Born in Ballincurry near Tubbercurry in South Sligo, John Frank Vesey grew up hearing the apex of fiddle and flute players in his locality, an area which continues to be a vital force in keeping the music of that region alive. His father was also a fiddler of some renown and was a major influence on John’s music throughout his life. The legendary Michael Gorman from Sligo -and later London- taught Vesey the basics of musical notation as well as a strong grounding in the fiddle style of their native areas. Like his mentor, John emigrated to London in 1946 before moving to Philadelphia after three years where he later settled in the Glenolden area. Upon arrival, he instantly became a stalwart musician in the musical environment there, and played regularly with fellow Sligoman and flute player Eddie Cahill, and uilleann piper and pianist Tom Standeven. Vesey was widely featured as a guest on various radio shows throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s; many private recordings from those years were released in 1998 by Standeven from his private collection. Broadcaster and collector Ciaran Mac Mathúna also recorded John Frank in 1962 on one of two visits he made to the United States. Vesey was commercially recorded by Shanachie in 1977 for a classic LP The First Month of Spring, accompanied by Paul Brady on guitar. In July 2026, a very fine double CD of Vesey’s music titled I Would Know It Is You was released by Lamond Gillespie featuring some unheard recordings.