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Draft:Monica Rizzio

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Category:Living people

Monica Rizzio
[[ ]]
Background information
Born1980
OriginQuitman, Texas
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter, educator
Instrumentsguitar, fiddle, uke
LabelsWashashore Music
Websitehttps://monicarizzio.com/

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Monica Rizzio (b. 1980) is an American Roots singer songwriter, educator, and founder of the Vinegrass Organization. Rizzio grew up in East Texas, and moved to Cape Cod Massachusetts in 2004. Her non-profit Vinegrass Organization has raised over $115,000 since 2013 for music scholarships, grants and musical instruments for students. Since 2014, the organization has hosted the annual Vinegrass Music Festival, Cape Cod’s longest running Bluegrass/Americana music festival.[1]

Background

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Born in White Plains NY, Rizzio moved with her family to Quitman Texas when she was 4 years old.  She grew up on the family’s 30-acre ranch, riding horses and barrel-racing in local rodeos. The community recognized her musical passion and their kindness helped pay for lessons and instruments that her family would not have been able to afford.[2]

In 1998 Rizzio enrolled at Adelphi University on Long Island on a full scholarship.   Two years later after encouragement from a professor, she transferred to Belmont University in Nashville to better focus on voice, earning a degree in Vocal Performance with a minor in Music Business.   In 2004 Rizzio moved to Cape Cod where she continued songwriting and helped form the folk and country music group Tripping Lilly, an acoustic quartet,  becoming its lead vocalist.  The band produced four albums and won two Independent Music Awards for Best Folk Record and Best Acoustic Song.[3]

Solo Career

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In 2012 Rizzio left Tripping Lilly, focusing on songwriting and music education.  She produced her first solo album in 2015, “Washashore Cowgirl”, an autobiographical album collaborating with musicians such as Mark Erelli, Charlie Rose, and Sierra Hull, and produced by Jon Evans who also played bass on the album.[3][4][5]

In 2019, Rizzio released her sophomore solo album “Sunshine is Free”, for which she collaborated with a number of Nashville country music singer songwriter friends such as Mindy Smith, Hillary Lindsey, and Elizabeth Cook.[6]

Rizzio regularly shares the stage with others in the folk and roots genre, including bluegrass artist Sierra Hull and with long-time folk singer songwriter Tom Rush.  In 2014 she performed with Tom Rush at his annual Symphony Hall concert, who remarked afterwards “I made the tactical error of inviting Monica Rizzio to share the stage with me at Symphony Hall, and she went and stole the audience right out from under me!”  In 2019 Rizzio release the single “Lady Liberty” featuring Tom Rush, Patty Larkin, and Mark Erelli.[3][7][8]

Charitable Organization

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In 2013 Rizzio and her husband, Peter Fasano, founded the non-profit Vinegrass Organization. Since 2014, their main fundraiser has been the annual Vinegrass Music Festival, Cape Cod’s longest running Bluegrass/Americana music festival. The festival features nationally touring musicians and bands. Featured artists have included Mandolin Orange, Slaid Cleaves, Jeffrey Foucault, Mark Erelli, Paronsfield, YARN, Charlie Parr, and Dangermuffin.[1][9]

Along with the festival, the organization holds smaller concerts throughout the year in support of their mission to fund music scholarships, instruments, and grants for students and teachers.  Each year Vinegrass awards several sustaining music scholarships, which follow the students throughout their entire college career.  As of their ten-year anniversary in 2024, $115,000 in scholarships have been awarded.[2]

Awards

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  • 2019 Winner of the Grassy Hill Songwriting Competition at the Connecticut Folk Festival [10]
  • 2022 Boston Music Awards, nominated as Country Artist of the Year [11]

Discography

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With Tripping Lilly

  • The Couch Sessions Live (2006)
  • Ukelele (2008)
  • The Day Everything Became Nothing (2009)
  • Summer (2012)

Solo Albums

  • All Wrapped Up for the Holidays (2012)
  • Washashore Cowgirl (2016)
  • Sunshine is Free (2019, Washashore Music)

Critical Reception

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  • The Vinegrass Organization[12]
  • Washashore Music[13]
  • Tripping Lilly[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b "9th Annual Vinegrass Music Festival". The Enterprise. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b Samaha, Dorothea (2 October 2024). "For Monica Rizzio, Music is Everything". The Provincetown Independent. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c McAllister, Gwyn (21 April 2016). "'Washashore Cowgirl' Monica Rizzio brings a southern touch to Cape Cod". The Martha's Vineyard Times. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  4. ^ Sands-Boehmer, Kathy (13 January 2016). "Monica Rizzio: A Washashore Cowgirl on Cape Cod". No Depression Magazine. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  5. ^ Matthews, Terry (27 April 2017). "Rizzio Returns to Roots for Winnsboro Concert". The Winnsboro News. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  6. ^ Payne, Melissa. "Monica Rizzio: Sunshine is Free". The Amp. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  7. ^ Graff, Gary (1 March 2019). "Monica Rizzio Brings In Some Friends for Unifying 'Lady Liberty'". Billboard Magazine.
  8. ^ Shipe, O'Hara (14 September 2022). "Legendary folk artist Tom Rush plays Anchorage on Saturday". The Anchorage Press. Retrieved November 30, 2024.
  9. ^ https://www.facebook.com/Vinegrassmusic/
  10. ^ https://acousticmusicscene.com/2019/09/09/monica-rizzio-wins-2019-grassy-hill-songwriting-competition-at-ct-folk-fest/
  11. ^ https://bostonmusicawards.com/2022-nominees/
  12. ^ Vinegrass.org
  13. ^ Washashoremusic.com
  14. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20120512205317/http://trippinglily.com/press
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