40 Years of service: Cheers to you, Rivablue

Gwen Redding, known to the jazz world as Rivablue, has been in the industry for over 40 years. With so much to unpack, these four decades have all played a part in helping her become who she is today. Her goal has always been to “make sure that people can be heard,” she says.Music has been a significant part of Redding’s life since childhood. She remembers the first song that captivated her, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles in 1963. Since then, her passion for music has only grown stronger. She says it will always have a special place in her heart.With music holding such a dear spot in her heart, you would think that’s where she would end up automatically. But no, Redding began her collegiate career as a nursing major at the University of The District of Columbia. It wasn’t until a math class was canceled that she met a young man who introduced her to the world of radio broadcasting. With a quick tutorial, he threw her into the fire at their college’s radio station, WUDC.Redding later joined WDCU-FM, which later transformed into Jazz 90. There she not only worked on-air and behind the...