‘Washashore Cowgirl’ Monica Rizzio brings a southern touch to Cape Cod

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—Photo Courtesy MonicaRizzio.com

Monica Rizzio’s latest CD is titled “Washashore Cowgirl,” a reference to both her Texan roots and her adopted home of Cape Cod. This coming weekend, the singer-songwriter will bring her unique brand of Americana/country/folk to the shores of Martha’s Vineyard.

On Saturday, April 23, in the lobby/lounge of the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Ms. Rizzio will perform songs from her new CD, which recently charted at No. 2 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Traditional Folk Albums. The one-night-only show is a collaborative effort between the playhouse and mvyradio, which has long supported the singer-songwriter, from her days with the band Tripping Lily to her current solo career.

“We have known about Monica and her music for many years, and have had her in for a couple of interviews,” Barbara Dacey, director of mvyradio, said. “When we received her new CD and started playing it, we thought she would be great for this date at the playhouse.”

The genesis of Ms. Rizzio’s unique sound, which she refers to as “AmeriCountryGrass,” is described on her website: “In Texas, a young girl barrel-raced on Pleasant Valley Ranch and had never seen the ocean. So when Monica Rizzio crossed over the iconic bridges of Cape Cod in 2004, she instantly became the Washashore Cowgirl. The former Tripping Lily frontwoman has left behind the acoustic, condenser mic style and has brought her East Texas roots up North for her debut album.”

The singer-songwriter’s travels brought her from Texas to Nashville, where she connected with the fellow members of Tripping Lily, to the Cape, where Tripping Lily established itself as one of the pre-eminent folk outfits in New England. The band has won two Independent Music Awards for Best Folk Record and Best Acoustic Song.

In 2012, Ms. Rizzio left Tripping Lily to pursue a solo career. “Washashore Cowgirl” is her first release, and it has already gained critical acclaim. Online publication Country Grrl says of the album: “Between the classic bluegrass ‘Delta Dawn, the pure Western swing title track, and the folk-inspired ‘Buttercups’ and ‘On My Way,’ Rizzio manages to elegantly blend tradition and modernity, humor and depth, north and south inspirations.”

Ms. Rizzio is well established in the folk music scene. She has shared the stage with Chris Botti, Boz Scaggs, Diana Krall, and Joan Osborne, and is a frequent collaborator with the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra. In December 2014, she performed as part of Tom Rush’s band at his annual show at Symphony Hall in Boston. Afterward, Mr. Rush said, “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!”

On the Vineyard, Ms. Rizzio, accompanied by J.C. Anderson on electric guitar, will perform songs from “Washashore Cowgirl,” including the track “Willie Nelson,” an ode to one of her musical heroes, which was a finalist in the 31st annual Songwriters of Washington (SAW) competition.

The Vineyard is one stop on a tour in support of the CD. Ms. Rizzio will be coming to the Island directly from shows in Boston’s Club Passim and the Rockwood Music Hall in New York City. The tour will eventually take her out West, where she will be performing at a number of music festivals.

Local singer-songwriter Alyssa Cimino, who graduated from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School last year, will open the show. “We want to be part of the network that supports young singers on the Vineyard,” Ms. Dacey said. Last year, local band the Fruit Flies opened a show with Amy Fairchild, the first collaboration between mvyradio and the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse.

“We want to continue to collaborate,” Ms. Dacey said. “It’s a great space. We’re lucky to have a place where people can come in and sit down and listen to music, an alternative to the bar scene.

Monica Rizzio performs on Saturday, April 23, at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse. Doors open at 7, show starts at 7:30. Tickets are $15, and can be purchased in advance or at the door. For more information, visit mvplayhouse.org.