One of the most talented artists ever to appear on my old TV show, Rodricks For Breakast (WMAR-TV2, 1995-2000, RIP) was Vince Junior, and I'm very happy -- and not surprised -- to see him getting exposure in USA Today as a great school teacher.
The Vince Junior we met 10 years ago in Baltimore was a singer-songwriter and a mean guitar player, as well as a public school teacher here. He had a CD at the time (recorded at Birdfeeder in Baltimore, with some help from Big Blow and the Bushwackers) called "Better Than a Wheel," dedicated to Vince "Senior" Floriani, identified as the artist's "first music teacher."
At the time, Vince Junior looked like Frank Zappa some, sounded like Leonard Cohen, with
inspirations from Tom Waits and Leo Kottke, though it was evident from his first disc that he'd been working quite hard to develop a unique style. His guitar, a good ol' National resonator, gave the songs a Southern swampy edge; they could have been tracks for a Jim Jarmusch film. Since then, he's been deeply into music for children. Good goin' Junior! Congrats from Crab Towne.