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Psam Michael FrankStarted with classical piano at age 5 continuing with lessons til the age of 17. In high school Psam played with the band 10 O'Clock Scholar playing everything from bob dylan to kiss. In university Psam played keyboards and mandolin with Matthew Good in the band Rochester Kings. Recording a 4-song demo that never went anywhere but still sit on the shelf today waiting for that "BIG DEAL." After earning a mathematics and computer science degree in 1995 from Simon Fraser University, Psam took a break from the music scene until his brother Tobin recruited him for his band. The two brothers' venture was to be short lived. Tobin got the call to join Spirit of the West. It was an offer he couldn't refuse. So Psam decided see the world aboard the cruiseship the Pacific Princess playing jazz with the Tony Jack Quartet. With his wanderlust satisfied, Psam came back home to Vancouver to join the country/ rock band Steelhorse where he spent the next 4 years entertaining in live music venues throughout Western Canada. In February 2005 Psam was asked to join his current family, Appaloosa where he now plays keyboards and mandolin and shares the lead vocals with Chris and Jake in various musical styles from classic country to modern rock and disco.
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Jacob StolzJake Stolz has been playing guitar since he was 6 when he learned from his dad, Ben. Playing country rock and in his teen years played a couple of garage bands around the Kelowna area. In the late 70's Jake made the move from Kelowna to Calgary to join Mike Reno of Loverboy to play guitar for the rock band Spunk. Together they played mostly one-nighters honing thier stage show. After a year Jake went on to play with a number of Calgary area club bands. During this time he discovered his second love drag racing. Actively pursuing his passion Jake was a member of the NHRA burning fuel, killing time and smoking rubber. An activity he still enjoys today with his one-off 810 HP CJ5 Jeep. Moving to Vancouver in 1989, Jake worked with several club bands around the lower mainland. In 1991, Jake formed Appaloosa with the original members Henry Crevier, Basil Watson and Derrick Osborne. After many incarnations, the band has evolved to its current state. And still rocks today with some of the biggest names in show business: Brad Paisley, Dwight Yoakum, Pam Tillis, The Late and Great Johnny Cash, Marty Stuart and many more. Besides being one of the most solid all-around guitar players in the business, Jake also sings lead vocals and is an accomplished sound technician often working with large-scale production companies as a tech and consultant. Today, Jake and his beautiful wife Jo and their two adorable little girls Mikaela and Erica live in Sardis, about an hour East of Vancouver.
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Rick McVicarAppaloosa's drummer, Rick McVicar was born and raised in North Vancouver and presently resides there today. He can step out of his door onto the banks of the Capilano River where he is just a couple of minutes from Ambleside Beach and Grouse Mountain where he does the famous Grouse Grind on an almost obsessive basis. He also loves to play many sports but most of all squash, and on the squash courts you'll find him almost every day. Rick was introduced to the drums at the age of 12 by his father Jim. Jim's influence not only extends to Rick, but also his cousin, Gary Mussatto, who is Dal Richards drummer, and his nephew, Warren McVicar' who loves to whack away on the cans when he can break away from his studies at UBC. Rick was involved with various classical youth orchestras and Top 40 bands in high school. In his senior year, he got totally immeresed into jazz where he played with any and every big band and jazz combo that would indulge him. He took lessons from the best jazz drummers in town and quit his full time job just so he could practice his drums full time (because 3 hours a day was not enough!) Within a few weeks of quitting his day job, he got a local top 40 gig playing 6 nights a week with the Letexier twins. A year later, he was touring in the U.S.A. with a 7 piece show band for over a year without a break. Shortly after that Rick got a gig on the cruise ships and was the show drummer on the Love Boat with Princess Cruises where he travelled the world and got to work with some of the greats including The Bellamy Brothers, Charlie Pride, and The Jordanaires (Elvis' back-up singers). Now he's back in his favorite city in the world where he's had the good fortune of singing and playing with Appaloosa for the past 7 years.
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Chris HillChris was born in Montreal and moved out west at the age of 5 to Fernie BC, a beautiful small town in the East Kootenay. Skiing was the order of fun for a young Chris. Consumed by the thrill of speed he began skiing competitivly. Unfortunatly a divorce put an enhd to any olympic skiing dreams, as Chris ended up in...Chilliwack. With little to do in such a flat town Chris turned inward to music. His mother was a jazz singer and accompianist; his father a blues guitarist; and his brother, had several guitars and basses, too. Chris played them all. After graduating high school Chris took the Capilano College jazz program. Upon completion he set about making a living playing music, supporting himself in various rock bands until finding his way to Appaloosa in the fall of 2001. Since then he has been a solid member on the front line playing bass and sharing lead vocal duties with Psam and Jake. In his off time or on the road between gigs Chris enjoys mountain biking and doesn't go anywhere without one.
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