Donna Shea, better known as Scarlet Rivera is an American violinist. She is best known for her work with
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
, in particular on his 1976 album ''
Desire
Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of aff ...
'' and as part of the
Rolling Thunder Revue
The Rolling Thunder Revue was a 1975–1976 concert tour by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan with numerous musicians and collaborators. The purpose of the tour was to allow Dylan, who had now become a major recording artist and concert perfor ...
.
Career
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
is said to have discovered Rivera before the rehearsal for his 1975
Rolling Thunder Revue
The Rolling Thunder Revue was a 1975–1976 concert tour by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan with numerous musicians and collaborators. The purpose of the tour was to allow Dylan, who had now become a major recording artist and concert perfor ...
tour. While being driven in his limousine around the Village, Dylan spotted Rivera walking with her violin case. Dylan stopped to converse with Rivera and invited her to his rehearsal studio where she spent the afternoon playing along with several of his new songs. "If I had crossed the street seconds earlier," said Rivera in 2012, "it never would have happened." After a session with her, Dylan invited Rivera to play on the Rolling Thunder Revue tour. She played an important role in Dylan's studio album ''
Desire
Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of aff ...
''.
In 1977, Rivera released her self-titled debut LP for
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
. Lindsay Planer from
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
praised the album, saying that Rivera "has consistently found specific and viable places for the violin in rock".
Rivera has multiple CDs as a composer in numerous styles, instrumental,
new-age
New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars conside ...
,
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
* Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Fo ...
and
world music. She has performed in the US, Europe and Japan with her Celtic group. Rivera was a soloist with the
Duke Ellington Orchestra
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was bas ...
at
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
, the
Kennedy Center
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...
, and the Carnival of
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
, Italy.
She has also appeared on albums by
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. Chapman is best known for her hit singles "Fast Car" and "Give Me One Reason".
Chapman was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she released ...
(''
Crossroads
Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to:
* Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet
Film and television Films
* ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa
* ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...
''),
Keb Mo'
Kevin Roosevelt Moore (born October 3, 1951), known as Keb' Mo', is an American blues musician and five-time Grammy Award winner. He is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter, living in Nashville, Tennessee. He has been described as "a living link ...
(''
The Door''),
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer and actress. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National ...
(''
Just Family
''Just Family'' is the third studio album by American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. The album reached No. 13 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.
Reception
Andy Kellman of Allmusic noted "Neither 1977's ''Just Family'' nor 1979's ''Bad f ...
''),
David Johansen
David Roger Johansen (sometimes spelled ''David Jo Hansen''; born January 9, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal proto-punk band the New York Dolls. He is also known for his work under ...
(''
David Johansen
David Roger Johansen (sometimes spelled ''David Jo Hansen''; born January 9, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal proto-punk band the New York Dolls. He is also known for his work under ...
''),
Ian McNabb
Robert Ian McNabb (born 3 November 1960) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Previously the frontman of The Icicle Works, McNabb has since embarked on a solo career and performed with Ringo Starr, Neil Young/Crazy Horse, Mike Scott ...
(''
Head Like a Rock
''Head Like a Rock'' is a 1994 concept album released on 4 July 1994. by Ian McNabb. The album was nominated for the 1994 Mercury Music Prize and was McNabb's second solo album. The album was recorded in Los Angeles with the backing band Crazy H ...
''),
Kori Linae Carothers Kori may refer to:
* Kori (woreda), a district in Afar Region, Ethiopia
* Kori, Central African Republic
* Kori, Bushehr, a village in Iran
* Koori, Fukushima, a town in Japan
* Koli people, an Indian ethnic group
* Kori caste, a weaving caste of ...
,
Indigo Girls
Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part o ...
, Trilium and others.
In recent years Rivera has recorded New Age, instrumental, World, and Celtic music. She has also toured in Japan with the USA based South American group 'Ritual' with Uruguayans
Federico Ramos
Federico "Freddy" Ramos is a Uruguayan guitarist, arranger, producer and composer based in Santa Monica, California.
He began his career playing with Eduardo Mateo and Uruguayan rock bands Psiglo and Dias de Blues. He is credited with incorporat ...
and Eduardo Marquez del Signore. She recorded the album ''Celtic Mist'' which was released in Japan. She also played violin on the 2014 album ''After the Fall'', by UK-based
Dodson and Fogg.
She was a special guest artist in the band in "
Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration", the birthday concert held in honor of
Joni Mitchell
Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her sta ...
on November 7, 2018 in Los Angeles, USA, and also in the concert with
Brandi Carlile
Brandi Marie Carlile ( ; born June 1, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and producer whose music spans many genres, including folk rock, alternative country, Americana, and classic rock. , Carlile has released seven studio albums. She has ...
for
Joni Mitchell
Roberta Joan "Joni" Mitchell ( Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian-American musician, producer, and painter. Among the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitchell became known for her sta ...
's Blue album in October 2019.
Rivera was featured in
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominatio ...
's 2019 documentary film
''Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story'' and attended the Premiere in New York in June 2019. She toured Europe during October and November 2019 with
Eric Andersen
Eric Andersen (born February 14, 1943) is an American folk music singer-songwriter, who has written songs recorded by Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Linda Ronstadt, the Grateful Dead and many others. Early in his career, in the 1960s, he ...
to sold out performances.
Rivera released the EP "All of Me" in April 2020 on Bright Sun Records, singing her own songs.
In May 2021, to celebrate Bob Dylan's 80th birthday, Scarlet, along with
Nine Mile Station
Nine Mile station is an island platformed RTD Bus & Light Rail, RTD light rail station in Aurora, Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States. The station was opened on November 17, 2006, and is operated by the Regional Transportation District as pa ...
, released a new version of "Hurricane." Paul Zollo, a writer for American Songwriter said that "Her presence of sound and spirit lifts this "Hurricane" into a higher realm. The reverence she has for the song and its songwriter shines in the purity and passion of her playing."
She continues to be an active recording artist, performer and composer, and is currently working on an album "Celtic Magic" to be released later in 2022.
Personal life
Rivera is of Irish-Sicilian ancestry.
[ She was married in 1991 to the British session keyboardist ]Tommy Eyre
Tommy Eyre (5 June 1949 – 23 May 2001) was an English session keyboardist from Sheffield, England, who appeared on records by Joe Cocker, John Martyn, Gary Moore, Michael Schenker, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Greg Lake, B.B. King, John ...
. The marriage lasted until his death in 2001.[Perrone, Pierr]
"Tommy Eyre"
''The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'', June 13, 2001. Accessed January 7, 2010.
Discography
* ''Scarlet Rivera'' (Warner Bros., 1977)
* ''Scarlet Fever'' (Warner Bros., 1978)
* ''Celtic Dreams'' (Bci/Eclipse Music, 1998)
* ''Celtic Myst'' (Bci/Eclipse Music, 1998)
* ''Behind the Crimson Veil'' – Scarlet Rivera and Tommy Eyre (Bci/Eclipse Music, 1999)
* ''Celtic Spirit'' (Bci/Eclipse Music, 1998)[Apple Inc]
"Celtic Spirit"
January 7, 2010. Accessed January 7, 2010.
* ''Voice of the Animals'' (Scarlet Rivera, 2000)
* ''Journey with an Angel'' (Echo Sonic, 2003)[Apple Inc]
"Journey With An Angel"
January 7, 2010. Accessed January 7, 2010.
* ''Magical Christmas'' (Bci/Eclipse Music, 2004)
* ''A New Map of the World'' (Disconforme pain
Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...
2004) by Ritual (Uruguay)
* ''Hope: Intermezzo Sinfonico'' (Clara Luz Music BMI, 2015) by Eduardo Del Signore
With Bob Dylan
* '' Bootleg Series, Vol. 1–3'' (ca. 1975–1976) (Columbia, 1991)
* '' The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue'' (1975) (Columbia, 2002)
* '' Bob Dylan - The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings'' (1975) (Columbia, 2019)
* ''Desire
Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of aff ...
'' (1976) (Columbia)
* '' Hard Rain'' (1976)
With Peter Maffay
* '' Sonne in der Nacht - 1. Diese Sucht die Leben heißt, (LP,CD,Video,DVD)`` (1984) (WEA Musik)
With Dee Dee Bridgewater
* ''Just Family
''Just Family'' is the third studio album by American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. The album reached No. 13 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.
Reception
Andy Kellman of Allmusic noted "Neither 1977's ''Just Family'' nor 1979's ''Bad f ...
'' (Elektra, 1977)
References
External links
scarletrivera.com
(5 June 2004)
Prism Films
Interview of Scarlet River
1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjzBeGz2r9w
3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p6Au0OmW0M
5
Scarlet Rivera
@ Museum of Making Music
The Museum of Making Music, is a division of the NAMM Foundation of the National Association of Music Merchants, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Carlsbad, California. The museum opened to the public on March 5, 2000. Its mission i ...
Scarlet Rivera
@ discogs
Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...
Scarlet Rivera
@ allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rivera, Scarlet
Living people
American violinists
Indigo Girls members
1950 births
Musicians from Chicago
20th-century violinists
21st-century violinists
Warner Records artists