo Tapes in 1983—both featuring Fairport Convention musicians. He maintained a close association with bassist Dave Pegg, co-owner of the Woodworm label, who co-produced the 1982 album Family Album, later reissued on The Road Goes on Forever in 1991. After completing Mysterious Ways in 1990, Ashley grew weary of the music industry and announced his retirement two years later.
He nonetheless reappeared periodically, composing and recording the instrumental score for Roger Deakins’ 1995 documentary Stable Lads and supplying the string arrangement for “It Don’t Bother Me” on the Bert Jansch tribute album People on the Highway. In April 2001 he issued his seventh solo album, Everyday Lives.
Still a teenager and enrolled at Ealing Art College, Ashley began performing traditional folk material in West London clubs. After relocating to Maidstone in 1964 to pursue graphic design, he befriended Peter Bellamy of the Young Tradition and, with him, established the Maidstone Folk Club. Drawn to American blues, he played in the Art College blues group the Tea Set. Upon receiving his diploma in 1967, he took a graphic-design post at the Observer and simultaneously started writing original songs. With guitarist Dave Menday he formed the duo Tinderbox, which cut the unreleased single “Farewell Britannia” late that year. Their first BBC radio session featured Shirley Collins as well. After Tinderbox dissolved, Ashley remained associated with Collins, contributing vocals to Shirley & Dolly Collins’ 1969 album Anthems in Eden. A 1971 publishing deal with Harbrook Music brought early recognition when Anne Briggs recorded his composition “Fire and Wine.” He also served for three weeks as a regular guest on the BBC program Start the Week.
Although he performed with several notable ensembles, Ashley found it difficult to secure record releases. As a member of the Albion Country Band alongside Ashley Hutchings, Simon Nicol, Dave Mattacks, Royston Wood, and Sue Draheim, he participated in a 1972 album that remained unreleased until 1974. Ragged Robin, formed with Richard Byers, Brian Diprose, and John Thompson, built a loyal audience during a six-month residency at the Howff in London’s Primrose Hill yet disbanded in October 1973 after completing only one unreleased album. His own recordings fared better: the debut Stroll On was named Contemporary Folk Album of 1974 by Folk Review. Speedy Return, issued on Gull in 1975, was followed by the single “Old Rock & Roll,” recorded with Fairport Convention personnel. From the early 1980s onward Ashley turned increasingly to political and social themes, producing two anti-nuclear albums for the U.K. Peace Movement—Demo Tapes in 1981 and More Demo Tapes in 1983—both featuring Fairport Convention musicians. He maintained a close association with bassist Dave Pegg, co-owner of the Woodworm label, who co-produced the 1982 album Family Album, later reissued on The Road Goes on Forever in 1991. After completing Mysterious Ways in 1990, Ashley grew weary of the music industry and announced his retirement two years later.
He nonetheless reappeared periodically, composing and recording the instrumental score for Roger Deakins’ 1995 documentary Stable Lads and supplying the string arrangement for “It Don’t Bother Me” on the Bert Jansch tribute album People on the Highway. In April 2001 he issued his seventh solo album, Everyday Lives.
Albums
