Vince Charming and the New Americans

Vince Charming is a multi-talented, multi-faceted, multi-instrumentalist, who has been delighting California audiences for over twenty years. Charming was born sometime in the mid-nineteen sixties to the royal family of the little-known principality, Charmania, located in the Swiss Alps near the border of Italy and Switzerland. At a young age he showed an avid interest and proclivity for music, beginning to compose songs at the age of four. Sometime in the late sixties, while his family was vacationing in Southern California, Charming decided to hit the road to gain life experience for his blossoming song catalogue.
After returning from life on the road he was adopted by distant relatives in Los Angeles who raised him as their own. He led a normal life until he went off to the University of California at Berkeley some time in the early nineteen eighties. Here his interest in music was rekindled. As a leader, bassist, and songwriter for the ‘Lektrik Submarine, he helped pioneer the neo-psychedelic wave that hit Berkeley in 1983. In 1985 he formed and led the Coffee Achievers whose original and high energy blend of Rock, R&B, Reggae, and Be-bop thrilled Bay Area audiences. In May of 1985 he premiered his original Rock Opera, The Artist, at U.C. Berkeley’s Wheeler Auditorium to a standing ovation. Written under the supervision of poet/author Ishmael Reed, The Artist tells of one man’s struggle to stay true to his artistic vision in the Reagan era.
For a brief time in the mid-nineties Charming relocated to Southern California where he became a popular figure at many of the area’s top acoustic venues including Highland Grounds and the Iguana Cafe. In the Bay Area Charming has appeared in such varied venues as the Hotel Utah, Jupiter, Last Day Saloon, Ireland’s 32, the Starry Plough, Blakes, the Oakland Metro, Ashkenaz, the Bistro in Hayward, Johnny Foleys, the San Gregorio General Store, Becketts, Epiphany Music in Santa Rosa, and the Marin Brewing Company. He has recently released a brand new CD, Five Reel Film. Described as “aural cinema”, this work presents five vintage Charming originals.
Vince Charming has now formed a great new band, the New Americans with multi-instrumentalist Michael Grow, electric and upright bassist, Rafael Pozos, and vocalist, Kay Roland . Mike was born and lived his first decade in the Green Mountain state of Vermont, but then moved to the Golden Hills of California. He picked up the guitar at age 13, inspired by the great music that could still be found on the radio in the 70's. Mike's style was formed by many years of self-taught meandering, followed by a few years of guitar lessons to help bring it to fruition. Mike has played in a few music projects over the last few years, meeting Vince in one of these projects (Amory Blue). He has picked-up the mandolin and lap steel guitar in the last couple years, largely driven by his new-found love of Old-Time Country and Bluegrass music. Rafael originally hails from Santa Cruz and is a classically trained cellist. He leaned his chops while attending Gonzaga University in Washington where he played a variety of musical outfits. Kay weaves a tapestry of musical experiences into her singing adding a touch of sweetness and grace to the musical fabric of the band. Together the band plays a tasty blend of music that is true Americana: a bit of rockabilly and ole school country, a dash of bluegrass, a hint of San Francisco psychedelia, and a pinch of classic rock.