Ten Years After

Originally from Nottingham in the UK, this band of virtuoso musicians under the leadership of Alvin Lee conquered the UK scene and then spread their wings to the USA.

Their blend of Jazz, Blues and Rock was initially slightly awkward but their first album provided an opening for them. They were never short of live work from this time on; the L.P. prompted top U.S. promoter Bill Graham to book Ten Years After at his Fillmore West venue in San Francisco in 1968.

In July 1969, Ten Years After were asked to play at the Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island but this was overlooked due to another little gig called Woodstock.
And it was at Woodstock that TYA's trademark song 'I'm Going Home' and Alvin's furious fretwork catapulted them into more mainstream popularity. The Woodstock film further enhanced Alvin's reputation as one of the premier blues guitarists, although he never achieved the popularity or esteem of the gods of guitar like Clapton and Hendrix. Alvin Lee had an imposing presence on stage, and was rather fond of the top hat. Along with Chicken Shack, Savoy Brown and Led Zeppelin they played at the Cherry Trees pub in Welwyn Garden City in the late sixties.

Ten Years After were on the road between 1968 and 1974 so much it was incredible that they got to do any studio albums. But they managed to churn out a few during the 1970's - the Double Live album 'Recorded Live' is as good a representation of their stuff as any out there.

By 1974 the band split. There were efforts to mount a reunion in the late 80's and 1990's and a band by the name of Ten Years After did tour..and continue to do so worldwide as a fantastic blues-rock band with Joe Gooch as lead guitarist and Leo Lyons, Ric Lee and Chick Churchill from the original band.