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The band that became Spirit of the West began as a Folk trio called Evesdropper in Vancouver over 20 years ago. 12 albums later, they have proven themselves to be road-worthy and durable, having toured Canada, the US, UK and Europe consistently, building a dedicated following of fans from all over the world.

They have four gold and two platinum albums to their credit, and are responsible for such songs as Home For a Rest, And if Venice is Sinking, Five Free Minutes, Save This House, and The Crawl. The band s newest album Star Trails is their first studio recording in several years.

The band is:

John Mann, Guitarist, vocalist and charismatic front man. John is also an accomplished actor who can be seen on episodic television and movies often pretending to be an assassin, ghost, devil, or other evil-doer. His recent solo album Acoustic Kitty was released to excellent reviews. John likes wine. A lot.

Geoffrey Kelly, Flutes, whistles, bodhran, guitars. Geoffrey was born in Scotland and raised in North Vancouver. One of Canada s finest Celtic musicians, he can be found appearing as a guest with acts such as The Irish Rovers and the Paperboys. His solo album Gringo Star was released in 2002. He still owes the Musician’s Union $4 in unpaid death benefit fees.

Hugh McMillan, Multi-instrumentalist. Hugh is capable of playing practically anything with strings on it. Weak drummer, though. He is a producer, composer and engineer, as well as a bit of a mad scientist. Quick to hand out dietary supplements to those who look a bit peaked. Hugh can be seen appearing as a guest in concert and on CD with James Keelaghan, Oscar Lopez, Don Ross, and many, many others.

Vince R. Ditrich, Drums, percussion, vocals. Class clown. Although well known for his comedic onstage antics, Vince has appeared in concert and in the studio with artists the likes of Sue Medley, Long John Baldry, Doug & the Slugs, Great Big Sea, Rick Henry, Oscar Lopez, James Keelaghan, Mae Moore, Todd Butler and many others. Vince also composes & produces, having released his solo CD Supertonic in 2002; as well, he coordinates all refreshments for the band.

Tobin “The Gull” Frank. What began as a temporary guest slot with the band in 1997 has grown into a long-time association. Tobin plays basses, piano, organ, and accordion. He is only occasionally allowed to sing. There is a reason for this. Tobin is author of the upcoming book Rock Stars & Tupperware: 101 surprising tales of food preservation.