Meet the Band
Lisa Landry and the Southern Blues Band is made up of a group of musicians who are passionate about bringing blues to life. Meet the band members: Lisa Landry on lead vocals, Tom Vidal on guitar, Paul John Cruz on Bass and Tommy Civitillo on drums. Together, they create a sound that is both soulful and electrifying.
Lisa Landry has become a Long Island Favorite with a long history of Theatre and club performances. Lisa began her vocal journey singing as a young child to all the Beatles music. During grade school she started singing in church choirs and as a teen started singing and playing with an acoustic guitar group at Sunday services.
She joined her first band at 15 yrs old, then at 17 she began singing professionally throughout the tri state area at many clubs weddings and corporate events throughout the years.
During that time she studied with different local music teachers for guitar and keyboard and most notably in Queens, NY with Rich Boukas for music theory and bass instruction.
Lisa has performed numerous plays and musicals at the South Shore Theatre along with performing and directing productions at The James Street Players in Babylon, NY.
Lisa has years of experience fronting classic rock cover bands on Long Island but now follows her heart bringing her soul and energy to the Southern Blues Band as frontline feature lead singer
Lisa says she has always been drawn to the Blues and feels it is the right time to go down the soulful storytelling path of the Blues…”But with an Edge” and a great band to back it up!
Lisa Landry
Paul John Cruz
Paul brings over 40 years of experience of live performances, studio recording, music instruction and songwriting.Paul also has experience as a multi keyboardist, guitarist and drummer as well as being trained in Audio Technology and Home Studio Recording.He has also performed with various acts opening up for National Performers such as Night Ranger, Fishbone and G.E Smith.
Paul has a college music background as a music major along with having studied with Legendary Bassists such as the Legendary man himself Jerry Jemmott who was the backbone of a consortium of the worlds greatest rhythm sections for artists such as Duane Allman, Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and many more. He also studied with virtuoso Randy Coven.
​
Paul with the band Nova aired on MTV with a music video along with several tri state cable television network interviews with a tour of the east coast from Boston to Florida ending with an opening concert for the band Fishbone at the China Club in NYC.
He also served as a Music Director and Band Leader for Pink Floyd Tribute Time, The Doobie Brothers Tribute Wheels of Fortune and was Co-Founder and Vocal Arrangement Director/Bassist for the Styx Tribute bands Rockin the Paradise and Return to Paradise.
​
Paul quotes “ I love many genres of music with a strong attraction to Classical and new age music. I have always been a big fan of Classic Rock, R&B, Southern Rock and Blues. When Arena rock began with such bands as Journey, Boston, Genesis and Styx along with great bands like America, Crosby Stills and Nash, and The Outlaws, I found my love for strong vocal harmony, emotion and dynamics within every song.”
​
Paul brings his experience to Lisa Landry and the Southern Blues Band as a Band Leader, Music Director, Bassist and Vocalist. He is also the band's Website designer, as well as graphic art designer for all promotional material. In SBB he has the opportunity and pleasure of playing with some of Long Island's most talented musicians, along with being the nicest people. SBB is certainly a band full of passion for music and a great love for performance!
Tom started playing guitar at the age of 13, influenced by many classic and progressive rock guitarists of the day, including Buck Dharma, Rik Emmett and Steve Hackett. He graduated from Shenandoah University with a degree in Music Therapy with a concentration in classical guitar. In the early 90’s he was the lead guitarist/songwriter in the NY based Irish alternative band Surrey Lane.
Tom also performs with the band Sunrise Crossing along with contributing performances with The Chapters Rap "All Star Band" with Steve Vaccaro.
​
Tom adds his style of lead and rhythm guitar to SBB helping add the soulful heart felt feel of the band in every performance!
Tom Vidal
Tommy Civitillo
​
Born and raised on Long Island, NY, Tommy Civitillo was surrounded by music from an early age. His parents were passionate music lovers, and his father’s work at a record label meant there was always a wide variety of music playing at home. From the swing of Benny Goodman to the Latin rhythms of Tito Puente and the soulful grooves of Curtis Mayfield, these early influences helped shape his deep appreciation for rhythm and feel.
​
His drumming journey began in 1974 at the age of 10 when he got his first snare drum, and by 12, he was taking private lessons to refine his craft. As a teenager, he honed his skills and, in 1982, started playing bar gigs, gaining experience performing in front of live audiences. Throughout the ’80s, he was part of an original heavy rock band, writing and recording a demo that received airplay on college radio.
​
Over the years, Tommy Civitillo has built a diverse and extensive musical resume, playing professionally across multiple genres. His experience includes dance/pop, traditional and swing blues, classic rock from the ’60s and ’70s, contemporary rock spanning the ’80s through today, jam bands like Phish, the Grateful Dead, and the Allman Brothers, as well as metal. For the past 20 years, he has been a steady presence in the Suffolk County music scene, performing regularly and bringing his infectious energy to every stage he steps onto.
While he has yet to perform funk, soul, or New Orleans jazz—the styles he is most passionate about—he channels their spirit into his playing, always striving to bring groove and movement to the music. As a drummer, he sees it as his responsibility to get people up and dancing, no matter the genre. His philosophy is simple: serve the song, bring it to life, and transmit his joy for music to the audience. Whether locking into a solid groove or driving a band forward with dynamic energy, Tommy Civitillo plays with the heart of a true musician—dedicated to the rhythm, the feel, and the soul of every performance.