# List of Wishbone Ash members

Wishbone Ash are an English hard rock band from Torquay, Devon. Formed in October 1969, the group originally included bassist and lead vocalist Martin Turner, guitarists and vocalists Andy Powell and Ted Turner, and drummer Steve Upton. The band currently consists of Powell, alongside bassist Bob Skeat (since 1997), guitarist Mark Abrahams (since 2017) and drummer Mike Truscott (since 2022).

## History

Their first lineup change came in the spring of 1974, when Ted Turner was replaced by former Home guitarist Laurie Wisefield. Martin Turner had also left by 1980, with John Wetton replacing him for the 1981 album Number the Brave. After Wetton left to form Asia in early 1981, Trevor Bolder joined Wishbone Ash and remained until 1983, when he returned to his previous band Uriah Heep. Bolder was replaced by former Trapeze bassist and vocalist Mervyn Spence. Wisefield was replaced by Jamie Crompton in late 1985, and Andy Pyle replaced Spence in 1986.
In 1987, Martin and Ted Turner returned as part of an original lineup reformation for former manager Miles Copeland's I.R.S. No Speak instrumental album series, to which they contributed Nouveau Calls at the end of the year. Powell was left as the sole remaining constant member of Wishbone Ash by mid-1990, when Upton left the group and retired from the music business. He was replaced briefly by Robbie France and later in the year by Ray Weston, both of whom featured on the 1991 release Strange Affair. Shortly after the album's release, Martin Turner was fired from the group on 1 October 1991, with Pyle returning to take his place. Ted Turner was the final original member of the band to leave in early 1994, with bassist Pyle and drummer Weston following him in leaving the group shortly after.
Powell rebuilt the band with the addition of guitarist Roger Filgate, bassist Tony Kishman and drummer Mike Sturgis. Martin Turner briefly returned for the group's 25th anniversary tour in 1995 and began working on new material, before leaving for a third and final time. After the release and touring of Illuminations, Filgate, Kishman and Sturgis were replaced by Mark Birch, Bob Skeat and Weston, respectively. Birch remained until 2001, when he was replaced by Finnish guitarist Ben Granfelt. After the studio album Bona Fide and live release Almighty Blues: London & Beyond, Granfelt left in 2004 after playing his final show on 30 October. He was replaced by another Finnish guitarist, Jyrki "Muddy" Manninen. Long-term drummer Weston left for a second time in early 2007 due to tiring of touring, with Joe Crabtree taking his place. on 9 May 2017, when Mark Abrahams replaced Manninen as their ninth guitarist. In 2022 Crabtree left the band and was replaced by Mike Truscott.

## Members
### Current

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Andy Powell | 1969–present | guitarvocalsmandolin | all Wishbone Ash releases |
| Bob Skeat | 1997–present | bassbacking vocalsoccasional keyboards | all Wishbone Ash releases from Trance Visionary (1997) onwards |
| Mark Abrahams | 2017–present | guitar | Coat of Arms (2020) |
| Mike Truscott | 2022–present | drumspercussion | Live Dates Live: 1973–2023 (2023) |

### Former

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Steve Upton | 1969–1990 | drumspercussion | all Wishbone Ash releases from Wishbone Ash (1970) to Here to Hear (1989) |
| Martin Turner | 1969–19801987–19911995–1996 | bassvocalskeyboards | all Wishbone Ash releases from Wishbone Ash (1970) to Live Dates 2 (1980)Hot Ash Live (1981)Nouveau Calls (1987)Here to Hear (1989)Strange Affair (1991) |
| Ted Turner | 1969–19741987–1993 | guitarvocalsbanjo | all Wishbone Ash releases from Wishbone Ash (1970) to Live Dates (1973), and from Nouveau Calls (1987) to Live in Chicago (1992) |
| Laurie Wisefield | 1974–1985 | guitarvocalsbanjo | all Wishbone Ash releases from There's the Rub (1974) to Raw to the Bone (1985) |
| John Wetton | 1980–1981 (died 2017) | bassvocalskeyboards | Number the Brave (1981) |
| Trevor Bolder | 1981–1983 (died 2013) | bassvocals | Twin Barrels Burning (1982) |
| Mervyn Spence | 1983–1986 | bassvocals | Raw to the Bone (1985) |
| Jamie Crompton | 1985–19871988 (touring) | guitarbacking vocals | none |
| Andy Pyle | 1986–19871991–1994 | bassvocals | Live in Chicago (1992) |
| Robbie France | 1990 (died 2012) | drums | Strange Affair (1991) |
| Ray Weston | 1990–19941997–2007 | drumspercussion | Strange Affair (1991)Live in Chicago (1992)all Wishbone Ash releases from Trance Visionary (1997) to Live in Hamburg (2007) |
| Roger Filgate | 1994–1997 | guitarbacking vocalsbasskeyboards (studio) | Live in Geneva (1995)Illuminations (1996) |
| Mike Sturgis | 1994–1997 | drums | Live in Geneva (1995)Illuminations (1996) |
| Tony Kishman | 1994–19951996–1997 | bassvocals | Live in Geneva (1995)Illuminations (1996) |
| Mark Birch | 1997–2001 | guitarvocals | all Wishbone Ash releases from Trance Visionary (1997) to Live Dates 3 (2001) |
| Ben Granfelt | 2001–2004 | guitarvocals | Bona Fide (2002)Almighty Blues: London & Beyond (2004) |
| Muddy Manninen | 2004–2017 | guitarvocals | all Wishbone Ash releases from Live on XM Satellite Radio (2005) to Live at Metropolis 16/05/15 (2015) |
| Joe Crabtree | 2007–2022 | drumspercussionbacking vocals | all Wishbone Ash releases from The Power of Eternity (2007) to Coat of Arms (2020) |

## Lineups

| Period | Members | Releases |
| October 1969 – June 1974 | Martin Turner – vocals, bass Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Ted Turner – guitar, vocals Steve Upton – drums, percussion | Wishbone Ash (1970) Pilgrimage (1971) Argus (1972) Live from Memphis (1972) Wishbone Four (1973) Live Dates (1973) First Light (2007) |
| June 1974 – November 1980 | Martin Turner – vocals, bass Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Laurie Wisefield – guitar, vocals Steve Upton – drums, percussion | There's the Rub (1974) Locked In (1976) New England (1976) Front Page News (1977) No Smoke Without Fire (1978) Live in Tokyo (1979) Just Testing (1980) Live Dates 2 (1980) |
| November 1980 – April 1981 | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Laurie Wisefield – guitar, vocals John Wetton – bass, keyboards, vocals Steve Upton – drums, percussion | Number the Brave (1981) |
| April 1981 – April 1983 | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Laurie Wisefield – guitar, vocals Trevor Bolder – bass, vocals Steve Upton – drums, percussion | Twin Barrels Burning (1982) |
| April 1983 – December 1985 | Mervyn Spence – vocals, bass Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Laurie Wisefield – guitar, vocals Steve Upton – drums, percussion | Raw to the Bone (1985) |
| December 1985 – February 1986 | Mervyn Spence – vocals, bass Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Jamie Crompton – guitar, backing vocals Steve Upton – drums, percussion | none |
| February 1986 – July 1987 | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Jamie Crompton – guitar, backing vocals Andy Pyle – bass Steve Upton – drums, percussion | none |
| July 1987 – July 1990 | Martin Turner – vocals, bass, keyboards Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Ted Turner – guitar, vocals Steve Upton – drums, percussion | Nouveau Calls (1987) Here to Hear (1989) |
| July – November 1990 | Martin Turner – vocals, bass, keyboards Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Ted Turner – guitar, vocals Robbie France – drums | Strange Affair (1991) – three tracks |
| November 1990 – October 1991 | Martin Turner – vocals, bass, keyboards Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Ted Turner – guitar, vocals Ray Weston – drums, percussion | Strange Affair (1991) |
| October 1991 – January 1994 | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Ted Turner – guitar, vocals Andy Pyle – bass Ray Weston – drums, percussion | The Ash Live in Chicago (1992) |
| Early 1994 – October 1995 | Tony Kishman – vocals, bass Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Roger Filgate – guitar Mike Sturgis – drums | Live in Geneva (1995) |
| October 1995 – January 1996 | Martin Turner – vocals, bass Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Roger Filgate – guitar Mike Sturgis – drums | none |
| January 1996 – 1997 | Tony Kishman – vocals, bass Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Roger Filgate – guitar Mike Sturgis – drums | Illuminations (1996) |
| 1997 – May 2001 | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Mark Birch – guitar, vocals Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals Ray Weston – drums, percussion | Trance Visionary (1998) Psychic Terrorism (1998) Bare Bones (1999) Live Dates 3 (2000) |
| May 2001 – October 2004 | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Ben Granfelt – guitar, vocals Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals Ray Weston – drums, percussion | Bona Fide (2002) Almighty Blues: London & Beyond (2004) |
| October 2004 – April 2007 | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Muddy Manninen – guitar, backing vocals Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals Ray Weston – drums, percussion | Live on XM Satellite Radio (2005) Clan Destiny (2006) Live in Hamburg (2007) |
| April 2007 – May 2017 | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Muddy Manninen – guitar, vocals Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals Joe Crabtree – drums, percussion | Power of Eternity (2007) Argus "Then Again" Live (2008) Elegant Stealth (2011) Blue Horizon (2014) |
| May 2017 – February 2022 | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Mark Abrahams – guitar Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals Joe Crabtree – drums, percussion | Coat of Arms (2020) |
| February 2022 – present | Andy Powell – guitar, vocals Mark Abrahams – guitar Bob Skeat – bass, backing vocals Mike Truscott – drums, percussion | Live Dates Live: 1973-2023 (2023) |