Photo credit: Shervin
Words by: David James Young
For most of 2023, things were looking up for singer-songwriter Saul Rivers. He relocated from New York to Los Angeles and released his third EP, Late Bloomer—a suave, slick record melding vintage R&B with cutting-edge pop. With new opportunities flowing in after the pandemic’s disruption, Rivers prepared to take the next step in his career. But when he returned to New York for a summer gig teaching tennis, he received an unexpected visit from an old friend.
The Return of PSC: A Life-Changing Diagnosis
Perhaps “old friend” is too generous a label. Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, or PSC as it’s more commonly known, has constantly affected Rivers’ life since his diagnosis more than a decade ago. “It’s an autoimmune condition, where the bile ducts break down in the liver over time,” he explains to CONE from his home in Westchester County, New York. “When I was first diagnosed, a doctor told me that in ten years I’d probably have to have a liver transplant. I did whatever I could to try and delay that as much as possible, and for probably six of those ten years I didn’t have any symptoms. It was a strange experience, to be told something so big but not feel anything.”
In recent years, some of Rivers’ symptoms begun to appear and gradually worsen. But he insists it was “not something that was very present” in his life—at least not to the point where it was detracting from his life and career. “I was dealing with it,” he says, “but then we reached the crisis moment. The transplant needed to happen.” At that point, Rivers put his music career on hold, and his situation became a matter of life and death.
Several of Rivers’ friends offered to help during his time of need, volunteering to be tested as potential liver donors. None of them were a match. Unexpectedly, the perfect match came from someone much closer: his wife, Sharan. What followed was an emotional mix of relief and fear for Rivers.
“I was glad it was her, but I was also scared because I didn’t want her to be the person to have to go under the knife,” he says. “We’d been wanting to have kids for a long time, and I was worried about the risk she would be putting herself at. She was truly amazing, though – throughout the entire thing. She donated the majority of her liver to me, God bless her.” Despite the gravity of the situation, Rivers smiles in disbelief when talking about that particular organ. “Did you know the liver is the only organ in the body that regenerates? It’s amazing! Both of our livers regenerated to their original size.”
Bouncing Back: Recovery and a New Hope
After three days, the hospital discharged Sharan from the ICU. Rivers remained in medical care for over a week due to yet another unexpected complication. “I woke up after the surgery feeling great, but I was obviously still on a lot of drugs,” says Rivers, adding some levity to what would otherwise be a serious situation. “They ended up having to open me up all over again. There was something in my body that didn’t connect as it was supposed to in the original transplant. It definitely complicated things. I was supposed to be out after a week, but it took me a little over two to leave the hospital entirely.”
Although the research he had done on his procedure gave him enough hope to get through the initial stages, Rivers’ extended time alone in hospital beds inevitably gave him pause—and, of course, brought on worst-case scenarios. “I was completely terrified that I would never be able to safely perform again,” he says, reflecting on the grim thought. “I was staring down the barrel of being immunocompromised for the rest of my life. It’s hard not to think like that. One thing could go wrong, and I wouldn’t be able to go and play shows the way I used to. I might not even be able to play a game of tennis anymore.”
Within a few months of recovering at home, Rivers found himself back on the tennis court—not competing or teaching, but simply hitting some balls around to get the feel for it again. He still moved uncomfortably, and he could only sleep for a few hours a night, but the signs of progress were undeniable. Then, just as Rivers had written off the rest of his year entirely, a surprise call back to the stage changed everything.
One of his favorite New York bands, The Damnwells, reunited earlier that year and released a new album. With a show booked for November at Racket (formerly the Highline Ballroom), Rivers initially hoped to be well enough to simply attend the gig. Lead singer Alex Dezen was happy to accommodate this request. “As the show got closer, and I started to feel better, I asked Alex if they had anyone opening,” Rivers recalls. “He told me they were deciding soon, and if I wanted to throw my hat in the ring, I should. I went for it, solely out of curiosity as to what might happen. And they ended up picking me.”
A New Chapter Ahead
Perched on stage with an acoustic guitar, Rivers performed for the first time in over a year. He describes it as a major turning point in his mental recovery. “It was really a great moment,” he reflects. “It was so much fun to play on the same stage as a band I’d been listening to for 15 years. I wasn’t expecting to be able to play any shows, so I’m amazed and grateful that I was able to do it. It really made me begin to feel like this wasn’t over. I could get back to doing this, and it was only going to keep feeling better.”
This year, Rivers has much to look forward to. Sharan is pregnant with their first child, with the baby due later this year. The performer is also writing again, aiming to finish his debut album in the coming months. These milestones mark significant moments in Rivers’ life, and he is embracing them wholeheartedly. “I’m still processing a lot of what has happened to me,” he says. “Sometimes, you’re only able to do that with some delay. It takes time to appreciate and understand certain aspects of something like this. It really feels like I’m arriving at a new chapter, and with it I’m fostering a much deeper connection with everything surrounding me. I’m thankful.”
Wrapping up our conversation, Rivers shares an unfinished demo of a new song, titled “Looking Up.” It’s a warm, optimistic track about emerging from a dark place—something Rivers now connects with on an entirely new level. Over a wash of strummed and picked acoustic guitars, he sings resolutely: “As terrified as I am / Of how high we are / We have to make the leap.”