As an only child, Vince entertained himself with a stack of his parents’ old Motown and R&B records with the aid of an old 45-rpm record player. At around age 4, Vince spent his time growing up singing along to the Temptations, Ray Charles, The Four Tops, Smokie Robinson, The Supremes, etc. At age 10, he discovered the Rock and Roll styling of KISS, (go figure). It was then that Vince decided he had to play in a rock band. Shortly after that he found Eddie Van Halen and decided to play the guitar! With so many 80’s guitar virtuosos on the scene and like any aspiring guitar player of the decade, he mastered the techniques necessary to advance his gift. He practiced anywhere from 6 to 8 hours per day, fitting homework somewhere in between. During his 6 years of classical study, he found himself looking to artists such as Bach, Vivaldi, Pachabel, and others for inspiration. Later, he returned to the roots of Rock and Roll and Blues. He began studying artists such as BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Buchanan, etc. Then came Doc Watson with Bluegrass and Folk as well as old Country, Western Swing and Rockabilly. Is there anything left, you ask? Vince is not a Jazz player… yet! Maybe one of these days, but he can never get away from the heart and soul of Blues, R & B, Soul, and of course Rock and Roll.


Vince on Music

My father says that I was listening to BB King before I was even born. BB was my father’s favorite artist, and he and my mother would listen to BB before I hit the ground. As a kid, I grew up listening and singing along to my parents' old Motown and R&B, Soul, Pop, and Rock (they call it classic rock now) records, because that is what they listened to. Many years and many bands later, I discovered that it wasn’t about technique, but rather, it was about heart, soul, feeling, and emotion. So, I guess I've come full circle... it’s about the song. It’s about playing what’s called for in the song and playing with everything you have – inside and out! Some of my favorite songs have only 2 or 3 chords, and mostly no guitar solos. However, they resurrect certain feelings and emotions that other songs can’t. Even though I’m a guitarist, vocalist/songwriters are among my biggest influences. Being a teacher, people always ask, “What style do you listen to?" and "Who is your favorite?” I tell them that it depends on the moment and time. Music is felt, and not everyone feels exactly the same way all the time. If I’m sad, I might listen to blues, soul, or country. If I’m happy, I might listen to pop or rock. If I’m contemplative, I might listen to classical or jazz. If I’m pissed off, I’m probably going to put in some blaring LOUD hard rock! And yet sometimes it may be all reversed. I’ve just found that it's all about feeling and emotion, and as a human being, I just can’t set limits on that type of thing.



Vince on Life

Short n' Sweet (Just like life)

About me, I’ve beaten death twice… well, I guess you never really BEAT it, you just get to prolong life, if you are fortunate. I believe I am a very intuitive person, which is beneficial when meeting and dealing with people, both socially and musically. My glass is ALWAYS half full and NOTHING surprises me anymore! I love trying to help people to have a better day and love helping students grow in a positive direction. I love to help people see and believe... Where there is a will there IS a way! I even have more fun PROVING IT!!! My appetite for knowledge is insatiable. No matter how much knowledge a person has, there is ALWAYS more to learn. Sometimes people ask me, “Why do you teach?” The answer: To learn! Many times the teacher learns the most. But I also enjoy hearing feedback from students' parents on the positive impact they’ve seen in their child musically, but more importantly, as individuals. I enjoy getting to wake up everyday to a new day and its possibilities.