Rita McConville has been singing professionally to the delight of Midwest audiences for over 10 years in venues ranging from legendary jazz clubs like The Green Mill to various dancehalls, roadhouses and churches. As testament to her rare versatility, Rita has been known to sing both legs of a wedding, nailing the ceremony and reception with equally soulful precision.

Yet what resonates with audiences beyond Rita’s palpable stage presence and technical prowess is her uncommon warmth, informed by her Midwestern sensibilities. You see, Rita is at heart still a farmer’s daughter, beginning her musical training sitting next to her mother on an organ bench and turning pages for her on Sundays in a small, rural church in Wisconsin. Her formal music education began with piano as a child and continued through college in French horn. After settling in Chicago, Rita began her voice training with ten years of vocal study with Robert Tenges at the Old Town School of Folk Music. She's also studied with some of the best in the jazz idiom, from Spider Saloff to David Bloom at the Bloom School of Jazz.

When you meet Rita, you’ll recognize immediately that she’s no diva. Both band leaders and session players alike appreciate the richness of her vocal range, professionalism and a unique respect for the inherent integrity of the song itself. You’ll find this instinct for quality refreshingly in contrast to many modern interpreters whose emphasis often centers on their own performance rather than the music’s emotional context, its arrangement and of course, the audience. The sum of these qualities adds up to an intimate experience, where phrasing, cadence and a dexterous awareness of musical treatment takes one back to a bygone era.

Rita’s spiritual orientation remains strong, still serving as cantor for weekend masses at St. Teresa of Avila parish in Lincoln Park, and she performs for weddings there as well. Further resume credits include Davenport's, Club 3160, The Old Town School of Folk Music, The Union League Club, and Taste of Chicago. She has been featured at the Chicago Singer Spotlight at Fitzgerald's in Berwyn, and has sung with pianists John Roothaan and Tom Muellner. Rita and guitarist Steve Heyden have performed at Uncommon Ground and Lily's Bar in Chicago, and Lakes of the Four Seasons in Crown Point, Indiana, as well as for fundraisers for the Namaste Center in LaPorte, Indiana. Rita and Steve’s latest project embraces the online medium at TheStage.tv and in Second Life. Rita also fronts "Venus & DaMilos," an eight-piece orchestra that specializes in traditional dance music (waltzes, foxtrots, Latin and swing), where they perform regular dance gigs in suburban Chicago. Rita is also a singer with the Falconaires, an 18-piece big band in Arlington Heights, as well as a guest singer for The Beal Street Jazz Band, a five-piece jazz combo based in her hometown of Watertown, Wisconsin.

If you haven’t heard about Rita McConville before, that’s understandable because she has been engaging her musical passion full time only recently…or as she likes to put it, as a recovering local television director, nearly three years clean.



"I checked out your website and was knocked out by your singing (really dig your phrasing). You've got gorgeous pipes. After seeing you perform live, your stage presence and lively personality coupled with that great voice really make for an entertaining show."
Lanny Grilly
Drummer and Founder, The Grilly Brothers Sextet


"I've had the good fortune to accompany many great singers - Rita McConville is not only in that league, but she's also a pleasure to perform with! She's an absolute pro!"
Tom Muellner
Jazz Pianist/Composer/Arranger