John McCormick is a modern minstrel with gentle wit, sensitive vocals, and wicked guitar skills. He has mastered the intricate styles of the American, Irish, Scottish and English folk traditions while developing a rich, resonant and wonderfully expressive voice. A native of Indiana now residing in the Bay Area, John regularly performs throughout Europe and North America, spinning tales with the command of a fine storyteller, offering a mix of arresting originals and graceful renditions of traditional Irish tunes. His breakthrough as an artist occurred in 1985, when he was playing a "happy hour" gig at a San Francisco comedy club. Guitar maestro, Alex de Grassi, just happened to stop by for coffee and madeleines and, captivated by John's playing, helped secure a recording contract that led to John's debut album, Western Island, a guitar-focused project, with instrumentals and songs from Scotland, Ireland and England. John has recorded five albums on the Phantom Records label, including the recently released Live At The Freight, an arresting mix of contemporary and traditional repertoire.