John Wesley

John Wesley, also known as Wes Dearth (born John Wesley Dearth, III in June 1962) is an American singer, songwriter and guitar player. John Wesley's professional music career began in the early 1980s in the Tampa, Florida area where he founded 1991 Southwestern Music Conference's showcase act Autodrive along with drummer/producer Mark Prator. The following year, Wesley embarked on a solo career and became the opening act for British rockers Marillion on seven consecutive tour legs around the world, especially North and South America, the UK and Europe. In 1998, Wesley and ex-White Lion frontman Mike Tramp were the opening act for the Peter Frampton/Lynyrd Skynyrd tour. Following this was several world tours with Marillion's former singer Fish. In 2001, John Wesley was the primary co-writer of Fish’s Fellini Days album. He has performed as sideman, guitarist/vocalist for Porcupine Tree, during the In Absentia, Deadwing, Fear of a Blank Planet and The Incident world tours. In 2005, Wesley produced and recorded his fifth studio release, Shiver. The album was co-produced by drummer and co-owner of his Tampa, Florida recording studio, RedRoom Recorders, Inc., Mark Prator, and mixed by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree. In 2011, Wesley partnered with UK native Dean Tidey (live guitarist with Feeder), to produce his EP, The Lilypad Suite. Wesley’s sixth full-length studio album, Disconnect, was released in 2014. On August 24, 2007, Wesley announced that he was making his back catalog of solo material available for free download on his website. In March 2013, Wesley performed with Sound of Contact as their live guitarist for the Marillion Weekend concert in Montreal, Quebec. He then joined the band for their European tour in May 2013 and was a part of two Sound of Contact music videos produced in relation to the band's debut album, Dimensionaut. Other musicians Wesley has worked beside include Sean Malone; Steve Hogarth and Steve Rothery of Marillion as well as a live performer for the Marillion side project Edison's Children featuring Marillion's Pete Trewavas and starring First Man on the Moon Neil Armstrong's son... guitarist Rick Armstrong. He has also performed as an occasional fill-in bassist and lead guitarist for Florida-based group Sister Hazel. In 2018, Wesley performed lead vocals with international artists ÚMÆ on their debut album titled Lost in the View, which was released on January 3rd, 2019. Guest performers on this project also include Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson, Miles Davis) and Conner Green (Haken). In July of 2019, Wesley and drummer Mark Prator will play with Edison's Children (the band starring guitarist Rick Armstrong and Marillion's Pete Trewavas), along with the Alan Parsons Project in a concert celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission landing on the moon for the first time, in an outdoor concert near the Kennedy Space Center. Studio and touring personnel for the John Wesley band: John Wesley - Lead guitar and vocals Patrick Bettison - Bass Mark Prator - Drums and Percussion Dean Tidey - Guitar