Seth Riggs

Seth Riggs (born Samuel Riggs of Reuben III, September 19, 1930) is an American singer, actor, and vocal coach. He has created the vocal technique "Speech Level Singing", and has worked with performers such as Prince, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Michael Bolton, Madonna, Johnny Hallyday, Natalie Cole, Jennifer Lopez, Ozzy Osbourne, Bette Midler, James Ingram, Val Kilmer, Anita Baker, Earth Wind and Fire and many more.

Early life, education, and career Riggs started singing when he was about 7 years old, and joined the Washington National Cathedral Boys' Choir as a 9-year-old. Riggs has been a vocal coach since 1949, when he was serving in the Navy as a gunner. He "received his music education from Peabody Conservatory of Music and Manhattan School of Music", and also received a B.A. in drama from Johns Hopkins University. After receiving the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Peabody Conservatory, Riggs gave a masterclass which Richard Cassilly attended, and afterwards asked Riggs to help him with his voice. Riggs studied voice with teachers including American baritone John Charles Thomas and Italian tenor Tito Schipa, Productions included "Happy Hunting" with Ethel Merman. For "South Pacific" Riggs auditioned for Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. After having changed a line and sung it on one breath, contrary to written, Rodgers asked Riggs why. When Riggs answered: "Because I felt like it," Rogers made him promise he would sing it the same way each performance and gave him the role.

In 1967, Riggs moved to Los Angeles and his focus became wholeheartedly on voice teaching. His first star clients were Ann-Margret and Stevie Wonder Then came clients including Carol Burnett, Goldie Hawn and Jane Fonda. With Shirley MacLaine Riggs worked on the film version of Sweet Charity, directed by Bob Fosse, with whom Riggs had performed with in his first musical production; "Pal Joey."

In the early 1980s producer Quincy Jones called Riggs to work with Michael Jackson. Jones wanted Riggs to work with Jackson two hours a day, six days a week, in preparation for and through the entire time recording the Thriller album, which was to become the biggest selling album of all time. Riggs stayed as Michael Jackson's only voice teacher throughout Jackson's career. During the BAD tour, Riggs vocalized Jackson three times a day, and Jackson never missed a show.

Since 2012, Seth Riggs has been teaching with his wife, Margareta Svensson Riggs, a vocal expert and recording and performing artist. Together, they conduct workshops and masterclasses around the world, as well as teach private lessons. Through their work with top-level artists, the technique evolves to be even more effective, efficient and precise to support vocal freedom, health and longevity.

Seth Riggs Speech Level Singing (SLS) Riggs developed his vocal methods over decades and known as the go-to-person for every singer,

Personal life Riggs is married to Swedish singer Margareta Svensson, The two met when Svensson came to Seth Riggs for singing lessons in 1995. In 2008, they became a couple, and four years later, in 2012, they married; they have a daughter.