Masquerade

SON OF A HARDWARE MAN

The thoughts and dreams of an 8-year-old mind are strong enough to last a lifetime.

Vincent Poag was born and raised in a blue-collar section of Massapequa, Long Island.  Born in the 50’s, he was exposed to, and a product of, the Broadway musical era; the music of Gershwin, Porter and Rogers and Hammerstein. As a teen, Poag saw singers like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley give way to a unique new breed of musician – the singer/songwriter.  Influenced by the explosive cultural shift of the 60’s, led by such icons as Bob Dylan and the Beatles, Vincent Poag began his musical journey.

"I've been influenced by many great artists but Bob Dylan inspired me."

Poag worked in the family’s hardware store from the age of eight and shortly thereafter received his first guitar. He immediately started playing and writing his own music and by the time he entered college he had formed a 3 piece acoustic trio.
Poag with his trio moved to Georgia after college to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter in Atlanta’s burgeoning underground club scene. 

When that didn’t work out, broke, Vincent returned to New York to drive a bus, play bars and peddle his songs to publishers and record labels. Unfortunately the pressures of making a living forced him to channel his creativity and drive into business ventures, eventually building a successful non-music business. 

He later married and had a family but the songwriter in him never died.  From time to time he would write a lyric or a song on a subject that resonated with him, only to be tucked away in a desk drawer.

Fast forward to 2008… on a lark as a birthday gift his wife bought him a series of guitar lessons. Now Poag, more settled in his career and family, could revisit his first love and explore his musical potential.  The dream that so long ago was put on hold, and the songs that had been tucked away in a drawer were revitalized. Somewhere between hope and possibility in a voice somewhere between Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, and Randy Newman, Vincent Poag was reborn. 

The dreams that were put on hold have become material that demands to be heard.