When you hear about the band Heart, naturally you’re gonna think of Seattle, their hometown. But, what if I were to tell you that the band actually had a crazy connection to Vancouver that involved draft dodging in one of the most crazy BC music stories of all time? 

The 1970’s were the early days of the band. They often spent time in BC performing at local venues and graduations, still not yet broken out. Naturally the band grew a small following but many speculated as to why this Seattle based band were performing in Vancouver. 

The story begins with a young Michael Fisher, the band’s future manager and soundman. In the midst of the Vietnam War, Michael was set to be drafted into the US Army. But, Michael had no interest in this. Instead of reporting for duty, he slipped out a rear window during a home raid and fled to Canada, becoming a “draft dodger” living in Vancouver. Back in Seattle, his brother Roger Fisher (Heart’s guitarist) stayed behind with the band, but they were missing their leader. 

Everything changed when Ann Wilson met Michael during a secret trip he made across the border to see the band play. It was love at first sight, and shortly after, Ann packed a backpack and a guitar case and hitchhiked to Vancouver to be with him.

By 1974, the whole group—including Ann’s sister Nancy Wilson—had moved to BC to reform the band under the name Heart. Because Michael couldn’t cross back into the US without being arrested, Heart spent their early years acting like a local Canadian band. They toured every small town in BC and Alberta, building a massive following from the ground up. In 1975, they walked into Mushroom Studios (then called Can-Base) at 1234 West 6th Avenue to record their debut album, Dreamboat Annie.

The album was a sleeper hit that started in Montreal and Vancouver before exploding globally. Tracks like “Magic Man”were literally written about Ann’s infatuation with Michael and their life in the Canadian wilderness. For a few years, Heart was the biggest “Canadian” band in the world, even though they were technically American expats. Though they eventually moved back to the States after the draft amnesty was granted, their Vancouver connections remain the foundation of their legacy. 

Could you imagine just how cool it would have been to see one of the best bands of all time due to them dodging the war?