Blue Ash

Blue Ash's fate mirrored that of fellow power poppers like Big Star -- not enough sales to back up all those critical hosannas. Youngstown, Ohio residents Bill Bartolin (vocals, guitar), David Evans (drums, vocals), Jim Kendzor (vocals), and Frank Secich (bass, vocals) formed in 1969, and soon won comparisons to the usual suspects associated with the tag: the Beatles and the Who. Strong regional interest secured a deal in 1973 with Mercury Records, home of the New York Dolls. Both bands even had the same champion in A&R man Paul Nelson, who plucked Blue Ash's demo from an uns...