The Ventures
Original lead guitarist Bob Bogle, alongside fellow masonry worker
Don Wilson, founded The Ventures in Washington State in 1958,
performing at local clubs and bars (originally as The Versatones).
They pressed a twangy, rocked-up version of Johnny Smith's Walk
Don't Run on their own Blue Horizon label, which was later
picked up by Dolton Records. It became a number two hit in 1960
and sparked an incredible career that led to record sales of
more than 100 million and cemented the band's status as the most
successful instrumental group of all time.
Bogle and Edwards switched instruments and Mel Taylor replaced
Johnson on drums in 1963. More hit singles featuring their cleanly
played but rockin' style followed, but the band wisely entered the
album market early on, and it was there they found their true
format placing 37 chart entries and more than 50 albums between
1960 and the mid '70s.
With their solid-body Fender guitars (later switching to
Mosrite Ventures models) and matching suits, their album covers
defined what a rock & roll combo should look like. Likewise,
their sound was so popular that they released several successful
instructional albums in the Play with the Ventures
series that many later rock stars cut their teeth on.
Because they played instrumentals, they were among the first
American bands to break big in Japan (no language barrier),
eventually honoured as the first foreign members of that country's
Conservatory of Music for selling over 40 million records.
Edwards left and was replaced for a while by Jerry McGee, but
he returned in 1972, restoring the original line-up. They
continued to tour and record, sounding better than ever, their
place in rock & roll guitar history assured.
Drummer Mel Taylor passed away on 11 August 1996, aged 62. Bob
Bogle died in 2009.
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