Evonne Rivera

Artist Information

Biography

Evonne Rivera
Singer/Songwriter

An invigorating, powerful voice, enriching lyrics, and a remarkable stage presence are hallmarks of singer/songwriter Evonne Rivera.

Influenced by such artists as Etta James, Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin, Evonne Rivera's music is filled with soulful, Old School energy and captivating hooks.

No stranger to the stage, Evonne previously performed before packed audiences, in renowned venues throughout Los Angeles such as The House of Blues, The El Rey Theatre and The Viper Room, as the back-up vocalist in the acclaimed, speak-easy jazz show, The Toledo Show.

In search of finding her own sound, Evonne left The Toledo Show to form the band Ragdoll, and performed as the lead singer and songwriter throughout Los Angeles and Pasadena in popular venues such as Luna Park, The Baked Potato and The Joint.

After becoming pregnant, Evonne took a break from performing live to focus on being a mother. However, determined to learn more about the business of music, Evonne soon acquired three-years of experience as a record promoter for commercial radio.

Ready to reveal her passion and story to the world, Evonne started her own independent label, Sweet Bottom Records, in 2004 and began working with Grammy nominated songwriter and producer Rodney Shelton.

Evonne Rivera released her first 3-song EP in February, 2005 which was nominated as "Best Adult Alternative Album of the Year" for the 2005 LA Music Awards!

Evonne then performed once again throughout Los Angeles in some of LA's premier venues including The Cinegrill, Monsoon Cafe, B.B. King's and The Key Club.

On June 13th, 2006, Evonne released her debut album titled "WHAT IF", which includes the talents of renowned drummer Gerry Brown (Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie, Diana Ross), and bass player C.C. Thomas Jr. (Babyface, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson).

Evonne also re-recorded her song "Freedom" to be featured on the Women On The Move compilation CD, titled "Beautiful", released in July 2007 by Red Cayote Records.

After taking some time off to have her second child in late 2006, Evonne Rivera began performing once again, as part of the "Women on the Move, "Beautiful" Tour", raising funds for Domestic Violence Women Shelters throughout the state of California.

Recently, Evonne was described as one of "LA's most promising independent artists" by LA Women In Music (LAWIM), named a finalist for their highly esteemed Comet Award and her song “Unsteady” is featured on the LAWIM “Best Of The Best” Compilation Cd!

Evonne has also been named one of Music Connection Magazine's “Hot 100 Unsigned Artists" in the nation!

Last Fall, Evonne Rivera headlined Benefit By The Sea, a concert benefiting Harvest Home, the maternity home she lived in herself when pregnant with her first child!

The concert was a huge success, raising over $35,000, and was broadcast Live on GoGirlsMusicFest.com, kicking off the 2009 GoGirlsMusicFest which Evonne co-coordinated with founder Madalyn Sklar and Annette Conlon! The Fest featured numerous independent female artists in 11 concerts nationwide, raising awareness and funds for maternity homes across the country!

Evonne Rivera is now taking some time off from performing live to focus on writing and recording new songs for her next album, scheduled to be released later this year!

However, you can still find Evonne occasionally performing with other groups throughout Los Angeles such as Present Tense, Gerry Brown and The Bailouts, Sister Supreme, LA County's Total Praise Community Gospel Choir and Friendship Baptist Church's Outreach Gospel Choir.

Instrumentation

As a solo artist, I have a list of professional musicians I hire, according to their availability.
The ones I work with the most are as follows...

Gerry Brown - Drums
CC Thomas Jr., Dwayne Augustine, Richard Frank - Bass
Franky Crawford, Bill Steinway or Ming Freeman - Keyboards/Piano
Michael Sechrest, John Huldt, Perry Robertson - Guitar
Paulie Cerra - Sax

I can do anything from an acoustic set with just vocals and guitar, to the whole enchilada including other lead vocalists, back-up singers and horns! Just let me know what you're looking for!

Discography

GoGirls MusicFest 2009 Compilation CD
Featured track - "Unsteady"
Release Date 9/09
GoGirls Music

LAWIM "Best of the Best" Soirée CD
Featured track - "Unsteady"
Release Date 8/08
Los Angeles Women In Music

Women on the Move "Beautiful"
Featured track - "Freedom"
Released 7/07
Red Cayote Records

Evonne Rivera "WHAT IF"
Full length album
Released 6/06
sweet bottom records

Evonne Rivera 3-Song EP
Released 2/05
sweet bottom records
_________________________
Internet Radio Airplay...

Womens Radio
Indie 104 ~ iRadio LA
Nette Radio
American Idol Underground
Gator Radio
Overground Radio
Deca Dance Radio
Awesome Radio
Beauty Radio
The Motown Show
The Common NonSense Radio Show
Hi-Radio.com
_________________________
Features...

"Artist of the Month" WCIR Beckley, WV 11/07
Featured on "Rockin' Moms Podcast" 11/06
Featured on VOA Music Mix 1/05

Official Website

http://www.evonnerivera.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• ReverbNation
• MySpace
• LinkedIn
• sweet bottom records

Audio

• Freedom
  Listen  
• I Shall Be Released
  Listen  
• Water & Fire
  Listen  
• Stormy Blues
  Listen  
• Your Love Leaves Me High
  Listen  
• Unsteady
  Listen  
• When Daddy Blows His Horn
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Freedom
• Water & Fire
• Your Love Leaves Me High
• Unsteady
• When Daddy Blows His Horn

Video

Evonne Rivera Live Show Demo

Photo Gallery

Press

• Music Connection Club Review [+ Show ]
  

  "Evonne Rivera: A refined blues singer with sensitive inflections." "...entertaining set...incred..."Evonne Rivera: A refined blues singer with sensitive inflections."
  
  "...entertaining set...incredible voice..."
  
  "...Rivera's take on covers, such as Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," is inspired. In fact, her gut-wrenching version of that standard is a showstopper. It's so good, it could be her signature song..."
  
  "...The players in this group are awesome,... Cerra and Sechrest take the songs to another level. The band gives Rivera exactly what she needs to showcase her extraordinary vocals. When she belts out a tune, you can't help but think of legends like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Billie Holiday..."
  
  "...Evonne Rivera is a remarkable singer with an enjoyable show..."

• BluesCritic.com CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  "...this Pasadena, California singer's sultry voice excels on the Jazzy side..." "...she approach..."...this Pasadena, California singer's sultry voice excels on the Jazzy side..."
  
  "...she approaches that something special that separates the women from the little girls..."

• TheCelebrityCafe.com CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  "Rivera’s voice has strength, and listeners will be left vulnerable against her potent charm and exu..."Rivera’s voice has strength, and listeners will be left vulnerable against her potent charm and exuberance."
  
  "Her voice holds such resilience and self-assuredness that listeners, especially female ones are bound to feel the same."
  
  "Evonne Rivera’s “What If” has tracks that speak to listener's lives. Rivera’s timbre goes from laid-back to strapping, which will entice listeners to think “What if?”
  
  "Reviewer's Rating: 9"
  

• BuddyHollywood.com CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  "Ms. Rivera possesses a formidable set of pipes, and displays an easy, natural ability to wrap her v..."Ms. Rivera possesses a formidable set of pipes, and displays an easy, natural ability to wrap her vocals around a tune and either caress it lovingly, or throttle it into humble submission."
  
  "...remarkable emotional range..."

• TheDailyVault.com CD Review [+ Show ]
  

  "Evonne Rivera is an adult contemporary independent artist who has a couple of advantages working fo..."Evonne Rivera is an adult contemporary independent artist who has a couple of advantages working for her: a good clear voice and the ability to write her own material."
  
  "Her vocals create an intimate feeling that draw you in and create closeness."
  
  "The Dylan song “I Shall Be Released” may by the best vocal on the album. It is extremely different to sing Dylan in any new imaginative way, but Rivera manages it, with a clear and crisp rendition allowing her to reinterpret the standard as a pop song that becomes her own."

Setlist

The set list consists of a combination of covers and originals, all within the styles of Old School R&B, Blues and Jazz.
This is a sample of what I'm performing now, for a complete list of songs I know and any requests for your event, just e-mail me!
(in no particular order)

Original songs from my album WHAT IF...

Water & Fire
Scent
Freedom
Jaded
Old Wounds
Your Love Leaves Me High
Unsteady

Other original songs...

Stone Cold Blues
I'll Love You Anyway
Lover, Bestfriend

Cover songs and artists who's versions of the songs inspire the way I perform them.

I Shall Be Released - Bob Dylan (Featured album WHAT IF)
Stormy Blues - Billie Holiday (Featured album WHAT IF)
Ain't No Sunshine - Tracy Hamlin
Rise - Teresa James and Anna Montgomery
Days Like This - Van Morrison
Get It While You Can - Janis Joplin
Hey Bartender - Koko Taylor
Something's Got a Hold On Me - Etta James
Women Be Wise - Bonnie Raitt
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Nina Simone
Bell Bottom Blues - Eric Clapton
People Get Ready - Curtis Mayfield
Chocolate - Holly Jergenson
Everybody Plays the Fool - Aaron Neville
Feeling Good - Nina Simone
Take It To The Limit - Etta James
Testify - Dianne Reeves
You've really Got A Hold On Me - Smokey Robinson
I've Got Dreams To Remember - Otis Redding
Love Me like A Man - Bonnie Raitt
Love in Them There Hills - The Vibrations
I Never Loved a Man - Aretha Franklin
Little Wing - Jimi Hendrix
The Jealous Kind - Joe Cocker
Dr. Feelgood - Aretha Franklin
Pick Yourself Up - Diana Krall
Don't Know Why - Norah Jones
Chuck E's In Love - Rickie Lee Jones
Proud Mary - Tina Turner

Basic Requirements

Calendar