Doug Ashdown

Douglas Wesley Ashdown was born in 1942 in Adelaide, South Australia and at the age of 17 he travelled to England to play in a rock band. In 1961 he was back in Adelaide and played guitar alongside Bobby Bright as vocalist in The Bowmen.[2] By 1965, as a solo singer-songwriter, he released his first album, This Is Doug Ashdown. His 1960s popular singles were "Something Strange" in 1968, and in 1969, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" (cover of the Jerry Lee Lewis' hit).[3]

In 1970, he signed with the independent label, Sweet Peach, and issued "The Saddest Song of All" in August which peaked at number 46 on the Kent Music Report.[1] The song was written by Ashdown and Jim Stewart, who became his long-term producer and co-writer.[4] The associated album, The Age of Mouse, was the first double LP album of original material released by an Australian.[2] Ashdown and Stewart relocated to the United States, living in Nashville. While in Nashville, the pair co-wrote "Just Thank Me",[5] for David Rogers, who released it in 1973—it peaked at No. 17 on the US Country Music Singles Chart.[6] They also co-wrote "Leave Love Enough Alone" which Ashdown released in 1974 upon relocation to Sydney.[7] He had a minor hit with it when it was renamed as Winter in America and released in 1976. It peaked at No.  3 in Brisbane, No. 14 in Melbourne and No. 30 in Sydney.[3]

In 1977, his album, Trees won the TV Week, an Australian television entertainment magazine, King of Pop Award for 'Best Album Cover'.[8] Ashdown also worked with science fiction writer/songwriter Terry Dowling on recordings of Dowling's song-cycle "Amberjack", about a stranded time traveller. Ashdown contributed lead vocals and guitar to six of the tracks of Dowling's song-cycle which were broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in 1977.

He continued to release singles and albums and had minor chart success into the 1980s.[3]

• Official website
• Doug Ashdown at Allmusic