Harry Whitley

About Harry Whitley

Born in 1995 near Wrexham in North Wales, Harry Whitley is a singer and multi-instrumentalist.

Whitley’s love affair with music began at the tender ago of 5 when he started piano lessons. His prodigious talent soon became clear and he went on to pass all grades of classical and jazz piano with flying colours. As his love of music grew, he began to master a variety of other instruments, including guitar, bass and drums.

His teenage years saw Whitley gig with a variety of semi-professional bands around his local area and further afield in Wales, culminating in him playing keyboards for a Deep Purple tribute band at the age of just 16!

In the wake of the 2020 pandemic, Whitley establish his own YouTube channel and began uploading his performances as a way of promoting his music. After receiving a positive response from viewers, he was inspired to launch a foray into a variety of different musical genres. To do this he leant on the artists who have inspired him since he first stepped up to a keyboard : Rick Wakeman, Keith Emerson, Randy Newman, Steve Lukather, Tony Banks and, of course, John Wetton and Geoff Downes.

Whitley was first introduced to the music of Asia and John Wetton by his former tutor and friend, Timothy Jones. It was love at first listen. Whitley says “I always enjoyed the dramatic feel of Asia’s music. To an aspiring musician, Geoff (Downes) was the bees knees - so much energy, so many ideas, so many keyboards!” He continues “I soon realised just how great the Asia songs were and of course there was that voice. John Wetton’s voice was like everything I loved about Greg Lake and Phil Collins combined, accompanied by his monstrous, driving bass playing.”

Whitely uploaded a number of Asia covers to his YouTube channel and soon noticed how these videos were performing far better than any others. It didn’t take long for Harry’s performances to come to the attention of Geoff Downes - and at that moment the die was cast.

When a recent charity tribute concert was planned to celebrate the life of John Wetton, Downes invited Whitley to step up and take charge of the Asia lead vocals. Alongside Billy Sherwood (YES) on bass, Jay Schellen (YES) on drums and John Mitchell (It Bites, Frost*) on guitar, Whitely took his place on stage next to Geoff Downes.

Downes commented “Harry Whitley is an extraordinarily talented musician. He is most definitely up there with the the best of the many great artists that I’ve had the privilege of working with over the years. A rare jewel in the crown of the music world.”