Glenn Vignolo – Songwriter/Vocals/Lead Guitar/Rhythm Guitar/Keyboard
Pensacola native Glenn Vignolo got his taste for performing when he was coached by his sister to enter a 2nd grade school talent show. Glenn first audience consisted of 300 people – and he was hooked. Glenn’s vocal ability grew with every talent shows and choir he participated in. At the age of 12, Glenn discovered a couple of very important things that changed life as he knew it forever: ”The Beatles” and the guitar. He had already been writing poetry for a few years, so the idea of putting music to the poems intrigued him. Teaching himself the guitar, Glenn eventually became dissatisfied with lead guitarists who it seemed were more interested in the “hair metal” bands. He began crafting a melodic sound, inspired by Eric Clapton. He took matters (and a Fender Stratocaster) into his own hands and became a lead guitarist. By 1991, Glenn had written what would turn out to be one of his most requested songs, “Pale,” and his primitive demo of the song featured himself on every instrument.
Crosby, Stills, and Nash and the production and songwriting of Electric Light Orchestra became another part of the foundation he built his “musical” world upon, and the heartbreak and longing in Roy Orbison’s voice inspired him to pour out his own feelings. In 1994, he acquired a four-track recorder and began demos for a CD that would become Civilized Natives first release. As one listens to the CD, the sounds of the Beatles, ELO, Crosby Stills and Nash, and Eric Clapton’s guitar seem to mesh together to form a new sound all its own.
The CD is a rock and roll heartbeat, built on the dreams of a 12-year-old boy who found in the Beatles the inspiration to strap on an electric guitar, step into the spotlight, and sing what his heart told him to.
Musical Influences: The Beatles, Crosby Stills and Nash, Electric Light Orchestra, Roy Orbison and Eric Clapton
Favorite Quote: “The man that hath no music in himself, nor is not mov’d with the concord of sweet sounds is fit for treasons stratagems and spoils…let no such man be trusted…” — William Shakespeare
Therese (Florian) Vignolo – Vocals /Percussion/Acoustic Guitar
Therese started singing at the tender age of four when her Great Uncle, Father John Licari, requested that she sing for the celebrities at St Anne’s Round Up in Pensacola. She then performed in talent shows, fund raisers and in school plays. At age 13 she sang Schubert’s “Ave Maria”.
Therese’s production and craft become more refined as she began listening to Phil Collins and The Bee Gees. She then took the club scene and sang with many artists including her Uncle, John Licari. She was influenced by Patsy Cline, who gave her a sense of the dramatic in music. She also heard Celine Dion whose vocal power helped her find her own voice.
Eventually, Therese crossed paths with childhood friend, Glenn Vignolo. Together, their voices fit like a glove. He played Civilized Natives music and she fell in love. They started duo shows up until the point she was invited into the band. On August 12th, 2000 Therese and Glenn were married.
Therese’s power and soulful, gutsy growl, coupled with an ethereal quality that makes her unique among singers, bring brings versatility, experience, and zeal to her craft.
Musical Influences: Phil Collins, Celine Dion, Roy Orbison, K.D. Lang, Patsy Cline, The Beatles, The Bee Gees and Vince Gill.
Favorite Quote: “…and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make…” –Sir Paul McCartney-
Robert Hammac- Song writer/Vocals/Percussion/Congas
Robert started singing harmonies with records at the age of five. Elton John and The Beatles were his first memorable influences as a boy. His parents influenced him as well with the sounds of Motown and other legends. After his mother caught him singing into the end of the vacuum cleaner she knew his destiny. He was part of one of the first karaoke venues that started in Pensacola in the early 90′s called “OH Karaoke,” owned by Mr. Fred Hayes. He used to sing with his friends out at the Seashell on the boardwalk because Mr. Hayes thought “it would draw people in.” In school he was with Escambians and PJC Chorus group. The first time he performed in front of 200 people, he was hooked. He has since become a prolific songwriter.
Musical Influences: The Beatles, The Scissor sisters, K.D. Lang, Roy Orbison, George O’dowd, Billy Joel, Beck, Bjork, Radiohead, Marvin Gaye, Nat King Cole, George Michael, Elton John and Queen.
Favorite Quote: “The doer does the things he dreams whether great, or small, but the dreamer dreams of things to come that never come at all.” -R.D. Hammac
Greg Fink- Bass/Banjo/Vocals
Greg has an innate nature for the bass guitar. There is no one who gets more excited while striking more appropriate notes at just the right groove than Greg. Greg started playing bluegrass and jazz 25 years ago with his brother Will Fink while they headed up the then cutting edge bluegrass group New Frontier.
With the Civilized Natives, no one can miss his energy as he hops up and down on the stage, and brings vitality to a performance that is filled with the love and enjoyment — a critical ingredient to a band that wants to excite, ignite, and entertain! His unstoppable banjo picking is a secret weapon that when unleashed, creates a refreshing and unmatchable living art that cannot be denied. No stranger to large audiences and off-chart original music, Greg is a valued player in the game, and his friendship and musicianship are one of a kind.
Musical Influences: Bela Fleck, Earl Scruggs, Leon Russell, Victor Wooten, The Beatles, Seldom Scene, Tony Rice, the Byrds, Sister Hazel, Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe.
Favorite Quote: “It is better to be awesome and loved then good and forgotten so keep working hard to be awesome.” — Greg Fink
Mike Antoine- Guitars
Mike, or #9, as he’s known to fellow band members, got interested in playing guitar at age 11 after watching the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. He lost interest in trying to learn to play shortly afterwards since each succeeding birthday and Christmas brought no guitar with it. He resorted to playing drums in his high school marching band, where he met a hip tuba player, a fella named John Licari, who also played guitar. Mike’s interest in the stringed instrument was rekindled and on his 15th birthday he was presented with a cheap learner acoustic guitar by his parents. Within weeks, he had learned the chords to “Clementine” and had also read a copy of the Beatles’ unauthorized biography, which he’d borrowed from the hip tuba player. Today, Mike owns nearly half a dozen guitars and has forgotten ALL the words to Clementine.
Musical Influences: Elvis, The Beatles, Beach Boys, Classics IV, The Mamas and Papas, Spanky and Our Gang, The Moody Blues, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Queen, Blue Oyster Cult, Led Zeppelin
Favorite Quote: “To the batpoles!”
Mike Maddox- Drums
A seasoned drummer, Mike has been around music and drums since day one, having learned to play the drums on his dad’s lap. Quite early in life, Mike found himself playing along to “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and “Physical Graffiti,” his musical blueprint for his drumming journey. Joining his first (official) band at the age of 15, he is a veteran of both live and studio settings. In today’s current setting of modern rock, his playing both live and in the studio is a stern reminder to a time of the bombastic and theatrical tones that bands implemented to fill arenas and stadiums in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.
Musical Influences: Zeppelin, Queen, Genesis, Elton John, ELO, Supertramp, The Police, The Who, Duran Duran, etc….
Favorite Quote: “There’s something rather nice about spending the evening hitting things.” (Roger Taylor/Queen)
Barbara A Belvin- Keyboards/Vocals
Barbara Belvin has been studying piano since the age of seven. She studied with concert pianists in Germany and Massachusetts and continued her study here in Pensacola, with virtuoso pianists Robert Sherwood and Pierre Huybregts. While earning her Bachelor’s degree in music, Barbara also studied with Keith Connolly (Three Dog Night) where she expanded her area of concentration from classical piano to organ, jazz and rock. Barbara has played with other local bands, soloed at various restaurants and banquets and was on the original recording of Lost written by Vince Asbjornsen. She is currently the organist at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Belview where she plays for three masses, weddings, and funerals. She has been playing keyboards with the Civilized Natives since the spring of 2010, and is currently working with Glenn on his original music.
