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| occupation = [[Organist]], [[Record producer|Producer]], [[Arranger]]
| occupation = [[Organist]], [[Record producer|Producer]], [[Arranger]]
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'''Rosa Rio''' (June 2, 1902 – May 13, 2010), born '''Elizabeth Raub,''' was an American [[theater]] and [[motion picture]] organist known for production and [[arrangement]]. Rosa Rio began her career as a [[silent film]] accompanist. She became a leading organist on a network radio for soap opera and drama. She continued to perform until the age of 107,<ref name="nytbio"/> becoming one of the oldest performers in the music industry.
'''Rosa Rio''' (June 2, 1902 – May 13, 2010), born '''Elizabeth Raub,''' was an American [[theater]] and [[motion picture]] organist known for production and [[arrangement]]. Rosa Rio began her career as a [[silent film]] accompanist. She became a leading organist on network radio for soap operas and dramas. She continued to perform until the age of 107,<ref name="nytbio"/> becoming one of the oldest performers in the music industry.


==Life and Family==
==Life and Family==
Rio was raised in [[New Orleans]].<ref name="washpostobit"/> She began playing piano at the age of four and started taking lessons at the age of eight. Rio played piano at a silent movie theater for the first time at the age of nine. After her musical education at Oberlin College, she went on to study at the Eastman School of Music.
Rio was raised in [[New Orleans]].<ref name="washpostobit"/> She began playing piano at the age of four and started taking lessons at the age of eight. Rio played piano at a silent movie theater for the first time at the age of nine. After her musical education at Oberlin College, she went on to study at the Eastman School of Music.


Her first marriage to John Hammond ended in a divorce. John Hammond was a fellow organist who was also her professor at the Eastman School of Music. They had a son, John Hammond III who died before her.
Her first marriage to fellow organist John Hammond ended in a divorce. Hammond was was also her professor at the Eastman School of Music. They had a son, John Hammond III who died before her.


Bill Yeoman, her husband of 63 years, said that she adopted the stage name of Rosa Rio, as it fitted easily on a theater marquee.
Bill Yeoman, her husband of 63 years, said that Raub adopted the stage name of Rosa Rio because it fitted easily on a theater marquee.


At a birthday concert in 2007, she revealed her true birth date: June 2nd, 1902. She was 107-years old when she died on May 13th, 2010, three weeks short of her 108th birthday. She had three grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and a pet snail named Iowa.<ref name="washpostobit" />
At a birthday concert in 2007, she revealed her true birth date: June 2nd, 1902. She was 107-years old when she died on May 13th, 2010, three weeks short of her 108th birthday. She had three grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and a pet snail named Iowa.<ref name="washpostobit" />


==Motion Pictures==
==Motion Pictures==
As a theater organist, Rio performed in Syracuse, the Loew's theaters in [[New York]], Saenger's Southeastern theater chain, the Scranton Paramount, Brooklyn Fox Theatre, RKO Albee, and the [[Brooklyn Paramount Theater|Brooklyn Paramount]].<ref name=rio>[http://www.goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-11.html The Golden Age of Radio: Rosa Rio]</ref> She was working at the [[Saenger Theatre (New Orleans, Louisiana)|Saenger Theatre]] in her hometown of New Orleans when [[Al Jolson]]'s ''[[The Jazz Singer]]'' was released, signaling the end of the silent film era.<ref name="washpostobit"/>
As a theater organist, Rio performed in Syracuse, at Loew's theater's in [[New York]], Saenger's Southeastern theater chain, the Scranton Paramount, Brooklyn Fox Theatre, RKO Albee, and the [[Brooklyn Paramount Theater|Brooklyn Paramount]].<ref name=rio>[http://www.goldenage-wtic.org/gaor-11.html The Golden Age of Radio: Rosa Rio]</ref> She was working at the [[Saenger Theatre (New Orleans, Louisiana)|Saenger Theatre]] in her hometown of New Orleans when [[Al Jolson]]'s ''[[The Jazz Singer]]'' was released, signaling the end of the silent film era.<ref name="washpostobit"/>


==Radio==
==Radio==

Revision as of 00:36, 4 January 2014

Rosa Rio
Rosa Rio at the Brooklyn Fox (1933–34)
Born
Elizabeth Raub[1]

(1902-06-02)June 2, 1902[2]
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
DiedMay 13, 2010(2010-05-13) (aged 107)
Sun City Center, Florida[2]
Occupation(s)Organist, Producer, Arranger
Years active1909–2009

Rosa Rio (June 2, 1902 – May 13, 2010), born Elizabeth Raub, was an American theater and motion picture organist known for production and arrangement. Rosa Rio began her career as a silent film accompanist. She became a leading organist on network radio for soap operas and dramas. She continued to perform until the age of 107,[2] becoming one of the oldest performers in the music industry.

Life and Family

Rio was raised in New Orleans.[1] She began playing piano at the age of four and started taking lessons at the age of eight. Rio played piano at a silent movie theater for the first time at the age of nine. After her musical education at Oberlin College, she went on to study at the Eastman School of Music.

Her first marriage to fellow organist John Hammond ended in a divorce. Hammond was was also her professor at the Eastman School of Music. They had a son, John Hammond III who died before her.

Bill Yeoman, her husband of 63 years, said that Raub adopted the stage name of Rosa Rio because it fitted easily on a theater marquee.

At a birthday concert in 2007, she revealed her true birth date: June 2nd, 1902. She was 107-years old when she died on May 13th, 2010, three weeks short of her 108th birthday. She had three grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and a pet snail named Iowa.[1]

Motion Pictures

As a theater organist, Rio performed in Syracuse, at Loew's theater's in New York, Saenger's Southeastern theater chain, the Scranton Paramount, Brooklyn Fox Theatre, RKO Albee, and the Brooklyn Paramount.[3] She was working at the Saenger Theatre in her hometown of New Orleans when Al Jolson's The Jazz Singer was released, signaling the end of the silent film era.[1]

Radio

Caricature of Rosa Rio reflecting on her career as a staff organist for NBC Radio.

During her 22 years of working in radio, Rio was known as "Queen of the Soaps," providing the organ background music for 24 soap operas and radio dramas, and playing an average of five to seven shows per day.[4] Some of the programs she played for included Bob and Ray, Ethel and Albert, Front Page Farrell, Lorenzo Jones, My True Story, The Shadow and When a Girl Marries.

During World War II she had her own radio show, Rosa Rio Rhythms. On some occasions, she went right from one program to another, as when Lorenzo Jones and Bob and Ray were both adjacent on NBC's schedule during the early 1950s. Sometimes, she had less than 50 seconds to run from one NBC studio to another [citation needed].

Television and Videos

Rio made a smooth transition into television, playing for the shows such as As the World Turns and the Today Show.[5] However, television offered fewer opportunities for work in comparison to radio. Rio later moved to Connecticut, where she opened a school of music, teaching classes in singing, the organ and the piano.

During the 1980s, she provided scores and Hammond organ accompaniment to more than 370 silent films released on video by Video Yesteryear.[3]

Late career

Rosa Rio at the Tampa Theatre Wurlitzer following her performance for the silent film "Beyond the Rocks" at the ATOS National Convention in May 2006.

In 1993, Rio moved to Hillsborough County in Florida, where she provided accompaniment to silent films at the Tampa Theatre.[6] It was from the stage of the Tampa Theatre in 2007 that she first publicly gave her real age, which she kept to herself for decades due to age discrimination dating back to her network radio years [citation needed]. Because Rio never celebrated birthdays, some of her family members were not aware of her age until the night before her Tampa Theatre "confession."[7] She celebrated her 107th birthday in June 2009. Her organ arrangements are still in print.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Matt Schudel, "Rosa Rio, 106; organist went from silent films to soap operas and back again", Washington Post, May 16, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Margalit Fox, "Rosa Rio, Organist From Silent Films to Soap Operas, Dies at 107", New York Times, May 14, 2010.
  3. ^ a b The Golden Age of Radio: Rosa Rio
  4. ^ "Musician Rosa Rio dies at 107: Silent film organist worked on NBC shows", Variety, May 16, 2010.
  5. ^ Schroeder, Tara. "Still Coming up Rosa", Theatre Organ: Journal of the American Theatre Organ Society, September;October 2001.
  6. ^ Tampa Theatre: Rosa Rio
  7. ^ Jenkins, Colleen (7 June 2007), "The Queen of Soaps Comes Clean", St. Petersburg Times, retrieved 2010-05-15
  8. ^ Michael's Music Service, St. Petersburg Times,

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