The sorrowful blues of B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone” isn’t lost on anyone in the room as Vincent works his blue Fender Telecaster into a frenzy. Vincent’s known as “Starter” to the other guys around here, and not just for his virtuosity on the guitar. He’s also a sound engineer and music theory teacher and he’s been doing this since it all started.
“You gotta be out of trouble for so long before you can be here,” he says.
Vincent is talking about the Music With A Purpose program at Trumbull Correctional Institution, because Vincent is locked up here and he’s not leaving anytime soon. With nearly a decade to go before he gets a shot at parole, Vincent joins dozens of other inmates here in pursuit of music. And rock ‘n’ roll. And freedom of some limited, creative sort.
“This is the goal,” he says. “This is the ultimate goal, to be able to come out here and play.”
Sandy 