HUNTINGTON STATION, NY — Noted front of house engineer Vincent J. “Vinnie” Kowalski, Jr. passed away July 17, 2020 of an apparent heart attack. He was 58.
A lifelong resident of Long Island, NY, Kowalski was born June 4, 1962 and attended Walt Whitman High School in Huntington Station, NY, where he developed a passion and skill at sound mixing, starting with local bands. In 1986, he began an association with RSA Audio Services, a successful regional sound company also based in Long Island. RSA was shocked to hear the news of Kowalski’s passing, noting on Facebook that, “It is with broken hearts that we say goodbye to our dear friend and 35-year employee Vinnie Kowalski. He will be missed more than words can convey. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this terrible time.”
Kowalski had a long and successful career as a world-class FOH engineer, touring with many top acts, including Blondie, John Fogerty, Dream Theater, Savatage and Kirk Franklin — among others, but was perhaps best known for his two decades-plus of work with Peter Frampton, which began in 1998.
“Sadly, we have lost one of our treasured Frampton road family,” Frampton reacted on his Twitter page. “Vinnie Kowalski was our much-loved front of house sound engineer for over 20 years. The world is a lot less funny now that Vinnie is no longer with us. He was one of the best sound engineers I’ve ever worked with and a big guy with a huge heart. My love and thoughts go out to his family and those who will not have the opportunity to know this dear friend and sweet man.”
Vinnie Kowalski was loved by his family and many friends and associates throughout the industry and will be missed by all. His funeral mass was held July 22 at St. Hugh of Lincoln Roman Catholic Church, with interment at St. Patrick’s Cemetery — both in Huntington Station.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to Ollie’s Angels Animal Rescue (olliesangelsanimalrescue.org), an animal adoption and rescue organization dedicated to saving the lives of abused, abandoned and neglected dogs across the country, as well as those facing immediate euthanasia in kill shelters.
