| John Wesley | |
| Birth Place: | Brandon, Florida, U.S.[1] |
| Origin: | Tampa Bay area, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1979–present |
| Current Member Of: | Vertical Horizon |
John Wesley Dearth III is an American guitarist and singer, best known as touring guitarist for Porcupine Tree between 2002 and 2010, and also for performing with Mike Tramp, Fish, Sound of Contact, Edison's Children and Vertical Horizon, as well as for his solo work.
His professional career began in the early 1980s in the Tampa Bay 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.
His debut album Under the Red and White Sky was released in 1994 and Mark Kelly played keyboards and produced the album, with guest appearances from both Ian Mosley and Steve Rothery. Also Marillion singer Steve Hogarth recorded backing vocals on two tracks on Wesleys second album The Emperor Falls.[2]
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, Mark Prator, and mixed by Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree.
On August 24, 2007, Wesley announced that he was making his back catalog of solo material available for free download on his website. In 2011, Wesley partnered with UK native Dean Tidey (live guitarist with Feeder), to produce his EP, The Lilypad Suite. In March 2013, Wesley performed with Sound of Contact as their live guitarist for the Marillion Weekend concert in Montreal, Quebec.[3] He then joined the band for their European tour in May 2013[4] and was a part of two Sound of Contact music videos produced in relation to the band's debut album, Dimensionaut.
On Wesley's sixth full-length studio album Disconnect, released in 2014, Alex Lifeson made a guest appearance, playing a guitar solo on the track Once a Warrior.[5]
Other musicians Wesley has worked beside include Sean Malone; as well as a live performer with Edison's Children featuring Marillion's Pete Trewavas and starring 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 3, 2019. Guest performers on this project also include Adam Holzman (Steven Wilson, Miles Davis) and Conner Green (Haken).
In July 2019, Wesley and drummer Mark Prator played with Edison's Children, the sci-fi band of Neil Armstrong's son (Rick Armstrong) which is known for writing music about the supernatural & extra-terrestrial co-headlining with the Alan Parsons Project in an outdoor concert festival near the Kennedy Space Center celebrating the 50th anniversary of Rick's Father and Apollo 11's landing a crewed spacecraft on the Moon for the first time. [6]
In 2021, Wesley began touring as guitarist and backing vocals for Vertical Horizon.[7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]