Vancouver-based guitarist David Sinclair started playing at a young age and quickly developed a promising career as a solo musician.

Then he sort of veered off that path.

"I've been playing guitar since I was about eight," said Sinclair, who performs an evening of acoustic guitar music next Friday, Feb. 17, at St. John's Anglican Church. "I was 18 — playing as a solo acoustic performer, opening for different bands — but then I got sidetracked a bit."

After spending time hanging out and observing sessions and gaining studio experience at Vancouver Recording, Sinclair quickly found himself a much-requested studio player.

"I played guitar, so I ended up becoming a side guy in the studio," he said.

But his prowess and finesse on guitar soon had Sinclair out of the studio and on the road in 1992 when he was asked to join k.d. lang on her Ingenue tour. In 1993, he joined Sarah McLachlan's ensemble, supporting the songstress at Lilith Fair and on her Fumbling Towards Ecstasy and Surfacing tours.

He has toured extensively in North America, Europe and Japan. During that time he appeared on television shows including Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Arsenio Hall and Saturday Night Live and on the Grammy and Juno awards shows.

Sinclair has worked with Michael Bublé, Daniel Powter, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Amy Sky, Rita MacNeil, Paul Janz, Valdy, Susan Jacks, Terry Jacks, Barry Greenfield, Prism, The Irish Rovers and more.

He's also a Juno Award-nominated songwriter.

"So, I know where all the notes are on a guitar," Sinclair joked.

When not playing or recording with big-name acts, Sinclair composes music for many TV series and films, as well as playing on numerous occasions with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and a variety of musical theatre productions.

He is also an educator with the National Guitar Workshop, and has led numerous music education sessions in Squamish over the years along with Holly Arntzen and Leon Bibb.

"Doing the same thing over and over again isn't fun," he said of his diverse schedule and accomplishments. "I like mixing it up. It keeps it fresh."

But Sinclair admitted he still prefers doing what got him started.

"Probably my favourite thing to do still is the solo thing," he said. "That's when I can just present my stuff — which is a mix of vocal and acoustic performance."

After his performance in Squamish, Sinclair has several solo and duo shows upcoming around the Lower Mainland, some theatre shows and then festivals on Vancouver Island.

David Sinclair presents Strings Over Squamish on Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at St. John's Anglican Church. Tickets are $20 and available at the door (which opens at 7 p.m. on performance night) or at Billie's Bouquet.

For more on Sinclair, go to www.davidsinclairmusic.com.