John Wetton
The baritone voice and melodic bassist who anchored the progressive rock supergroup Asia, turning 'Heat of the Moment' into an era-defining anthem.
1949–2017 (age 68)·English musician·Birthday: June 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
John Wetton carved a path through the heart of 1970s rock royalty before finding stratospheric success in the 1980s. His powerful, emotive baritone and inventive bass playing made him a sought-after collaborator. After a stint with the volatile genius of King Crimson, where he contributed to albums like 'Red,' Wetton became a musical journeyman, lending his talents to Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, and his own progressive venture, U.K. But it was the formation of the supergroup Asia in 1981 that catapulted him to frontman status. Their self-titled debut became a global phenomenon, with Wetton's voice driving the smash hit 'Heat of the Moment.' He was the steady, melodic core around which the band's grandiose sound was built, crafting songs that balanced progressive complexity with irresistible pop hooks. Despite lineup changes and personal struggles, Wetton's musical integrity never wavered, and he remained a revered figure whose influence echoes in both prog and arena rock.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
John was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When John Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
John's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2017Died at 68
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
Key Achievements
- Was the lead vocalist and bassist for Asia, whose 1982 self-titled debut album was the best-selling record in the world that year.
- Played bass and sang on King Crimson's influential mid-70s albums 'Larks' Tongues in Aspic,' 'Starless and Bible Black,' and 'Red.'
- Co-wrote the global hit 'Heat of the Moment,' which became Asia's signature song.
- Formed the progressive rock band U.K. with Eddie Jobson and Bill Bruford, releasing two acclaimed albums.
Did You Know?
He was briefly considered as a replacement for Paul McCartney when there were rumors of the bassist leaving The Beatles in 1969.
He provided lead vocals on two songs for the 'Highlander' movie soundtrack.
His brother, Robert Wetton, was a classical pianist.
He battled and overcame alcoholism later in his life.
“I'm a bass player who sings, not a singer who plays bass.”
