INFLUENTIAL: Eddie Van Halen, Howlin Wolf, Django Reindhart, Jaco Pastorius, Wes Montgomery,Roy Clark, Glen Campbell, Freddie King, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Sonny Boy Williamson I, Little Walter, Donny Hathaway, Al Green, Ohio Players, Lena Horne, The Carpenters, Luther Vandross, Mothers Finest, Nancy Wilson, Joe Satriani, Tony McAlpine, Steve Vai, Yngvwie Malmnsteen,Greg Howe, Michaelangelo Batio, Paul Gilbert, Ernie Isley,Steven Alphabet, Lloyd Scott, Earl Klugh, Oscar Peterson, Ray Charles, Sonny Emery,Terry Bozzio,Victor Wooten, Reggie Wooten, Toney Broadnax, ZA, Rusty Cooley,
Chris Peeler, Ed Stroud,Tracy Orr, Fred Campbell, Walt Powell...The list goes on!!
HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL: Rod Thornton, Lascelles"Ferg"Ferguson, Jimi Hendrix, Sugarfoot,Teenie Hodges, Alan Booker(R.I.P), Vernon Echols(R.I.P.).
HIGHEST INFLUENCE: The RIVERS FAMILY & MATTIE B.
ULTIMATE INFLUENCE: The ALMIGHTY
Sounds Like
Behind the scene yet selectively known, funky rhythmic player with fast hands, possibly best described as a Funk/Fusion Player.
Record Label
Various: LaFace, East/West Rec.Virgin,Wrap Records
Born July 21, a part of the "Baby Boomer Generation", Rivers grew up around music, and music lovers.
Began playing guitar seriously in 1985, with a well known Atlanta Band Southside Coalition.
Frat Brothers Gaylord Parsons, Edsel Robinson,Kenneth "K.B." Brown and Kerry Hubbard,
brought Rivers on-board with Stan Hackett and original member James Duffey in the group "CASHFLOW".
After signing conflicts with Atlanta Artist, the executive decision was with Larry Blackmon The Leader of Cameo, only a few initial tour dates would Rivers do with this group.
He continued to record with the group well into their second albumn. Rivers had the honor of working on many different projects with one of the greatest tenors in Atlanta, Vernon Echols and engineering wizards Richard "Pin Drop" Wells, and Albert Burroughs.
After a break from playing, Rivers joined the Morris Brown College Jazz Band under Cleophas "PROF" Johnson. The first major break in recording came through Jason "Iceberg" Leary and the "A-TOWN PLAYERS". "The 8-Tracks and Cadillacs" CD gave him the opportunity to work with the cutting edge producers Mixzo, and Jahvelyn. "Swing My Way"for K.P. & Envyii went Gold, and was pulled while still climbing the Billboard Charts.
While working with" The Walter Wise Project", through Tony Rich, Bernard Johnson and Kenny Fambro, the exposure to different artists came quickly, such as Joe and Chico DeBarge, 8-Ball & M.J.G.,and Maxi Priest to name a few.
The infamous " Ludakris Pepsi Commercial" was our fortunate misfortune," Thanks Mr. O'Reily" Rivers said... sarcastically, "We jammed the Millenium Coke Commercial, and the Hip-Hop kept rollin' along". "Blues has always been my root, and as long as you know where you're sprouting from you will grow abundantly".
These are some of the artists Rivers has performed with, recorded for, and toured with:
Get down to Sambuca's Jazz Cafe on Sunday night, where I will present my little pop jazz fandango. The food I hear is delicious, the adult beverages are cool and refreshing, the music will be swinging, and you'll fit right in with the other beautiful people there. Showtime is Sunday, November 1, 2009 6:30pm & 8:30pm. See ya there!
Hi, Randell 7/21! A limited number of Special Edition Benny Mardones collector's packages are being offered to Benny's friends on MySpace! Check it out on Benny's page!!!
![DOX StarZ [now available on iTunes]](http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/103/s_c7e0b8185ce44d35b2315b64d153f80e.jpg)
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