Editing Wishbone Ash (section)

===Formation and rise to fame (1969–1980)===
{{one source|section|date=October 2023}}
[[File:Wishbone-ash-charlotte-nc-m.jpg|thumb|right|Wishbone Ash on stage in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], US, in 1972]]
Wishbone Ash was formed in October 1969 by bass guitarist [[Martin Turner]] and drummer Steve Upton. When Tanglewood's original guitarist, Martin's brother Glenn Turner, left the trio and returned to his native [[Devon]], their manager, [[Miles Copeland III]], advertised for a guitar player and also for a keyboard player. After an extensive search for a guitarist, the band could not decide between the final two candidates, [[Andy Powell]] and [[Ted Turner (guitarist)|Ted Turner]] (no relation to Martin). It was suggested that they try both guitar players "just to see what it sounds like". Differing from the twin lead sound of [[Southern rock]] pioneer [[The Allman Brothers Band]], Wishbone Ash included strong elements of [[progressive rock]], and also of [[folk music|folk]] and [[European classical music|classical music]]. After the band members wrote several suggested band names on two sheets of paper, Martin Turner picked one word from each list – 'Wishbone' and 'Ash'.

In early 1970, the band secured an opening spot for [[Deep Purple]].  Its guitarist, [[Ritchie Blackmore]], later recommended Wishbone Ash to producer [[Derek Lawrence]], as well as helping them secure a record deal with [[Decca Records|Decca]]/[[MCA Records]]. 

The band's debut album, ''[[Wishbone Ash (album)|Wishbone Ash]]'', was released in December 1970. One year later, the group released ''[[Pilgrimage (Wishbone Ash album)|Pilgrimage]]'' and the band peaked commercially in 1972 with ''[[Argus (album)|Argus]]'', their highest placed entry in the [[UK Albums Chart]] (#3).<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> The album was voted by the readers of ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]'' as the "best rock album of the year", also "Top British Album" (''Melody Maker''). The band were getting international acclaim for their live performances as they gained popularity around the world.

Wishbone Ash had now begun to play major arenas as headliners. ''[[Wishbone Four]]'' (1973) was the band's first record without producer Derek Lawrence, as the band decided to produce the album themselves, and in December 1973 the band released a [[double album|double]] live album, ''[[Live Dates]]''. There had already been an album released called ''Wishbone Ash Live in Memphis'', which was a promo to FM radio stations but never sold in stores.

In May 1974 guitarist Ted Turner, burned out by the group's constant touring, decided to leave the band. After replacing Turner with guitarist [[Laurie Wisefield]] ([[Home (UK band)|ex-Home]]), the band relocated to the US and recorded ''[[There's the Rub]]'' (1974).<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> 

''[[Locked In (album)|Locked In]]'' (1976), produced by [[Tom Dowd]], saw the band moving towards US soft-rock territory and the group began touring with a keyboard player, Graham Maitland, who had previously guested with the group on a few shows and contributed to ''Wishbone Four''.

1976's ''[[New England (Wishbone Ash album)|New England]]'' returned to the traditional Wishbone Ash style and ''[[Front Page News]]'' (1977) was the band's last album of this period that was recorded in the US. By 1978, after years of experimental albums, the band decided to return to its roots with ''[[No Smoke Without Fire]]'', the first to be produced by Derek Lawrence since ''Argus'' in 1972. The album contained mainly songs written by Laurie Wisefield and Martin Turner.

The band spent six months making the next album, ''[[Just Testing]]'', which was released in February 1980. Pressured by [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]] to make more commercial music, Andy Powell, Laurie Wisefield and Steve Upton expressed to bassist/vocalist Martin Turner that they planned to recruit a lead singer/frontman, thus restricting Martin Turner's duties to bass guitar only.{{Citation needed|date=June 2007}} Turner felt unable to support such plans and described the position he was being put in as "untenable". Following a band meeting at his house in October 1980 (just prior to the release of their ''[[Live Dates 2]]'' album), Martin Turner parted company with the band. Ironically, the band never recruited the proposed frontman and Turner, in his 2012 autobiography, described the situation as "constructive dismissal". However this was not a view held by the rest of the remaining band members or the then management.