ACE of BASS

Kinglsley Abbott celebrates the career of folk-rock legend ASHLEY HUTCHINGS

Arguably the most influential bass player in the country, Ashley Hutchings is known for his work with Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, The Albion Band and its numerous spin-offs. Some call him the Godfather Of British Folk-Rock, which he is; but his career takes in a much wider span of influences than many are aware of.

Born in 1945, Ashley was at the forefront of the baby boomers who were able to take advantage of all the rich breadth of music that was available in the late 50s and during the 60s. “I was hooked on early rock’n’roll from the first minute I heard it. Before that I had never been excited. But then... Elvis... Bill Haley... Rock Around The Clock and Buddy Holly. The surge of Skiffle thrilled me, through people like Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys. Not Lonnie Donegan, though. Even in those early days I was attracted to the people who were off the graph. I went to see Eddie Cochran at the Finsbury Park Astoria and I remember flipping! He spent the first song-and-a-half with his back to the audience, with the girls going ape, wanting him to turn around. I saw then the absolute power that music could have on the opposite sex.

“I was jolted when I first heard The Beatles on Saturday Club and saw them on TV. That made everyone at school form groups; people would …

by Kinglsley Abbott
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