The Beat Goes On New Band Lynnwood Brings Yesterday’s Rock to Ashland

The Beat Goes On

New Band Lynnwood Brings Yesterday’s Rock to Ashland

Brandy York

The Ashland Beacon

Boyd County is no stranger to musical talent. Many music legends have paved the way through the region along the well-known Country Music Highway, and several have roots in Ashland, KY. Throughout the town, you can often find live music at a variety of venues on any given weekend, and much of that music is nestled within the genres of country and bluegrass.

If you attended this year’s Poage Landing Days festival, you may have heard a different tune than usual—perhaps a rock ’n’ roll song from days gone by that you and your friends used to listen to in your high school parking lot or on a joyride with the windows down. The rock songs of yesterday are neither gone nor forgotten for a handful of guys here in Ashland who make up the four-piece band known as Lynnwood. The band made its debut on the Armstrong Stage during the annual celebration before a large, enthusiastic crowd.

Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Howard Turner of Ashland began his musical journey as a young boy, learning to play guitar at 13 years old and performing professionally by the age of 15. His first experience playing in a rock band came during his sophomore year of high school in South Ashland, on none other than Lynnwood Avenue—the namesake of the rock band he plays with all these years later.

He had the opportunity to tour the country with several bands throughout the ’80s and ’90s, including the locally popular ’90s group Nasty Jack. With influences ranging from Ace Frehley to Tommy Emmanuel, a lifelong love for guitar in a variety of styles is evident in Howard’s work today. Although classic rock holds a special place in his heart, he previously spent time playing in the contemporary Christian band Written and continues to play guitar at Rose Hill Baptist Church.

During his time with Written, he formed a bond with three of the other musicians who would eventually join him in creating Lynnwood, giving them an outlet to share the rock songs they grew up with while giving the community an opportunity to enjoy a genre that is underrepresented locally.

Next on the roster is Paul Sallie of Ashland, who plays lead guitar and provides background vocals. Having played guitar since the young age of 7, his musical background spans not only rock and contemporary Christian music, but also bluegrass and gospel. Like Howard, he spent much of the ’80s and ’90s performing with a band, particularly Bottoms Up Kentucky.

A few of his favorite artists include KISS, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson and Joe Bonamassa. His diverse experience with different genres and techniques makes for flavorful guitar solos that are sure to keep your attention!

What’s a rock song without a good bass line? Bass guitarist Rusty Mitchell of Ashland is responsible for driving the groovy bass tones for Lynnwood. With inspiration from legendary bass players such as Victor Wooten, Geddy Lee and Jaco Pastorius, he enjoys the instrument for its creativity rather than simply holding down the beat.

Rusty brings years of local performance experience to the stage, including serving as bassist for the bands Night Fire and Written. He continues to play with his church band at House of Grace in Ashland on a regular basis.

Lastly, holding down the rhythm on drums is Chris McDavid of Russell. He started playing the drums in sixth grade, continued to do so into high school, and then began playing professionally at age 17. Chris contributes his love for progressive rock to artists such as Frampton, Boston, Styx, Genesis, Kansas and Rush.

Being part of a band and playing live shows requires much dedication and time away from home. When they aren’t making music together, you can find each of these guys with their families and loved ones.

Paul and his wife, Shannon, have five children and several grandchildren, whom they enjoy living close to and spending time with. Rusty and his wife, Rhonda, enjoy life with their two children and grandchildren. Chris enjoys spending time with his daughter and granddaughter, to whom he is affectionately referred to as “Grampy,” as well as spending time with his girlfriend, Mary Ann. Chris also happens to be a 30-year critical care nurse.

Howard is happily married to his wife, Linda, and they have two children. Aside from playing guitar and singing, Howard is also a skilled songwriter and is working on producing some original music, with plans for the band to record in a studio in the near future.

Lynnwood’s debut at Poage Landing Days was a success, and they are now booking shows and are ready to rock your next event! Lynnwood’s future is bright, and they are definitely worth keeping up with. You can find show announcements and the latest happenings by following the LynnwoodRocks Facebook page. For booking information, email lynnwoodrocks@outlook.com.