Irving Ashby
jazz musician · guitarist · jazz guitarist · musician
- December 29, 1920 · Somerville
- April 22, 1987 · Perris
- 66 years
- heart attack
About Irving Ashby
Irving Ashby, 66, American jazz guitarist, heart attack.
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Full Biography
|Irving Conrad Ashby (December 29, 1920 – April 22, 1987) was an American jazz guitarist.
Ashby was born in Somerville, Massachusetts and started playing guitar when he was nine. His career started in 1940 when he became a member of Lionel Hampton's band, and he played on Hampton's hit "Flying Home". In 1947, he took over for Oscar Moore in the Nat King Cole Trio.
He then briefly replaced Charlie Smith, a drummer, in the Oscar Peterson Trio, producing a line-up (piano, guitar, bass) similar to the Cole Trio's; the substitution of a guitarist for a drummer continued until 1958. After leaving the Peterson Trio, Ashby concentrated on session work, which included recording with Norman Granz, Sheb Wooley, LaVern Baker, Howard Roberts, B.B. King, Louis Jordan, and Pat Boone. In addition to guitar, Ashby played the upright bass. Ashby died in April 1987 in Perris, California, at the age of 66.
Discography
- Memoirs (Accent, 1977)
As sideman
With Nat King Cole
- 1947 Volume 3 (Classics, 2000)
- 1947–1949 (Classics, 2000)
- 1949 (Classics, 2001)
- 1949–1950 (Classics, 2003)
- The Instrumental Classics (Capitol, 1992)
With others
- Chan Romero, Hippy Hippy Shake (Del-Fi, 1959)
- Count Basie, Basie Jam (Pablo, 1975)
- Jackie Davis, Big Beat Hammond (Capitol, 1962)
- Ernie Freeman, Ernie Freeman Plays Irving Berlin (Imperial, 1956)
- Erroll Garner, Trio (Dreyfus, 2018)
- Billie Holiday, Lady Sings the Blues (Verve, 1956)
- Illinois Jacquet, Illinois Jacquet and His Orchestra (Clef, 1957)
- Louis Jordan, Man, We're Wailin' (Mercury, 1958)
- Meade Lux Lewis, Alternate Takes, Live Performances, Soundies, Etc. (Document, 2005)
- Mundell Lowe, California Guitar (Famous Door 1973)
- B. B. King, Lucille (Bluesway, 1968)
- Amos Milburn, Chicken Shack Boogie (United Artists, 1978)
- Charlie Parker, Bird: The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve (Verve, 1988)
- Oscar Peterson, The History of an Artist (Pablo, 1974)
- Perez Prado, Prez (RCA Victor, 1958)
- Andre Previn, Previn at Sunset (Black Lion, 1972)
- Lou Rawls, Black and Blue and Tobacco Road (Capitol, 2006)
- Fats Waller, Original Sessions 1943 (Musidisc, 1975)
- Lester Young, The Complete Aladdin Recordings of Lester Young (Blue Note, 1995)
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irving_Ashby
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 28, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 15 questions
Questions drawn from Irving Ashby's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what year was the jazz guitarist Irving Conrad Ashby born?
- A.1930
- B.1910
- C.1920correct
- D.1940
Irving Conrad Ashby was born on December 29, 1920.
Source: Biographical introduction
2.What is the birthplace of Irving Conrad Ashby?
- A.Perris, California
- B.New York City, New York
- C.Somerville, Massachusettscorrect
- D.Chicago, Illinois
Irving Conrad Ashby was born in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Source: Early life section
3.At what age did Irving Conrad Ashby begin playing the guitar?
- A.Seven
- B.Eleven
- C.Ninecorrect
- D.Thirteen
Irving Conrad Ashby started playing guitar when he was nine years old.
Source: Early life section
4.With which band leader did Irving Conrad Ashby begin his professional career in 1940?
- A.Nat King Cole
- B.Oscar Peterson
- C.Lionel Hamptoncorrect
- D.Louis Jordan
Irving Conrad Ashby's career started in 1940 when he joined Lionel Hampton's band.
Source: Career beginnings
5.Which hit song did Irving Conrad Ashby record as a member of Lionel Hampton's band?
- A.Blue Skies
- B.Jazz Me Blues
- C.Sweet Lorraine
- D.Flying Homecorrect
Irving Conrad Ashby played on Lionel Hampton's hit record titled Flying Home.
Source: Career beginnings
6.Whom did Irving Conrad Ashby replace when he joined the Nat King Cole Trio in 1947?
- A.Norman Granz
- B.Howard Roberts
- C.Charlie Smith
- D.Oscar Moorecorrect
In 1947, Irving Conrad Ashby took over the guitar position from Oscar Moore in the Nat King Cole Trio.
Source: Nat King Cole Trio tenure
7.Until what year did the substitution of a guitarist for a drummer continue in the Oscar Peterson Trio?
- A.1958correct
- B.1965
- C.1950
- D.1947
The practice of using a guitarist instead of a drummer in the Oscar Peterson Trio continued until 1958.
Source: Oscar Peterson Trio section
8.Which of these musicians did Irving Conrad Ashby record with during his period of session work?
- A.Miles Davis
- B.John Coltrane
- C.Duke Ellington
- D.Pat Boonecorrect
After leaving the Peterson Trio, Irving Conrad Ashby recorded with various artists including Pat Boone.
Source: Session work section
9.Besides the guitar, what other instrument was Irving Conrad Ashby known to play?
- A.Saxophone
- B.Piano
- C.Upright basscorrect
- D.Trumpet
In addition to his skills on the guitar, Irving Conrad Ashby played the upright bass.
Source: Instrumental skills
10.In what city did Irving Conrad Ashby pass away?
- A.Somerville, Massachusetts
- B.Perris, Californiacorrect
- C.Boston, Massachusetts
- D.Los Angeles, California
Irving Conrad Ashby died in Perris, California, in April 1987.
Source: Death section
11.How old was Irving Conrad Ashby at the time of his death?
- A.64
- B.62
- C.68
- D.66correct
Irving Conrad Ashby died at the age of 66.
Source: Death section
12.What is the title of the album released by Irving Conrad Ashby in 1977?
- A.Blue Notes
- B.Jazz Guitar Session
- C.Memoirscorrect
- D.Flying Home
The biography lists the album Memoirs, released on the Accent label in 1977.
Source: Discography section
13.Which of the following artists is explicitly mentioned as a collaborator of Irving Conrad Ashby during his session work?
- A.Thelonious Monk
- B.B.B. Kingcorrect
- C.Ella Fitzgerald
- D.Charlie Parker
Irving Conrad Ashby's session work included recordings with B.B. King.
Source: Session work section
14.What specific lineup change did Irving Conrad Ashby create when joining the Oscar Peterson Trio?
- A.Piano, drums, and bass
- B.Bass, guitar, and drums
- C.Piano, guitar, and basscorrect
- D.Guitar, drums, and piano
Irving Conrad Ashby's arrival in the Oscar Peterson Trio resulted in a piano, guitar, and bass lineup.
Source: Oscar Peterson Trio section
15.On which record label was the Irving Conrad Ashby album 'Memoirs' released?
- A.Atlantic
- B.Verve
- C.Accentcorrect
- D.Blue Note
Irving Conrad Ashby's 1977 album titled Memoirs was released by the Accent label.
Source: Discography section
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