Vince Ditrich spent 30 years as the drummer and later manager - of the hugely successful band Spirit of the West.

After a life of music on the road, Ditrich turned to writing, and in 2021 he released the first of three novels entitled the Liquor Vicar. The lead character Tony Vicar is from Tyee Lagoon, a fictional Vancouver Island town.

“He's a failed musician, he always had dreams of great to grandeur, but he was not able to achieve anything. He just wasn't sufficiently talented and he always held the dream," said Ditrich. “So many of the guys I've known through the years, they still have the same hairstyle they had when they were in Grade 11. Same pants, hearts of gold and wonderful guys but they just can't let go of that."

The second book, The Vicar’s Knickers, is named after the pub that Tony Vicar has opened and is home to an interesting and colourful cast of characters.

The author recently signed an agreement with Sugar Skull Films and together the two are actively pursuing a broadcaster for a television series for Tony Vicar and his cast of characters.

Ditrich has not retired from the music biz completely. On this edition of Today in BC, he offers listeners of the podcast a track that he recently produced for Travis Matthews, son of Gordie Matthews, guitarist for k.d. Lang and Ian Tyson. It’s an original song, entitled 'Diamonds’.

If you have suggestions or comments, send a voice message to podcast@blackpress.ca you may be part of our audio podcast mailbag segment.