Nick Ashton (son of professional drummer James Ashton) began formal instruction at age eleven and continued band and orchestra in public school and college. He played different genres of music through college and after, settling in NYC in 1978 for 6 1/2 years whereupon jazz and improvised music became the only musical focus. He returned to Indiana in 1985 and began playing on the Indianapolis scene in 1986. He began playing with the Northwoods in 1987 and has continued performing with them ever since.