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Johnny Rivers
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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 “Secret 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.
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.
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.
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Last Boogie in Paris
Johnny Rivers
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20 Greatest Hits
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Greatest Hits
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The Best Of
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Top Tracks
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Memphis
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Summer Rain
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Blue Suede Shoes
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Sea Cruise
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The Poor Side Of Town
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Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu
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The Tracks Of My Tears
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Shoutbox
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hawkon wrote:
Pretty damn cool
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Ricardo_Abe wrote:
Do You Wanna Dance?
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cheruj wrote:
"summer rain" is so pretty.
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Ez-tracks wrote:
yeah!
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GMenRVA wrote:
Keep on rockin', Johnny!
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balzadelia wrote:
secret agent man was on my "name is earl" i forgot how good a tune it is
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rjoycerocknroll wrote:
I think you're cracked ! This song is fantasic
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eveldo wrote:
"secret agent man is one of his worst songs. sad. " Everyone wants to say this kind of thing when an artist has a novelty hit. But really, Secret Agent Man is an awesome song with a great hook and a killer guitar solo. It's not his best (The Poor Side of Town is) but it's worthy of remembrance.
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taobliss wrote:
Go, Johnny, Go!!!!!!!!
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infralutheran wrote:
You don't have to get it in order to enjoy it
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EdibleHandsoap wrote:
So Secret Agent Man is about an Asian man named Al who lives a life of danger? I don't get it.
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bessietheawesum wrote:
could someone PLEASE upload secret agent man. awseomest song ever, and i cant find it anywhere. i cant get it off my record at home, and there are no digital versions that i can find. please? i will love you forever...
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camirocha wrote:
you're lost that lovin' feelin'
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salparadise04 wrote:
secret agent man is one of his worst songs. sad.
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nioka wrote:
'do you wanna dance' just awesome song! :)
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scarebear wrote:
Why Johnny Rivers no streamable? That's so sad I could cry.
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Recent Activity
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