Johnny Rivers
Background information
Born	November 7, 1942 New York City, NY, U.S.
Genre(s)	Rock and Roll
Years active	1962—present
Label(s)	Imperial United Artists Atlantic RSO Soul City
Website	JohnnyRivers.com

Johnny Rivers (born John Henry Ramistella, 7 November 1942, in New York) is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. He was versatile enough to do folk songs, blues, covers of old-time Rock n' roll songs, and some original material, all of them in his own unique style. Rivers's greatest success came in the mid and late 1960s with a string of hit songs (including "Seventh Son," "Poor Side of Town" and "Secret Agent Man") but he has continued to record and perform to the present. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... “NY” redirects here. ... Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... See also: 1963 in music, other events of 1964, 1965 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 1 - Top of the Pops premieres on BBC television. ... The present is the time that is perceived directly, not as a recollection or a speculation. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Imperial Records has been the name of at least three different record labels of the 20th century. ... United Artists Records was a record label founded by United Artists soon after its own founding in 1919 to distribute soundtracks from its movies. ... Atlantic Records (Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American record label, and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group. ... RSO Records was a record label, formed in partnership with Polydor Records by rock and roll and musical theatre impresario Robert Stigwood in the late 1960s, after the death of his business partner and mentor Brian Epstein. ... Soul City was a British soul label run by David Nathan and Robert Blackmore from a record shop of the same name in London. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... the very definition of a guitarist is cody allen and taylor hines because of there un ending guitar skills and awsomnes. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and of the people. ... Rock and roll (also spelled rock n roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Secret Agent Man is a song written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri. ...

Career

1950s

The Ramistella family moved from New York to Baton Rouge, Louisiana when John was five years old. Without any formal music lessons, he began playing guitar -(learned from his father)- at the age of eight, and was influenced by the distinctive music of Louisiana. Capitol Building Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana, a state of the United States of America. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Ramistella formed his own band, The Spades, in junior high school and made his first record at age 14.^{[citation needed]} Some of their material was recorded on the Suede label as early as 1956. Middle school and junior high school cover a period of education that straddles primary education and secondary education and serve as a bridge between them. ... // January 1 - Blue Suede Shoes is released by Carl Perkins on the Sun Records label. ...

On a trip back to New York in 1958, he met Alan Freed who advised him to change his name, so Johnny Ramistella became Johnny Rivers after the Mississippi River that flows near Baton Rouge.^{[citation needed]} Freed also helped Rivers score some recording contracts on the Gone label. From March 1958 to March 1959, Rivers released three records which did not sell well.^{[citation needed]} See also: 1957 in music, other events of 1958, 1959 in music, 1950s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 28 - Little Richard begins attending classes at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama February 14 - The Iranian government bans rock & roll because they claim that the form... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ... See also: 1958 in music, other events of 1959, 1960 in music, 1950s in music and the list of years in music // Events 1959 (date unknown) Jimi Hendrix buys first electric guitar: a White Single pickup Supro Ozark 1560 S. January 5 The first sessions for Ella Fitzgeralds George...

In 1959, Rivers returned to Baton Rouge. While playing throughout the American South, in Birmingham Rivers met Audrey Williams, the widow of Hank Williams.^{[citation needed]} She took Rivers to Nashville, where he recorded two more records. They were not successful either, but Johnny stayed in Nashville as a songwriter and demo singer for $25 a demo. ^{[citation needed]} While in Nashville, Rivers worked alongside Roger Miller.^{[citation needed]} See also: 1958 in music, other events of 1959, 1960 in music, 1950s in music and the list of years in music // Events 1959 (date unknown) Jimi Hendrix buys first electric guitar: a White Single pickup Supro Ozark 1560 S. January 5 The first sessions for Ella Fitzgeralds George... The U.S. Southern states or The South, known during the American Civil War era as Dixie, is a distinctive region of the United States with its own unique historical perspective, customs, musical styles, and cuisine. ... Nickname: Location in Jefferson County in the state of Alabama Coordinates: , Country State County Jefferson, Shelby Government  - Mayor Bernard Kincaid (D) Area  - City  151. ... This article is about Hank Williams, Sr. ... For other cities named Nashville, see Nashville (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see demo. ... A section of the album jacket for Golden Hits Roger Dean Miller (January 2, 1936 – October 25, 1992) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. ...

1960s

In 1960, Rivers met fellow Louisianan James Burton, the guitar player for Ricky Nelson. Burton later recommended one of Rivers's songs to Nelson, who went on to record it. In 1961, Rivers went to Los Angeles to meet Nelson, and ended up relocating there, working as a song writer and studio musician.^{[citation needed]} In 1963, Rivers's big break came when he temporarily filled in for a jazz combo at Bill Gazzari's night club; the temporary gig became long-term due to positive customer response.^{[citation needed]} See also: 1959 in music, other events of 1960, 1961 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 14 - Elvis Presley is promoted to Sergeant in the U.S. Army February 6 - Songwriter Jesse Belvin dies in an automobile accident in Los Angeles, California. ... James Burton (born August 21, 1939 in Minden, Louisiana) is an American guitarist. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... See also: 1960 in music, other events of 1961, 1962 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 15 - Motown Records signs The Supremes January 20 - Francis Poulencs Gloria is premiered in Boston February 12 - The Miracles Shop Around becomes Motowns first... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... See also: 1962 in music, other events of 1963, 1964 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // January 1 - The Beatles start a 5 day tour in Scotland to support the release of their new single, Love Me Do. January 4 - At Cortina dAmpezzo...

In 1964, Elmer Valentine then gave Rivers a one-year contract to open his new club, Whisky a Go Go, on Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. The Whisky a Go Go opened three days before The Beatles released "I Want to Hold Your Hand" ^{[citation needed]} and the British Invasion knocked almost every American artist off the top of the charts. But Rivers was so popular, producer Lou Adler decided to issue Johnny Rivers Live At The Whiskey A Go Go. The live album reached #12 on the charts and the single "Memphis" (a Chuck Berry cover) reached #2. Rivers made the successful transition from nightclub entertainer to chart-busting pop singer and had created the Go Go sound,^{[citation needed]} part of a scene which included Go-Go dancers. See also: 1963 in music, other events of 1964, 1965 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 1 - Top of the Pops premieres on BBC television. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Whisky A Go-Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Nickname: WeHo Location of Los Angeles County in California and West Hollywood within Los Angeles County Country United States State California County Los Angeles Incorporated 1984  - City Council John Heilman (mayor) Sal Guarriello John J. Duran Abbe Land Jeffrey Prang Area    - City  1. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... Music sample I Want to Hold Your Hand ( file info) Problems? See media help. ... For other uses, see British Invasion (disambiguation). ... Lou Adler (born December 13, 1933) is an American record producer, manager, and director. ... // Many successful recording artists release at least one live album at some point during their career. ... Memphis, Tenneesse is a song by legendary rock & roll singer-songwriter Chuck Berry. ... Charles Edward Anderson Chuck Berry (born 18 October 1926, St. ... In pop music a cover version is a new rendition of a previously recorded song. ... Go-Go dancers are scantily-clad erotic dancers who dance on stages in an erotic revue, or on elevated platforms or in bird cages above the crowd in clubs, bars or discothèques to set the tone or increase the energy of a dance floor. ...

Into 1965, Rivers continued to record mostly live, Go Go style records including "Maybellene" (another Berry cover), which he followed "Mountain of Love", "Midnight Special", "Seventh Son" (written by Willie Dixon) and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" (written by Pete Seeger), all of which were hits.^{[citation needed]} See also: 1964 in music, other events of 1965, 1966 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // January 4 - Fender Guitars is sold to CBS for $13 million. ... Maybellene is a song by Chuck Berry that tells the story of a hot rod race and a broken romance. ... Mountain Of Love is a song written by Harold Dorman. ... Midnight Special is a traditional folk song. ... The first book in Orson Scott Cards series The Tales of Alvin Maker, Seventh Son (1987) is about Alvin Miller, the Seventh son of a seventh son. ... Willie Dixons style of blues was one of the inspirations for a new generation of music, rock and roll. ... Where Have All the Flowers Gone? is a folk song of the 1960s written by Pete Seeger and Joe Hickerson. ... Peter Seeger (born May 3, 1919), almost universally known as Pete Seeger, is a folk singer, political activist, and author. ...

Rivers wanted to try something different and adopted a more idiosyncratic approach as from 1966. Characterized by his smooth, soulful voice, he produced hit portrayals as "Poor Side Of Town", which would be his biggest hit ever and his only number one record. Into another hit was "Secret Agent Man", the theme from Secret Agent television series (written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri). He also started his own record company, Soul City Records, where he won a Grammy Award as the producer of the 5th Dimension, which eventually recorded "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" and "Wedding Bell Blues", two number one hits on Rivers' label. Johnny is also credited with giving songwriter Jimmy Webb a major break, when they recorded Webb's song "Up, Up, and Away". Jim Hendricks wrote "Summer Rain", a song that Rivers recorded and turned into a hit. // January 3 - Hullabaloo shows promotional videos of The Beatles songs Day Tripper and We Can Work It Out. January 8 - Shindig! airs for the last time on ABC, with musical guests the Kinks and the Who January 14 - Young singer David Jones changes his last name to Bowie to avoid... Poor Side of Town is a song by Johnny Rivers, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 12, 1966. ... Secret Agent Man may refer to: Secret Agent Man (song), a song by Johnny Rivers, used as the theme song to the British television program Secret Agent (aka Danger Man) when it was broadcast in the United States Secret Agent Man (TV show), a short-lived American spy series broadcast... This article is about the 1960s TV series which was also known as Secret Agent and shouldnt be confused with the 1990s television series Secret Agent Man. ... P.F. Sloan is an American pop-rock singer and songwriter, born Philip Schlein in New York City in 1945. ... Steve Barri (born Steven Barry Lipkin in Brooklyn, New York on February 23, 1942) is an American songwriter and record producer. ... Soul City was a British soul label run by David Nathan and Robert Blackmore from a record shop of the same name in London. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The 5th Dimension is an American popular music group, best-known during the late 1960s and 1970s for popularizing hits of songwriters like Jimmy Webb, Laura Nyro, Ashford & Simpson, and others, and helping to popularize flower power music with both white and black middle-class Americans. ... Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In, sometimes incorrectly known as The Age of Aquarius, is a medley of the songs Aquarius and The Flesh Failures (Let The Sunshine In) from the musical Hair, originally released by The Fifth Dimension as a single which held the number one position on the U... Wedding Bell Blues is a song written and recorded by Laura Nyro in 1966 that became a number one hit for The Fifth Dimension in 1969 and subsequently a popular phrase in American culture. ... Jimmy Webb (born August 15, 1946 in Elk City, Oklahoma) is an idiosyncratic American popular music composer. ... Up, Up and Away is a 1967 song written by Jimmy Webb and recorded by The Fifth Dimension, that became a major pop hit, reaching #7 on the U.S. Pop Singles chart and made face in Canada as well. ... Summer Rain is the name of a number of different songs by various artists: Summer Rain (Johnny Rivers) - Johnny Rivers, 1967 Summer Rain (Belinda Carlisle song) - Belinda Carlisle, 1989; covered by Slinkee Minx in 2004 Summer Rain (Alphaville song) - Alphaville, 1989 Summer Rain (U2 song) - U2, 2000 Summer Rain (ATB...

Johnny Rivers continued to record more hits, including "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" (cover of the Four Tops) and "The Tracks of My Tears" (cover of The Miracles), both went top 10 in 1967. In 1968, Rivers released what many fans consider his best album, Realization, a number five album on the LP charts. The album was evocative of the psychedelic influences of the time and marked a subtle change in his musical direction, with more thoughtful types of songs, included such ballads as "Going Back to Big Sur". The Four Tops are an American musical group, who helped define the Motown sound of the 1960s. ... The Tracks of My Tears is a 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label. ... The Miracles (known from 1965 to 1972 as Smokey Robinson & the Miracles) are an American musical group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordys Motown Records. ... The year 1967 was an important year for psychedelic music, with releases from Small Faces Itchycoo Park,The Doors (The Doors, Strange Days), Jefferson Airplane (Surrealistic Pillow, After Bathing at Baxters), the Beatles Sgt. ... // January 4 - Guitarist Jimi Hendrix is jailed by Stockholm police, after trashing a hotel room during a drunken fist fight with bassist Noel Redding. ...

1970s

In the 1970s, Rivers continued to record more songs and albums which were a success with music critics, but did not sell as well as some of his earlier hits. One of these albums, "L.A. Reggae" in 1972, reached the LP charts as a result of the top 10 "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" (cover of Huey (Piano) Smith And The Clowns). Other hits at that time were "Blue Suede Shoes" (cover of Carl Perkins), in 1973, which would reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Help Me Rhonda" in 1975 (cover of The Beach Boys) on which Brian Wilson helped with backup vocals. His last top ten entry was "Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancing)" (cover of the Funky Kings), followed by his last Hot 100 entry, "Curious Mind (Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um)" (cover of Major Lance), both from 1977. He also sang the title song to the late night concert influenced TV show "The Midnight Special". See also: other events of 1972 list of years in music 1970s in music // January 17 - Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed Elvis Presley Blvd January 20 - Pink Floyd debuts Dark Side of the Moon during a performance at The Dome, in Brighton, but due to technical difficulties... For other uses of Blue Suede Shoes, see Blue Suede Shoes (disambiguation). ... Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998) was an American pioneer of rockabilly music, a mix of rhythm and blues and country music that was recorded most notably at Sun Records in Memphis beginning in 1954. ... See also: 1970s in music. ... Help Me, Rhonda was a single which was released by The Beach Boys in 1965 through Capitol Records. ... See also: 1970s in music. ... First formed in 1961, The Beach Boys are an American rock and roll band that gained popularity for their close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a California youth culture of surfing, girls and cars. ... Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942 in Hawthorne, California), is an American pop musician, best known as the lead songwriter, bassist, and lead singer of the American rock band The Beach Boys. ... Major Lance compilation album Major Lance (b 4 April 1941, Winterville, Mississippi - d 3 September 1994, Decatur, Georgia) was an American R&B singer. ... See also: 1970s in music. ... Midnight Special is a traditional folk song. ... The Midnight Special was a weekly musical television series during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt Sugarman and airing on NBC. It premiered as a special on August 19, 1972 then began its run as a regular series on February 2, 1973; its last episode was...

1980s to current

Rivers continued recording into the '80s (e.g., 1980's Borrowed Time LP), although his recording career wound down somewhat. Despite his music not having reached the best seller charts for quite a while, Rivers is still touring, doing 50 to 60 shows a year. Increasingly he has returned to the blues that inspired him initially.

In 1998, Rivers reactivated his Soul City imprint and released Last Train to Memphis. See also: 1998 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1998 Record labels established in 1998 // 1998 - The single Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls sets a new hot 100 airplay record, 18 weeks at number one. ...

In early 2000, Johnny recorded with Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and Paul McCartney on a tribute album dedicated to Buddy Holly's backup band, "The Crickets". See also: 2000 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 2000 Record labels established in 2000 // John Tavener is knighted in the New Years Honours List. ... Eric Patrick Clapton CBE (born 30 March 1945), nicknamed Slowhand, is an Grammy Award winning English guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. ... Thomas Earl Tom Petty (born October 20, 1950) is a singer and guitarist. ... Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who first gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles. ... Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959),[1] better known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and a pioneer of rock and roll. ... The Crickets The Crickets were the backing band from Texas in the United States, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s. ...

In all, Rivers had 9 top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and 17 in the top 40 from 1964 to 1977. In total, he has sold well over 30 million records. “Hot 100” redirects here. ...

Discography

Main albums

• At the Whiskey `a GoGo (live album) (1964)
• Here We `a GoGo Again (live) (1964)
• In Action! (1964)
• Meanwhile Back at the Whiskey `a GoGo (live) (1965)
• Johnny Rivers Rocks the Folk (1965)
• ...and I know you wanna dance (live) (1966)
• Changes (1966)
• Rewind (1967)
• Whiskey `a GoGo Revisted (1968)
• Realization (1968)
• Slim Slo Slider (1970)
• Homegrown (1971)
• L.A. Reggae (1972)
• Blue Suede Shoes (1973)
• Last Boogie in Paris (live) (1974) (not released in the U.S.)
• Rockin' Rivers (1974) (not released in the U.S.)
• Road (1974)
• New Lovers and Old Friends (1975)
• Wild Night (1976)
• Outside Help (1977)
• Borrowed Time (1981)
• Not a Through Street (1983)
• Greatest Hits (1985)
• The Memphis Sun Recordings (1991)
• Last Train to Memphis (1998)
• Back at the Whisky (live) (2000)
• Reinvention Highway (2004)
• Last Boogie in Paris: The Complete Concert (live) (2007)

// Many successful recording artists release at least one live album at some point during their career. ...

Main compilations

• Johnny Rivers' Golden Hits (1966)
• Touch of Gold (1969)
• Johnny Rivers (1972)
• The Very Best of Johnny Rivers (1975)
• The Best of Johnny Rivers (1987)
• Anthology, 1964-1977 (1991)
• Summer Rains: The Essential Rivers, 1964-1975 (2006)
• Secret Agent Man: The Ultimate Johnny Rivers Anthology (2006)

Singles

Chart positions are from the Billboard Hot 100: “Hot 100” redirects here. ...

• "Memphis" #2 (1964)
• "Maybellene" #12 (1964)
• "Mountain of Love" #9 (1964)
• "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" (1964)
• "Midnight Special" #20 (1965)
• "Cupid" #76 (1965)
• "Seventh Son" #7 (1965)
• "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" #26 (1965)
• "Under Your Spell Again" #35 (1965)
• "Secret Agent Man" #3 (1966)
• "(I Washed My Hands In) Muddy Water" #19 (1966)
• "Poor Side Of Town" #1 (1966)
• "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" #3 (1967)
• "The Tracks Of My Tears" #10 (1967)
• "Summer Rain" #14 (1967)
• "Look To Your Soul" #49 (1968)
• "Right Relations" #61 (1968)
• "These Are Not My People" #55 (1969)
• "Muddy River" #41 (1969)
• "One Woman" #89 (1969)
• "Into The Mystic" #51 (1970)
• "Fire And Rain" # 94 (1970)
• "Sea Cruise" #84 (1971)
• "Think His Name" #65 (1971)
• "Rockin' Pneumonia - Boogie Woogie Flu" #6 (1972)
• "Blue Suede Shoes" #38 (1973)
• "Help Me Rhonda" #22 (1975)
• "Ashes And Sand" #96 (1977)
• "Swayin' To The Music (Slow Dancin')" #10 (1977)
• "Curious Mind (Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um)" #41 (1977)

Maybellene is a song by Chuck Berry that tells the story of a hot rod race and a broken romance. ... Lawdy Miss Clawdy Lloyd Price Lawdy Miss Clawdy is a song by Lloyd Price. ... Midnight Special is a traditional folk song. ... Secret Agent Man may refer to: Secret Agent Man (song), a song by Johnny Rivers, used as the theme song to the British television program Secret Agent (aka Danger Man) when it was broadcast in the United States Secret Agent Man (TV show), a short-lived American spy series broadcast... Poor Side of Town is a song by Johnny Rivers, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 12, 1966. ... Baby I Need Your Loving is a 1964 hit song recorded by The Four Tops for the Motown label. ... The Tracks of My Tears is a 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label. ...

External links

• All Music Guide
• Official website
• [1]
• [2]
• - video