Liza Rey
w/ special Guest Michael Bennett
Sat, May 17th - 7:30 - $12

"Southwest Harbor harpist
creates unique musical experience
Liza Rey Butler's living room in her cozy old Southwest Harbor home is dominated by a big, comfy sofa, a wood stove, a piano, and four harps - two full-sized and two small ones. One of the big ones is black, the other a tawny brown, and they stand like ship’s masts in the middle of the room."
Read the full Bangor Daily News Feature Article

Biography

Early Childhood:    Liza was born singing, began playing piano at age four, and harp at fourteen – by then she was singing professionally. Her mother sang in a famous sister act, The King Sisters and her Father, Alvino Rey was a jazz guitarist, big band leader, and master class student of Segovia. She was totally surrounded by music and show biz folks. Her Uncle, Jim Conkling was President of Columbia, Capital, and Warner Brother Records, another uncle ran Universal and a third was a TV- Movie actor-producer.
                                
Hollywood Years:    Liza was a core member of the weekly ABC TV Show “The King Family” - She sang, danced and played harp. They toured nationally every summer. She sang backup vocals for huge recording stars like Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Johnny Mathis and lots more. Later, during graduate school, where she earned a Masters in Music - Performance Harp, she was a freelance studio Harpist – including regular stints for TV shows as a member of the CBS Orchestra

Spain:     During College she studied harp at the Royal Conservatory in Madrid. Liza learned to speak Spanish and play the guitar and explored the music of Europe and Morocco.

Reno Tahoe Years:     Innovative in the use of harp for jazz and pop music, Liza had her own Jazz quintet. They played concerts and festivals, performing her original music and arrangements. As leader she played piano and sang lead vocals. She was often specifically requested as harpist backing big acts like Sammy Davis Jr, Sarah Vaughn and Tony Bennett – and played harp behind Olivia Newton-John, Glenn Campbell, John Denver and Broadway musicals. She married Ned Butler a geologist and started a family – continuing a busy performance schedule.

Argentina-Brazil:    A posting to South America provided great exposure to Latin music – she performed with jazz great Mono Villegas and loved trips to Uruguay and Brazil. Their young son Win Butler went everywhere with them. The Falkland Islands - “Malvinas” War brought them home for the imminent birth of their son Will.

Texas Years:  Liza and their boys accompanied her husband to the “Oil Patch”. They raised Win and Will Butler (of The Arcade Fire), including them and their friends in music and performance at an early age. Liza and her Quintet – often accompanied by the boys and neighborhood friends - played Concerts for thousands of children in the Houston area, often under the auspices of the Young Audience organization. She continued her “mini-tours” in the South and West – and often was piano-conductor for her father, who performed professionally into his mid- 90’s.

Maine:    Liza moved to Maine to Ned’s home town to be near his parents, to live on an island and have a sailboat to cruise the Maine Coast.  Maine life – even in the winter – inspires her creativity.  Liza is again writing, arranging and playing her music – recording on the Win ‘n Will label (recent CD – “Can’t Go Back”). They are enjoying the vibrant music scene of the Arcade Fire and their boys, who are entertaining performers like their mother.

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