Niles Rivers Bio & Press Kit

I am an intensely creative person. I say that because in every facet of my creativity I try to express sincere passion and genuine, rich color. Heartistry.

I am a singer-songwriter who has written songs with multi-Grammy Award winning music producers David Foster and John Leventhal, and I’ve worked with many incredible writers and musicians along the way. I work well creating music with people. I love collaboration. I feel it brings out the best in everyone involved.

I am an actor who has been blessed to grace the stage as “Simba” in Disney’s Lion King, also I was nominated for an Ovation Award for “Featured Actor in a Musical” in Smokey Joe’s Cafe.

MOMENT I WILL NEVER FORGET: Upon meeting Leslie Lee, the playwright of ‘”‘First Breeze of Summer’, in which he had just seen me perform as the character ‘Lou’; he said, “Phenomenal job, young man. Did you know you were playing me?…You nailed it.” Now maybe he says that to everyone, but he said it to me that night. It was the highest compliment I’ve ever been paid professionally.

Background

Niles Rivers is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who uses his voice as an instrument to speak life into the world.  His story begins in a Cleveland church, where his father was a pastor.   As the youngest of five children, Niles and his older brother were both introduced by their father to the music of Ahmad Jamal, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke and John Pattitucci by the time they were ten years old. 

“These were the guys I wanted to emulate, they were my celebrities!” he says.  Niles’ father would provide musical instruments for his kids to play music around the house, insisting that they practice each day before they could go outside.  Often their friends’ noses were pressed up against the living room windows, watching them perform before they could come out to play.

After graduating high school, Niles began developing skills in pop music production, inspired by a diverse range of artists from Prince to Bruce Hornsby, Shaun Colvin and beyond.

“These artists showed me that you could sing songs to the world, not just about love but about life. That’s what made me want to sing life-giving songs that help someone, somehow along the way.”

IMDB page here

Photos