John Wetton

John Kenneth Wetton (12 June 1949 – 31 January 2017) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He was known for his bass playing as well as his baritone voice. In 1971, he was a member of the rock band Family for a short time, before joining King Crimson in 1972. After the breakup of King Crimson at the end of 1974, he played in a number of other bands, including Roxy Music (1974–1975), Uriah Heep (1975–1976), U.K. (1977–1980), and Wishbone Ash (1980–1981).

In 1981, Wetton co-founded the supergroup Asia as lead vocalist and principal songwriter. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1982, selling ten million copies worldwide and becoming Billboard magazine's number one album of 1982. He later formed the duo Icon with his Asia bandmate and songwriting partner Geoff Downes and also had a successful solo career.

Wetton was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth, Dorset, where he attended Bournemouth School. His elder brother Robert was a classical organist and choirmaster. While practising organ, Robert would have John play the bass parts on a piano, since their home organ did not have a pedalboard. John recalled that during the practices, "I got to like bass lines, because Bach bass lines are incredibly interesting. So I thought, this is good, I like bass lines, that's me." Though an enthusiast of classical music since childhood, he decided to explore rock music instead in order to avoid being compared to his brother. He played bass and sang in a number of bands with Richard Palmer-James, including the Corvettes, the Palmer-James Group, Tetrad, and Ginger Man. A key early band he was in was the jazzy Mogul Thrash. After live work with Renaissance, he joined Family and also featured in various recording sessions. He has credited J.S. Bach, Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, Jack Bruce, Ace Kefford, Chris Squire, John Entwistle, Harvey Brooks, Ron Carter, and Miroslav Vitouš as musical influences.

In late 1972, Wetton's fellow Dorset native Robert Fripp invited him to join King Crimson. The band's lineup also included violinist David Cross, former Yes drummer Bill Bruford, and percussionist Jamie Muir. Wetton also gained experience as the lead singer and songwriter. His friend Palmer-James also worked with the band as their primary lyricist. Wetton remained with King Crimson until Fripp unexpectedly disbanded the group in 1974.

After the dissolution of King Crimson, Wetton continued to work on various projects, including a tour with Roxy Music and two albums with Uriah Heep, for whom he occasionally provided vocals as well as bass parts—examples of his vocal style can be heard on the 1976 album High and Mighty. While still with King Crimson, Wetton had been asked by Roxy Music to sit in on their auditions for a replacement bass player and give his recommendations. Dissatisfied with all the applicants, he offered to do the 1975 tour with the group himself so as to give them time to find a good bassist. In 1977, after failed attempts to reunite King Crimson and to create a new band with Rick Wakeman, Wetton formed U.K. with Bill Bruford. Wetton recruited Curved Air and Roxy Music keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson; Bruford brought in guitarist Allan Holdsworth from his solo group.

After U.K.'s breakup in 1980, Wetton released his first solo album, Caught in the Crossfire, also in 1980. Later that year, he had a brief stint with Wishbone Ash, appearing on their 1981 album, Number the Brave. In late 1981, he had a meeting with Geffen Records' president John Kalodner, who took him to task for playing bass in Bryan Ferry's backing band, feeling he should be fronting a group himself. At Kalodner's insistence, Wetton started writing with former Yes guitarist Steve Howe, with a view to forming their own band. Joined by keyboardist Geoff Downes and drummer Carl Palmer (of Emerson, Lake & Palmer), the band became Asia. Their self-titled debut album sold over ten million copies worldwide, making them a household name. Wetton worked with Asia until 1983, when he was fired (at the insistence of Geffen Records) for then-unknown reasons, but at least in part due to lower-than-expected sales of 1983's Alpha. He returned to Asia in 1985 (with Mandy Meyer replacing Steve Howe on guitar), completing the band's third album, Astra.

In 1986, a collaboration between Wetton and Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera was released as Wetton/Manzanera. Around that time, Wetton began working with Downes and Palmer to restart Asia. Some of the material they recorded was featured on 1990's Then & Now, including the radio hit "Days Like These".

In the 1990s, Wetton focused on his solo career and collaborations. He featured on the Phil Manzanera solo album Southern Cross, released in 1990. In 1995, he released his second solo album, Battlelines, which had previously been issued as Voicemail (1994) in Japan only.