Derek Lawrence

November 16, 1941 – May 13, 2020

The man who produced the earliest albums by Deep Purple and Wishbone Ash has died at the age of 78. Londoner Derek Lawrence oversaw Purple’s first three LPs, then recommended Wishbone Ash to MCA and produced their 1972 breakthrough album Argus, among others. “Derek was a good friend, a gentleman, and work-wise he always knew instinctively which way to steer the ship,” said Ash founder Martin Turner.