2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 43
Celebrating the life of Marvin Ashby, Sr.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 2, 2026
WHEREAS, Marvin Ashby, Sr., a renowned guitarist and native of Winchester who built an extraordinary musical legacy through nearly a half-century of performances across the Mid-Atlantic region, died on July 25, 2025; and
WHEREAS, born and raised in a musical family, Marvin “Marv” Ashby, Sr., began playing guitar at the age of six, drawing early inspiration from the bluegrass and old-time flatpicking styles of his grandfather, Howard Ashby, Sr.; and
WHEREAS, in his teenage years, Marv Ashby expanded his musical horizons by exploring rock and roll with friends, forming his first band, Mainline, in 1975; fueled by an unrelenting passion for music and performance, he went on to form a succession of groups between the late 1970s and early 1990s, including Desperado, the Smokey Hollow Band, Storm Trooper, and Blackhawk; and
WHEREAS, returning to his bluegrass roots in the 1990s, Marv Ashby joined the Green Ridge Mountain Boys, performing at festivals and community gatherings throughout the region; and
WHEREAS, over the years, Marv Ashby continued to mature as an artist and forge lasting connections in the music community, culminating in the creation of Marvin Ashby and High Octane in 2010; and
WHEREAS, from 2010 to 2024, Marvin Ashby and High Octane toured extensively across the Commonwealth, the Carolinas, West Virginia, and Maryland, while also writing and recording seven albums; and