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Native New Yorker Vincent Poag  announced the release of his latest single and music video, "America," written and sung in the rich tradition of Paul Simon, Randy Newman, and Bob Dylan. "America" is a gentle but firm wake-up call to a nation sorely divided by politics, race, and a deadly pandemic that threatens to drag on through a dark and interminable winter. Having recorded dozens of songs and released three albums to date, Poag's discography is already long and diverse. The video for "America" is available on YouTube. This song is off his soon-to-be-released fourth album.

Born and raised in the blue-collar community of Massapequa, Long Island, Poag grew up working in his father's hardware store while listening to the great musicals of the Golden Age of Broadway. He received his first guitar not long after his 8th birthday, and with roots in both musical culture and sturdy practicality, Poag began writing songs early.

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Speaking of songwriting, he said: "Every song I write is like a Broadway musical that tells a story without the help of a theater, choreography or actors. A narrative poem that later seeks the melody to become its backbone. Sometimes it works in reverse. One of the great struggles of the songwriter is to match a lyric with a melody where both resonate. 'America' tells a story we're all familiar with – why we're here as a nation and how it all got started. It reminds us of the ideals that made our country great.  It's a beautiful love song meant to evoke the calm we all need right now."

From "America": "Ancestors came over the seas,
Leaving their homes to dare the unknown, escape tyranny.
For the new world they heard was the land of opportunity.
Home for the brave, home of the free."

Poag's life mirrors that of most Americans: the pursuit of a dream, through years of struggle involving hard work and tenacity. After initially shelving his musical pursuits so he could support his family, Poag eventually returned to songwriting and singing in the autumn years of his life. Working through his art with a learned diligence, Poag is also a wellspring of creativity.

Speaking of his sound and style, he said: "I've been influenced by the Beatles and so many other amazing songwriters.  Dylan inspired me a great deal, of course; like he did every American musician of my generation. He was a force of nature and change – his music spoke to the hopes and desires of a movement. That's a power that only comes along once in a great while. And while I've developed my own sound, a mix of multiple musical genres, I've never forgotten that music should always carry a message as well as entertain. And 'America' does just that. It reminds the good people of this nation who they are, so they can be united, and proud of themselves again."

"America,
The heart of thee
Flows with the blood of decency.
To give the people wings,
Let bells of freedom ring."