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In memory of

Roy "Don" Don Ashley

Canton, TX, USA

1953 - June 28, 2021

1953 - Jun 28, 2021

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Roy Don Ashley, age 68, died peacefully on June 28, 2021 at The Hospice of East Texas in Tyler Texas. He was born on December 15, 1953 to parents Edna Marcelle Ashley and Roy Denton Ashley who lived in the Pleasant Grove suburb of Dallas, Tx. He attended Little Folks School for first grade, San Jacinto Elementary School, John B Hood Jr High School, and WW Samuell High School.
He began his professional music career at the age of eight at Memorial Auditorium in Dallas, Texas playing his steel guitar with a local country and western group, The K-Bobs. While attending high school Don was a member of All-City Jazz Band. He was also member of the Samuell High School marching band. Also, he participated in Interscholastic League competitions in music and audio recording. He sang lead and played bass in the New Christian Singers and on their album, “Natural High”. He also played lead guitar, sang and managed a group playing in Dallas area and the State Fair of Texas for three years. Don was a member of the Lab Band at Eastfield College which was awarded Best In State.
He also enjoyed working on cars with his brother, Hugh Mac, and rebuilt race car engines. He worked as salesman during summer months.
He was married to Susan Baker for 2 years, Cynthia Austin for 3 years, and Barbara McMillen for over 30 years. Barbara and Don met in Ace Bowen’s recording studio. They played in numerous bands together and also were a duo act. They traveled and performed throughout the US, England and France.
Don was an accomplished musician who sang lead vocals and played guitar, steel guitar, keyboard, sax and flute. Some of the bands he was in were Brass Box who opened for BJ Thomas, Friends of the Family, Fantasy who won Best Original and Copy Band at the Stat Fair, Texas Fantasy who opened for Reba McIntire, Rex Allen Jr and Red Stegal, and Rich and Famous, a popular West End band.
He had his own recording studio where he recorded many local acts. He also managed the Audio Post facility at JC Penney. He was an accomplished songwriter and composer of all types of music including film, TV and Commercials. In 2017 Don won 1st place in the Dallas Songwriters Song Contest Instrumental category for his song, “Putting Together”.
He was an avid reader and could teach himself how to do just about anything. He was a tech geek and started the first website and membership database for the Dallas Songwriters Association where he was a founding board member and served for over 25 years producing albums of members’ songs, recording video of performances, Don has been involved with the Dallas Songwriters for nearly 20 years. He used to say, “it feels like a 100.” He has assisted in video production, graphic arts, contest judging, bottle washing, seminar production, A/V, mastering CD's, 30 second awards clips and general housekeeping.
He was President and COO of Piranha, a technology start-up company specializing in Audio, Video and Print Compression Algorithms where he traveled worldwide, demonstrating the technology. He also worked at Texas Health Resources as a media producer, software developer, and network specialist. Don often videotaped live surgeries at Texas Health.
He and Barbara owned the Texas Music Group an umbrella for music recording, publishing and consulting companies. They traveled to MIDEM in Cannes France yearly, and other European markets representing Texas music. They loved to travel and traveled extensively.
Don’s health declined in later years and he retired and moved to Canton, Tx where he spent his disabled years playing his instruments in his home studio and talking on the phone with his best friends Perry Lancaster, Buck Bucanan, Richard Theisen, Dana Atchley Hall and Ace Bowen.
He is survived by his wife Barbara McMillen, Aunt Merlene Johnston, brother Hugh Mac Ashley, his wife Linda (Lancaster), niece Bambi Ashley Smith, step son Shawn McMillen and grandchildren Megan Anderson Cross, Jensen McMillen, Madisen McMillen, Graysen McMillen, Emersen McMillen, great granddaughters Mary Agnes Cross and Hadley Cross. He is preceded in death by his parents Edna Marcelle and Roy Denton Ashley. A Celebration of Life will be on September 23 from 7-9pm, at Love and War in Plano.Tx. Dallas Songwriters Association will host the Bring Your Own Mic Open Mic. Friends are encouraged to sign in to play a song or say a few words or just come for fellowship.

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In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to Dallas Song Writers Association.

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