Ted Turner - Guitarist

Born David Alan “Ted” Turner on the 2 August 1950, in Yardley, Birmingham. Turner was a guitarist and vocalist with the 70s rock band, Wishbone Ash, in which he was famed for twin lead guitar instrumental arrangements with Andy Powell. Additionally he contributed complex lap steel guitar riffs to a variety of Wishbone Ash recordings.

Throughout his career his main guitar has been a maple necked, Fender Stratocaster and on occasions Turner uses a Gibson Les Paul along with several vintage lap steel guitars.

Prior to Wishbone Ash, Turner played with the Birmingham band King Biscuit and in 1969 he auditioned for, and joined Wishbone Ash, leaving after the band’s fourth album, Wishbone Four. In 1971 He was invited to play on John Lennon’s Imagine album, on the track Crippled Inside and accepted the great opportunity to record with John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

In the spring of 1974, Turner left Wishbone Ash and the music business to travel the world. In 1980, he returned to England where he did studio work with Stewart Copeland, Gene October, and Brian James. The next year found him once again in the United States, where he married and formed a new band. Called “Choice”, it featured Greg Cook (guitars, keyboards, and vocals), Robbie Hewlett (bass guitar) and Bobby Dean Wickland (drums).

In 1982, Turner joined the re-formed “Badfinger” and toured the country with the band. From 1983 to 1985, Turner was involved in various recording projects with such artists as Brian Auger and Rod Stewart. In 1985 he moved to Chicago, recorded with various artistes including Sugar Blue.

In 1987 Turner rejoined Wishbone Ash and with then recorded “Nouveau Calls” for Miles Copeland’s “No Speak” label. In the spring of 1988, the original Wishbone Ash toured England and Europe for the first time in 15 years, and in the fall of that year he and his Wishbone colleague, Andy Powell were invited to join Copeland’s “Night of the Guitar” tour. That tour included such guitar legends as Randy California, Peter Haycock, Steve Howe, Steve Hunter, Robby Krieger, Leslie West, Alvin Lee and Jan Akkerman. He continued to tour and record with Wishbone Ash until 1994, when he once again decided to depart and travel his own path.

During his career with Wishbone Ash, Turner has played to three generations of fans all around the world. He was voted one of Rolling Stone magazine’s “Top Twenty Rock Guitarists of All Time”, and named by Traffic magazine as “One of the most important guitarists in Rock History”.