Plenty of musicians do a fine job of entertaining audiences with takes on familiar songs.
Then there are those who have the confidence to play their own compositions.
Bethel Park resident Vince Russo — he goes professionally by Augustine, the middle name handed down to him by his father and grandfather — cut his performance teeth in a band called Cat’s Head, covering rock favorites in area bars and restaurants.
“From there, I really wanted to get back to writing, telling some stories and putting them out there,” he said about a pursuit he started in high school. “That’s really the heart of what I enjoy about music: storytelling and a melody that really catches you.”
“Augustine,” Russo’s six-song debut EP, demonstrates his ability to achieve the dual objective. He addresses a variety of topics, from facing adversity to celebrating life’s brighter side, combining his knack for lyricism with considerable vocal talent.
“I started out, like a lot of folks, singing in choir in elementary school,” he recalled. And while attending Freeport Area High School, “It wasn’t uncommon for me to sing anything from alto to bass in a given song, to support and help add texture. That experience was really valuable.”
The range he gained is evident during his shows, when he’s able to emulate Stevie Nicks’ high register on Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” between songs from many of his musical influences, from the Beatles and Creedence Clearwater Revival to Jim Croce and Tyler Childers.
And of course, he puts his own compositions on display, including songs from “Augustine,” released in September, and previews of a full-length album on which he’s working. Some of his early writing efforts appear in revised versions on the EP, such as the upbeat love song “Buy You a Rose,” dedicated to his wife, Kyla.
“I came back to it and changed some of the lyrics and themes just a little bit, and kind of sped it up a bit so that it has the pep it has now,” he said.
Another cheery EP track is “Hound Dog Song,” his ode to family pet and “my best pal” Midnight, a personable pit bull-St. Bernard mix adopted as a rescue:
The lady up front said he don’t like men, they didn’t think he’d find a home again
He ran in the room and put his paw up on my knee, and the rest, as they say, is history
On a more serious note, “She’s Only Sleeping When It’s Raining” tackles the too-common issues of anxiety and depression.
“A lot of the things that we encounter in our lives, we trick ourselves into thinking it’s unique to us when really, we are a communal species,” Russo said. “We’re meant to be together and to share these experiences, and that means the low points, as well.”
For “Travelin’ Again,” he reflects on having jobs that require substantial drive time:
I used to live for this adventure, bein’ out here on my own
But now there’s something I cannot shake when I end each day alone
“Everyone says, ‘Oh, you travel for work. It must be the greatest thing.’ But traveling is stressful. It’s difficult,” Russo said. “I’ve seen things and gotten to do things that others don’t, and I’m grateful for that. But it takes a toll, for sure.”
For several years, he worked for Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity and its educational foundation after joining the Greek organization while studying at Robert Morris University. He is now a major gifts officer with the University of Pittsburgh, helping to build partnerships and strengthen donor relationships.
In 2025, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh honored him as one of its Bigs and Littles of the Year for his mentoring of a boy named Damion.
“It’s been such a deeply fulfilling experience,” Russo said. “They talk about the impact you’ll have on your little, but what they’ve started to talk more about is how much your little and the organization will impact you. And I’m such a better person for being affiliated with it.”
He and Kyla, a fellow Robert Morris graduate, moved to Bethel Park in 2021.
“It’s been a really welcoming community. We love the things to do. We love the T in our backyard, essentially,” Russo said regarding their proximity to public transportation. “I go up to the community center every Tuesday with Midnight, and we visit the ladies who play cards there. So it’s really become a nice home for us.”
He will perform at Apericena: A Wine Bar, 100 Siena Drive, Upper St. Clair, on Feb. 5.
For more information, visit augustinemusics.com.