BIOGRAPHY
Rio and the Rockabilly Revival is:
Rio Scafone - Lead Vox, Seán Eric Harris - Double Bass, Ally Sarah - Backing Vox, Renee Turner - Backing Vox, Jarod Thompson - Guitar, Jumpin' Jack Johnson - Sax, Charlie Bongo - Drums
With more than 100+ years of professional experience between them, the members of Rio & the Rockabilly Revival serve up blistering rockabilly, circa 1950's.
Front woman, Rio Scafone, niece of Rockabilly legend, Jack Scott has been described as "Johnny Cash meets Elvis meets Janis Joplin" Known for her powerful voice and strong showmanship, Rio carries on the the family tradition of serving up a heaping dose of old school, spitfire Rockabilly!
Their shows have been referred to as "the church of rock & roll", with reviewers and fans alike testifying to feeling the "Rock & Roll Holy Ghost" in the room.
Born and raised in Michigan, Rio Scafone was steeped in the old school Rockabilly sound from a young age as her uncle, Jack Scott, is considered to be one of the genres pioneers.
At the age of five, Rio could be heard singing nightly out her bedroom window into the midnight air. Her young voice carrying songs by Jack Scott, Johnny Cash and the like onto the deserted streets below. Her faithful fan was a German Shepard named Rebel, who would listen intently from a neighbors yard. It seems only fitting that their soon to be released, EP be titled, Midnight Rebel Sessions.
She was offered her first record deal at the age of twelve and turned it down in order to be "a regular kid" and another offer came from a major label at age 22 but turned that deal down as well when she was instructed to shelve her big soulful voice in order to serve up "pop fluff with breathy vocals."
Coming up in Rockabilly, selling out was never an option.
"The music comes first. A record deal does not make you an artist. Music seeps under your skin, slips into your veins and saturates your soul. For some of us, our music an extension of who we are on a soul level. To restrain that creative force in order to satisfy the fickle business model of a record label is a high crime against your own creative self. I will continue to honor the music and if a label appreciates what I do- great- it's a win-win. If not, it changes nothing" -- Rio
Read more...