Singer
Johnny Rivers

Johnny Rivers (born John Henry Ramistella on November 7, 1942 in New York City) 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 "S ... ecret Agent Man") but he has continued to record and perform to the present. 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. 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. 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 opened three days before The Beatles released "I Want To Hold Your Hand" 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, part of a scene which included Go-Go dancers. 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) e "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" (with Pete Seeger's), all of which were hits. 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 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 Sun Shine 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". James Hendricks, one of the artists of that signed with Soul City, wrote "Summer Rain", a song that Rivers recorded and turned a hit. Johnny Rivers continued to record more hits, including "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" and "The Tracks of My Tears" (cover of The Miracles), both 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". 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" (a cover of Huey Smith & the Clowns). Anothers hits that time were "Blue Suede Shoes" (a cover of Carl Perkins), in 1973, which would reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Help Me Rhonda", in 1975 - a cover of The Beach Boys on which Brian Wilson helped with backup vocals. His last entry on the charts was "Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancing)", a top ten hit in 1977. 1980's until nowadays Rivers continued recording into the '80's, although his recording career wound down somewhat. In spite of his music hasn't reached the best seller charts for quite a while, Rivers is still touring, doing 50 to 60 shows a year, increasingly returning to the blues that inspired him initially. In 1998], Rivers reactivated his Soul City imprint and released Last Train to Memphis, his first new studio album in 15 years. 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". 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 25 million records. See more [+]

Secret Agent Man |||||

Introdução - 3x There's a man who leads a life of danger To ...

Poor side of town |||||

Doo-do-do-wah, shoobee-doobee Doo-do-do-wah, shoobee-doobee ...

You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' |||||

You never close your eyes, anymore When I kiss, your lips An...

Do You Want To Dance ? |||||

Do you wanna dance and hold my hand? Tell me that I?m your ...

Maybellene |||||

(nd) Oh, Maybellene, why can't you be true, oh, Maybellene, ...

Where Have All The Flowers Gone |||||

1.6. Where have all the flowers gone long time passin'? 2. ...

Dancing in the moonlight |||||

It's a supernatural delight everybody's dancing in the moonl...

It's too Late |||||

I remember when I told you That I tried in every way To hold...

Hey joe |||||

1. Hey Joe, oh, where you goin' with that gun in your hand? ...

Mountain Of Love |||||

Teardrops fallin' from the mountainside Many times I've been...

Muddy Water |||||

I was home in Macon, Georgia They kept my Daddy in the Macon...

The Tracks Of My Tears |||||

People say, I'm the life of the party 'Cause I tell a joke o...

Swayin' To The Music |||||

It's late at night and we're all alone Just the music on the...

Summer Rain |||||

Summer rain taps at my window, west wind, soft as a sweet dr...

You win again |||||

I know that E I - should leave, but A then This heart of A m...

Suzie Q |||||

Oh Suzie Q, oh Suzie Q, oh, Suzie Q, baby, I love you, Suzie...

The Seventh Son |||||

Everybody talkin' 'bout the seventh son In the whole wide wo...

Baby I need your lovin' |||||

onde está F: C * onde está Am: Am * - xx765x Termine com G...

Rockin pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie flu |||||

I wanna jump but I'm afraid I'll fall I wanna holler but the...

For Emily Whenever I May Find Her |||||

Pressed in organdy; Clothed in crinoline of smoky Burgundy;...

When a Man Loves a Woman |||||

When a man loves a woman Can't keep his mind on nothin' else...

Where have all the flowers gone |||||

1.6. Where have all the flowers gone long time passin'? 2. ...

Keep A Knockin' |||||

Keep a knockin' but you can't come in keep a knockin' but yo...

Midnight Special |||||

You get up in the morning'. You hear the ding dong ring And ...

Mother and child reunion |||||

No I would not give you false hope On this strange and mourn...

I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water |||||

I was born - - in Macon, Georgia They kept my dad - - in the...

Take it easy |||||

to sing to. :Well, I'm a runnin' down the road try'n' to loo...

If I Were a Carpenter |||||

If I were a carpenter and you were a lady Would you marry me...

Walkin The Dog |||||

#1. Mary Mack, dressed in black, silver buttons all down her...

Do What You Gotta' do |||||

Girl, I can understand how it might be Kinda hard to love a ...

Look To Your Soul |||||

I nearly lost myself trying to be someone else All of my lif...

Sunny |||||

Sunny, yesterday my life was filled with rain. Sunny, you sm...

The Snake |||||

On her way to work one morning, down the path along a lake ...

Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye |||||

Kiss me each morning for a million years. Hold me each eveni...

Cast Your Fate To The Wind |||||

A month of nights, a year of days Octobers drifting into May...

Baby Come Back |||||

I don't need a lot of money or fame and wealth, it's true. A...

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