Steven Rizzo

Steven Rizzo’s Musical Bio Steven Rizzo started writing songs at the beginning of his junior year at Texas A&M University, where, though he was an unsigned artist, his song “Shuttle Bus Romance” received airplay for several months on both Aggie 96 (96.1 FM) and KTEX (106.1), two of the three major country radio stations in the Bryan/College Station, Texas area. Soon thereafter, Rizzo formed his band Uptown Country, and they proceeded to entertain crowds throughout the central and sout...

Steven Rizzo’s Musical Bio Steven Rizzo started writing songs at the beginning of his junior year at Texas A&M University, where, though he was an unsigned artist, his song “Shuttle Bus Romance” received airplay for several months on both Aggie 96 (96.1 FM) and KTEX (106.1), two of the three major country radio stations in the Bryan/College Station, Texas area. Soon thereafter, Rizzo formed his band Uptown Country, and they proceeded to entertain crowds throughout the central and southeast regions of Texas for the next five years. Just a few of the highlights from this period include the securing of sponsorship from Bud Light (Jack Hilliard distributors); a stint as the house-band at a club in Bryan called Big Dogz, where Steven Rizzo & Uptown Country were joined by Chuck Baker of Aggie 96 for a weekly live remote broadcast; and a two-year reign as the favored band at The Yellow Rose Cattle Co. in Centerville, Texas. Once again, Rizzo received airplay, this time from his song “Down At The Yellow Rose,” which The Yellow Rose Cattle Co. used in its daily radio advertisements on Aggie 96. After the studio-recorded version of the song had achieved radio success, Aggie 96 invited Rizzo to their station to record an acoustic version, which included a “speaking part” in which Rizzo plugged the club. Both versions were aired daily for over a year. In August of 1997, Rizzo and his wife Amy made the move to Nashville, Tennessee, and, by January of 1998, Rizzo had a song published by Atwood-Tiger Music and several others by Polygram Music, Inc. Rizzo also played the Nashville writer’s night circuit, including two times as featured writer at the famed Broken Spoke Songwriter’s Saloon and an ongoing spot on the Sunday night showcase at the legendary Bluebird Café. On June 2, 2001, Rizzo and his friend and co-writer Wade Quick were presented with a Music to Life Award for their song “When Push Comes To Shove,” which was chosen as one of the top-ten finalists from among hundreds of songs submitted in the nationwide Music to Life contest hosted by the Public Domain Foundation, Inc. This foundation (which is run by Liz Sundee and her father Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul, and Mary fame) paid Rizzo and Quick’s (as well as the other finalists’) way to Kerrville, Texas, where they got to perform on one of the main stages at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival. Furthermore, as a result of Liz Sundee’s tireless efforts, the Second Steps women’s shelter in Boston, Massachusetts is currently interested in using “When Push Comes To Shove” in their national campaign. After being awarded a teaching fellowship to begin work on his Ph.D. at the University of North Texas, Rizzo moved his family back to Texas in August of 2002. Having received his doctorate in August of 2009, Rizzo is now a full-time professor at Collin College in Frisco, and he is still writing songs and performing across the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex at events and venues such as the Frisco Bar in Frisco, Parker Brothers Trail Dust Steak House in Aubrey, the Denton County Fair & Rodeo in Denton, the Lake Kiowa Clubhouse in Gainesville, Deliman’s Grill in Coppell, Oakmont Country Club in Corinth, Fresco’s Cocina in Watauga, Central Market Café in South Lake, Palio’s Pizza in Carrollton, J. Gilligan’s in Arlington, Avalon’s in Castle Hills, Jackie’s Bar in Lake Dallas, and Tierney’s Grill & Tavern, H.D. Tavern, and Sneaky Pete’s in Lewisville. Rizzo performs solo; duo with his friend Eric Phillips; and with his full band, the Rizzo Phillips Band. To book Rizzo for your venue or event, call him at 214-500-9693 or email him at srizzo@collin.edu. You can also check out more of his music and keep up to date with his performance schedule at myspace.com/stevenrizzo.