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Biography (courtesy of Tony Vincent )

tony vincent: past to present...
after attending college and recording two hit albums in nashville, and then two years touring with a rock band, tony vincent took “the performer’s risk” and headed for new york. the plan was to gain more experience, to further his fledgling recording career. instead, he found himself leaving the big apple almost as fast as he arrived, hitting the road once again—this time, with the national touring company of "rent”, the pulitzer prize-winning broadway musical by fellow new mexico native, jonathan larsen.

it was to become one of a string of musical theatre opportunities that were to temporarily frustrate vincent’s dream of a big-time recording career over the next few years. a conflict of timing, to be sure; but not a bad problem to have.

upon returning to new york, he was quickly cast in the broadway production of “rent”. a year later, just as vincent began to refocus on his elusive recording career, he was suddenly off to london, the only american to be cast in a new film version of andrew lloyd webber’s 70’s hit musical, “jesus christ superstar”, in the principal role of simon zealotes. the film completed, vincent returned to new york yet again, to appear in the broadway revival of “superstar”. but, this time, literally just days before opening the show, producers suddenly moved vincent from the role of simon into the lead role of judas iscariot.

that starring role on broadway gave vincent valuable new york exposure and the notice he needed to finally begin the launch of his dream career as a major-label recording star—almost. in the fall of 2001, sir andrew brought vincent to beijing and shanghai for a special cultural-exchange production staged to introduce webber’s music to the people of china. (in fact, on 9/11, vincent was literally enroute from rehearsals in sydney to the chinese capital, far from his beloved new york).

that done, it was back to new york to finally start development work for the new record. vincent began to spend considerable time collaborating with other writer-producers in la, woodstock, sweden and london.

but then, not surprisingly by now, the theatre beckoned once again. while in london, vincent was invited to audition for brian may, roger taylor and ben elton for the lead part of galileo figuero in queen’s upcoming world premiere production of “we will rock you”, the new rock theatrical scheduled to open in london’s famed west end (western europe’s equivalent of broadway). vincent landed the part (the only american in the original cast), moved to london, and played to sold-out audiences virtually every performance for nearly two years.

“getting to work with the original members of queen, to be able to sing those great freddie mercury/ brian may/ roger taylor hits night after night—was just beyond belief,” says vincent.

once “we will rock you” became a solid hit in london, plans were formulated to open productions in major cities around the world, rather than sending out touring companies, usually the norm. for the u.s. debut of the show, producers again chose a creative alternative, this time bypassing the typical broadway run and instead, opening in a new permanent theatre at the paris las vegas resort.

“it makes total sense,” says tony vincent, once again cast as galileo in the vegas opening run. “this show is just total rock entertainment. what better venue than the new entertainment capital of the u.s.? people come to las vegas to enjoy themselves, and they really ‘let their hair down’. for me, it’s kind of a refreshing, fun departure from broadway theatre.”

now living and working in las vegas, returning to his native desert southwest roots, such is life at the moment for tony vincent, recording artist/ actor/ songwriter/ musician/ singer. rocking out to queen’s hits five shows a week feels pretty good.

oh—and about that new record? in tony vincent’s “copious spare time”, he’s working on it… he’s working on it.