The Ashton on Mersey Youth Showband was formed early in 1973 as the school band of Ashton on Mersey School, Sale, Cheshire. Its success is due mainly to the enthusiasm and skill of its musical director Ernie Waites. The secret of the unique sound of the band and its ability to reproduce the sounds of others is quite simple - it never uses published music. Every arrangement is scored by Ernie himself.
Ernie received his training at the famous Kneller Hall and spent his military years
playing in the Band of the Green Howards.
After a serious road traffic accident he
was unable to continue his career due to his injuries so he offered his voluntary
services to Ashton on Mersey School, where his son was a pupil.
The consequences were
amazing. No band existed in 1972 yet by 1973 a small band of 13 children gave a Christmas
concert. The story then goes on to read like something from a pre-war Boys' Own paper.
In 1975 the Band toured Ireland and played for the President of Eire, Erskine Childers. It now had 27 members, all trained by Ernie. In 1976 its first LP was cut. This was the first of many LPs , cassettes and CDs and the list is still growing. Also in 1976 it was invited to take part in a national contest for young musicians on BBC TV and won it. 'Settle The Score' was really settled!
Then, in 1977 came the biggest surprise of all, an invitation to play at a garden party in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen and H R H the Duke of Edinburgh. By this time the majority of the band had reached school-leaving age. The loyalty and enthusiasm of the band was so great that it was decided to take on the name of Ashton-on-Mersey Youth Showband so that band members would not be forced to leave at 16. The band now has youngsters from all over the area and is registered as an official youth organisation with the borough of Trafford.
The band has toured Belgium, France, Yugoslavia, Cyprus and the Canary Islands, it
has appeared at music festivals as far afield as Harrogate, Dubrovnik and Rhodes.
In
August 1987 they were invited to play at Disneyland, Florida, USA, where they were
an instant success, so much so that they were invited to play further shows at the
EPCOT Centre, Cypress Gardens and Fort Liberty. Their popularity in the UK is so
great that audiences follow them from show to show, and seats are booked well in
advance,.
During their 1988 tour of the Canary Islands they were given a standing
ovation by a German audience of over 1000. Music is truly international.
With members still playing from the very first days, the band have now dropped the ‘Youth’ from the original title and are now known as the Ashton-on-Mersey Showband.
In 2002 the band suffered the greatest loss of all; that of it's leader, writer and our greatest friend, Ernie. He always said he wanted the band to continue, should anything happen, and that is what we are doing, under the directorship of Ivan Lewis. He has done a fine job taking over the directorship and we continue to see the band perform for audiences throughout the NorthWest and beyond.
More recently has seen the re-emergence of the NorthWest Festival of Remembrance at the Plaza Stockport. In 2005 the show was put on again after a gap of 13 years and was an immediate success leading to repeat shows every year since which are gaining in popularity on each occasion.
Thanks to all our players, supporters and friends over the past years and we look forward to seeing you soon at our forthcoming shows.
