Rawlins has made her Austin home since 1963 when her husband was stationed at Bergstrom Airforce Base. She was raised in Wichita, Kansas and from an early age, she had a special calling for music. Her mother, a church pianist, and her father and uncle who performed rhythm and blues in their local area, were influential in her love of music.
Rawlins graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Communications. From 1965 to 1979, she performed in Austin as a pianist and vocalist in the popular music group called Geneva and the Gentlemen. She was also Director of Music, Director of the Intergenerational Choir and Director of the Men’s Chorus at Wesley United Methodist Church. Geneva Rawlins passed away on June 10, 2020.