Ron Asheton ✝

Ronald Franklin Asheton (July 17, 1948 – c. January 6, 2009) was an American guitarist, bassist and co-songwriter with Iggy Pop for the rock band the Stooges. He formed the Stooges along with Pop and his brother, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexander. Asheton, once ranked as number 29 on Rolling Stone\'s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time is currently (as of November 2014) ranked at number 60.\n', ' Asheton was born in Washington, D.C. He already had five years of practice on the accordion behind him when he began playing bass guitar at age 10. When he was 13, the family relocated to Ann Arbor. He and his brother Scott attended Pioneer high school. He played guitar with some local bands including the Prime Movers and The Chosen Few (briefly overlapping with James Williamson, later of the Stooges). He met Iggy Pop soon after and they formed the psychedelic rock band the Stooges.\n', ' By 1967 Asheton was jamming with his brother Scott and friend Dave Alexander. They were soon joined by James "Iggy" Osterberg who remembered Asheton from the Chosen Few. The "Psychedelic Stooges" played their first show Halloween 1967. In 1968 they were signed to Elektra Records along with the MC5 by Danny Fields. He played guitar on and wrote most of the music for their first two albums, debut album The Stooges (1969) and Fun House (1970). Shortly after recording Fun House, a second guitarist was added to the band, initially former roadie Billy Cheetham, who was shortly thereafter replaced by James Williamson. Infighting between Asheton and Williamson, whom he saw as usurping his role as songwriter and lead guitarist, as well as the toll of extensive drug use, caused the band to break up in 1971.\n', '