10/28/2025
When Rivers Pugh moved into Eskaton Village Roseville earlier this year, it didn’t take long for residents and staff to discover his incredible musical talent. Almost immediately, his soulful voice and skilled piano playing filled the community’s front lobby, where he would often be found singing heartfelt gospel songs, his favorite kind of music.
Originally from Alabama, Rivers grew up in a deeply musical household. His father played piano, his mother was a singer, and all of his siblings shared in the family’s gift for music. Gospel was the soundtrack of their lives, with church serving as both a spiritual home and a stage for their shared passion.
As a young man, Rivers followed his older brother to California after he joined the service, landing in the Bay Area. The transition wasn’t easy. “I had never lived in a big city before in my life. I was always a country farmer,” Rivers recalled. “When I came here, I was totally lost.” But soon he found belonging again through music and faith when he joined the Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in Berkeley. There, Rivers sang in the choir for many years, building lifelong friendships through shared song and worship.
Rivers also built a remarkable career at PG&E in Oakland, starting with “digging holes” and working his way up to General Foreman over an impressive 51 years. Still, his faith always came first. “I can’t be working on the weekend,” he told his supervisors. “I got to go to church.”
Music continues to be Rivers’ constant companion. “I enjoy playing music. I enjoy singing,” he says. “When you’re down and out, and you’re lonesome and stuff, music makes you feel better. It lifts you up.” That joy was shared with his Eskaton neighbors last month when Rivers and members of his church performed an inspiring gospel concert for the community.
Whether behind the piano, in the choir, or simply humming to himself, Rivers brings light and warmth to those around him. As he puts it with a smile, “If I see a beautiful day, I sing a song about a beautiful day.”
