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Johnny Rivers (born John Henry Ramistella, 7 November 1942, in New York
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
) is an American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 rock and roll
Rock and roll

Rock and roll is a form of music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Its roots lay mainly in rhythm and blues, Country music, folk music, gospel music, and jazz....
 singer, songwriter
Songwriter

File:Beethoven.jpgA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer....
, guitarist
Guitarist

A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres....
, and record producer
Record producer

In the music industry, a record 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, Audio mixing and audio mastering processes....
. He was versatile enough to do folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material. Rivers's greatest success came in the mid and late 1960s with a string of hit songs (including "Seventh Son", "Poor Side of Town
Poor Side of Town (Johnny Rivers song)

"Poor Side of Town" is a song by Johnny Rivers, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 12, 1966....
", "Summer Rain", and "Secret Agent Man
Secret Agent Man (song)

"Secret Agent Man" is a song written by Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan. The song evokes secret agents both musically and through its lyrics . The most famous recording of the song was made by Johnny Rivers for the opening titles of the American broadcast of the British spy series Danger Man, which aired in the US as Secret Agent from 19...
"), but he has continued to record and perform to the present.

Ramistella family moved from New York to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana

The State of Louisiana is a U.S. state located in the U.S. Southern States of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans....
 when John was five years old.






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Johnny Rivers (born John Henry Ramistella, 7 November 1942, in New York
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
) is an American
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 rock and roll
Rock and roll

Rock and roll is a form of music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Its roots lay mainly in rhythm and blues, Country music, folk music, gospel music, and jazz....
 singer, songwriter
Songwriter

File:Beethoven.jpgA songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics, as well the musical composition or melody to songs. One who writes only lyrics is a lyricist, while one who writes only music is a composer....
, guitarist
Guitarist

A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres....
, and record producer
Record producer

In the music industry, a record 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, Audio mixing and audio mastering processes....
. He was versatile enough to do folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material. Rivers's greatest success came in the mid and late 1960s with a string of hit songs (including "Seventh Son", "Poor Side of Town
Poor Side of Town (Johnny Rivers song)

"Poor Side of Town" is a song by Johnny Rivers, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 12, 1966....
", "Summer Rain", and "Secret Agent Man
Secret Agent Man (song)

"Secret Agent Man" is a song written by Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan. The song evokes secret agents both musically and through its lyrics . The most famous recording of the song was made by Johnny Rivers for the opening titles of the American broadcast of the British spy series Danger Man, which aired in the US as Secret Agent from 19...
"), but he has continued to record and perform to the present.

Career


1950s

The Ramistella family moved from New York to Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana

The State of Louisiana is a U.S. state located in the U.S. Southern States of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans....
 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
Music of Louisiana

The music of Louisiana can be divided into three general regions. The Acadiana region of the state is dominated by Cajun culture. To the southeast, the region in and around Greater New Orleans has a unique musical heritage tied to Dixieland jazz, blues and Afro-Caribbean rhythms....
.

Ramistella formed his own band, The Spades, in junior high school and made his first record at age 14, while still a student at Baton Rouge High School. Some of their material was recorded on the Suede label as early as 1956.

On a trip back to New York in 1958, he met Alan Freed
Alan Freed

Alan Freed , also known as Moondog, was an United States disc-jockey who became internationally known for promoting African-American rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll....
 who advised him to change his name, so Johnny Ramistella had the Baton Rouge attorney Arthur J. Cobb change his name to Johnny Rivers after the Mississippi River
Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the longest river in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico....
 that flows near Baton Rouge. 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.

In 1959, Rivers returned to Baton Rouge. While playing throughout the American South, in Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama

Birmingham is the largest city in the United States state of Alabama and is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama. It also includes part of Shelby County, Alabama....
 Rivers met Audrey Williams, the widow of Hank Williams. She took Rivers to Nashville, where he recorded two more records. They were not successful either, but Johnny stayed in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is the Capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County, Tennessee. It is the second most populous city in the state after Memphis, Tennessee....
 as a songwriter and demo
Demo (music)

A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for musicians to approximate their ideas on Magnetic tape or compact disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, Record producers or other artists....
 singer for $25 a demo. While in Nashville, Rivers worked alongside Roger Miller
Roger Miller

Roger Dean Miller was an United States singer, songwriter and musician, best known for his mid-1960s country/pop hits such as King of the Road , Dang Me and England Swings....
.

1960s

In 1960, Rivers met fellow Louisianan James Burton
James Burton

James Burton is an United States guitarist.A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 , Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame....
, the guitar player for Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson

Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson, later known as Rick Nelson , was an United States singer, musician and actor. With more than 50 Billboard Hot 100 hits, Nelson was second to Elvis Presley as the most popular rock and roll artist of the late 1950s....
. Burton later recommended one of Rivers' songs to Nelson, who went on to record it. In 1961, Rivers went to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles

Los ?ngeles is the Capital of the Biob?o Province, in the municipality of the same name, in Regions of Chile VIII , in the center-south of Chile....
 to meet Nelson, and ended up relocating there, working as a songwriter and studio musician. In 1963, Rivers's big break came when he temporarily filled in for a jazz combo at Bill Gazzarri's night club; the temporary gig became long-term due to positive customer response.

In 1963, Rivers was hand-picked by the producers of British television series "Danger Man
Danger Man

Danger Man was a United Kingdom television series broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. This series featuring Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake ....
," which starred Patrick McGoohan
Patrick McGoohan

Patrick Joseph McGoohan was an American-born actor, raised in Ireland and England, with an extensive stage and film career, most notably in the 1960s television series Danger Man , and the Cult television classic The Prisoner....
, to sing the theme song for the U.S. version, "Secret Agent." The show itself wasn't successful, but the theme song was. Although only one verse (and after the chorus had been recorded), Rivers got the idea to add two more verses, then record live at the Whiskey A-Go-Go; this became his first Top Ten hit (1964). "Secret Agent Man
Secret Agent Man

Secret Agent Man may refer to:*Danger Man, broadcast as Secret Agent in the U.S. and sometimes erroneously referred to as Secret Agent Man...
," reached number 4 on the charts, and helped launch Rivers' career as a bankable singer.

In 1964, Elmer Valentine
Elmer Valentine

Elmer Valentine was the co-founder of two famous nightclubs on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California: the Whisky a Go Go and The Roxy Theatre....
 gave Rivers a one-year contract to open in his new club, Whisky a Go Go
Whisky a Go Go

The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.The correct spelling of the name, often misspelled as "Whiskey", is confirmed by the signage of the nightclub's exterior, as well as on the club's web site....
, on Sunset Strip
Sunset Strip

The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile and a half strip of land of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood, Los Angeles, California at Crescent Heights Boulevard, to its western border with Beverly Hills, California at Doheny Drive....
 in West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California

West Hollywood, a city in Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984. The lastest residential population estimate was 34,675....
. The Whisky a Go Go opened three days before The Beatles
The Beatles

The Beatles were a rock music and pop music band from Liverpool, England that formed in 1960. During their career, the group primarily consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr ....
 released "I Want to Hold Your Hand
I Want to Hold Your Hand

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English pop music and rock music band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded in October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using multitrack recording equipment....
" and the British Invasion
British Invasion

File:The Beatles in America.JPGThe British Invasion was the term applied by the news media?and subsequently by consumers?to the influx of rock and roll, beat music and pop music performers from the United Kingdom who became popular in the United States, Canada and Australia....
 knocked almost every American artist off the top of the charts. But Rivers was so popular, producer Lou Adler
Lou Adler

Lou Adler is an United States record producer, manager, and director.Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in East Los Angeles, Adler grew up in a mixed Jewish/Mexico family....
 decided to issue Johnny Rivers Live At The Whiskey A Go Go. The live album
Live album

A live album – commonly contrasted with a studio album – is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances. Live albums may be recorded at a single concert, or combine recordings made at multiple concerts....
 reached #12 on the charts and the single "Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee (song)

"Memphis, Tennessee" is a song by legendary rock & roll singer?songwriter Chuck Berry. It is sometimes shortened to "Memphis".The song has been covered by many artists, such as George Thorogood, The Grateful Dead, Silicon Teens, Lonnie Mack, Johnny Rivers, The Beatles, The Animals, Paul Anka, Count Basie, The Dave Clark Five, Bo Didd...
" reached the US Hit Parade #2 spot in July 1964, far outselling the Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry

Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter.Chuck Berry is an influential figure and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music....
 original from August 1959 which stalled at #87 in the US. (Lonnie Mack
Lonnie Mack

Lonnie Mack is a Rock music and blues guitarist/vocalist. In the early 1960s, he recorded several full-length rock guitar instrumentals strongly grounded in the blues, the best-known of which are "Memphis", "Wham!", "Chicken Pickin'" and "Suzie-Q"....
's 1963 instrumental version of "Memphis" hit the US Hit Parade top five in July; the Chuck Berry original and its British rival cover version
Cover version

In popular music, a cover version, or simply cover, is a new rendition of a previously recorded, commercially released song.In its current use, it can sometimes have a pejorative meaning — implying that the original recording should be regarded as the definitive version, usually in the sense of an "authentic" rendition, and all...
 fought it out in the UK Hitparade in November 1963). 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), after which came "Mountain of Love
Mountain of Love

"Mountain of Love" is a song written by Harold Dorman . Dorman released his version as a single in 1960. It performed well, becoming a top forty hit on the Billboard Hot 100....
", "Midnight Special
Midnight Special (song)

"Midnight Special" is a traditional folk song thought to have originated among prisoners in the American South. The title comes from the refrain which refers to the Midnight Special and its "ever-loving light" ....
", "Seventh Son
Seventh Son

Seventh Son is an alternate history/fantasy novel by Orson Scott Card. It is the first book in Card's The Tales of Alvin Maker series and is about Alvin Miller, the Seventh son of a seventh son....
" (written by Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon

William James "Willie" Dixon was a well-known United States blues bassist, singing, songwriter, arranger and record producer. His songs, including "Little Red Rooster", "Hoochie Coochie Man", "Evil ", "Spoonful", "Back Door Man", "I Just Want to Make Love to You", "I Ain't Superstitious", "My Babe", "Wang Dang Doodle", and "Bring It on Home"...
) and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" is a folk music song of the 1960s written by Pete Seeger and Joe Hickerson....
" (written by Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger

Peter "Pete" Seeger is an United States folk singer, and a key figure in the mid-20th century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 50s as a member of The Weavers, most notably the 1950 recording of Leadbelly's "Goodnight, Irene" that topped the charts f...
), all of which were hits.

Rivers wanted to try something different and adopted a more idiosyncratic approach around 1966. Characterized by his smooth, soulful voice, he produced such hit portrayals as "Poor Side Of Town
Poor Side of Town (Johnny Rivers song)

"Poor Side of Town" is a song by Johnny Rivers, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 12, 1966....
", which would be his biggest hit ever and his only number one record. Another hit was "Secret Agent Man
Secret Agent Man

Secret Agent Man may refer to:*Danger Man, broadcast as Secret Agent in the U.S. and sometimes erroneously referred to as Secret Agent Man...
", the theme from the Secret Agent
Danger Man

Danger Man was a United Kingdom television series broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. This series featuring Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake ....
 television series (written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri
Steve Barri

Steve Barri is an United States songwriter and record producer.Early in his career Barri was a staff writer with Dunhill Records. He frequently collaborated with P.F....
). He also started his own record company, Soul City Records
Soul City Records

Soul City was a British soul label run by David Nathan and Robert Blackmore from a record shop of the same name in London. Its first release was Don Gardener & Dee Dee Ford's Don't You Worry in March 1969....
, where he won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award

The Grammy Awards ?or Grammys?are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry....
 as the producer of the 5th Dimension, which eventually recorded "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In
Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In

"Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In", sometimes incorrectly known as "The Age of Aquarius" or "Let the Sunshine In", is a medley of two songs from the musical Hair written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni and Galt MacDermot, and released as a single in 1969 by The Fifth Dimension....
" and "Wedding Bell Blues
Wedding Bell Blues

"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....
", two number-one hits on Rivers's label. Johnny is also credited with giving songwriter Jimmy Webb
Jimmy Webb

Jimmy Layne Webb is an American songwriter. His compositions include "Up, Up and Away ," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman," "Galveston ," and "MacArthur Park "....
 a major break, when the 5th Dimension recorded Webb's song "Up, Up, and Away
Up, up, and away

Up, Up, and Away may refer to:* Up, Up and Away , a song by The Fifth Dimension* Up, Up and Away , an album by The Fifth Dimension containing the song...
".

Johnny Rivers continued to record more hits, including "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" (cover of the Four Tops
Four Tops

The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, and showtunes....
) and "The Tracks of My Tears
The Tracks of My Tears

"The Tracks of My Tears" is a 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla label. It is considered among their best recordings, and is listed on the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll....
" (cover of the Miracles
The Miracles

The Miracles is an United States rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records....
), 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 that included the #14 pop chart single 'Summer Rain' written by a former member of the early 60's Folk/Rock band The Mugwumps
The Mugwumps

The Mugwumps were a 1960s rock band. The Mugwumps made some recordings in the mid-60s, but the short-lived New York group, formed in 1964, is principally remembered for what its members did after they split up....
, James Hendricks (not to be confused with guitar legend Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix

James Marshall Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter whose guitar playing continues to be a considerable influence on rock music....
). 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".

1970s

In the 1970s, Rivers continued to record more songs and albums that 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 #6 hit "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu", a cover of the Huey "Piano" Smith And The Clowns song. Other hits at that time were "Blue Suede Shoes
Blue Suede Shoes

"Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll Standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955. The 12-bar blues is considered one of the first rock and roll records and incorporated elements of blues, country music and pop music of the time....
" (cover of Carl Perkins
Carl Perkins

Carl Lee Perkins was an United States of America pioneer of rockabilly music who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee beginning in 1954....
), in 1973, which would reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Help Me Rhonda" in 1975 (cover of The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys are an American rock band. Formed in 1961, the group gained popularity for its close harmony and lyrics reflecting a California youth culture of cars and surfing....
) on which Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson

Brian Douglas Wilson is a Grammy Award-winning United States musician best known as a member of the American rock and roll band, the Beach Boys....
 helped with backup vocals. His last Top 10 entry was "Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancing)" (cover of the Funky Kings), which reached #10, followed by his last Hot 100 entry, "Curious Mind (Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um)" (cover of Major Lance
Major Lance

Major Lance was an United States Rhythm and blues/Northern soul singing. Allmusic music journalism, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, states "blessed with a warm, sweet human voice, Lance was one of the leading figures of Chicago soul music during the 1960s and the top-selling artist for OKeh Records during the decade....
), both from 1977. He also sang the title song
Midnight Special (song)

"Midnight Special" is a traditional folk song thought to have originated among prisoners in the American South. The title comes from the refrain which refers to the Midnight Special and its "ever-loving light" ....
 to the late night concert influenced TV show The Midnight Special
The Midnight Special (TV series)

The Midnight Special was a weekly musical television series that aired during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by Burt Sugarman and airing on NBC....
.

1980s to current

Rivers continued recording into the 1980s (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.

In early 2000, Johnny recorded with Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton

Eric Patrick Clapton Order of the British Empire is an English blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. He is "probably most famous for his mastery of the Stratocaster guitar." Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Yardbirds, of Cream , and as a solo performer, being the only person to...
, Tom Petty
Tom Petty

Thomas Earl Petty is an United Statesn singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and a member of Mudcrutch....
, and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney

Sir James Paul McCartney Member of the Order of the British Empire is a multiple Grammy Award-winning England singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record producer, film producer, Painting, and Animal rights....
 on a tribute album dedicated to Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly

Charles Hardin Holley, known professionally as Buddy Holly was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll. Although his success lasted only a year and a half before his The Day the Music Died, Holly is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll." His works and...
's backup band, "The Crickets
The Crickets

The Crickets were a rock & roll band from Lubbock, Texas, formed by singer/songwriter Buddy Holly in the 1950s.Their first hit record was "That'll Be the Day," released in 1957....
".

In all, Rivers had nine Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard Single popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on airplay and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the airplay tracking-week runs from Wednesday to Tuesday....
 and 17 in the Top 40 from 1964 to 1977. In total, he has sold well over 30 million records.

Rivers is one of a small number of performers such as Paul Simon
Paul Simon

Paul Frederic Simon is an United States singer-songwriter and musician, perhaps best known for his partnership with Art Garfunkel in the duo Simon & Garfunkel....
, Billy Joel
Billy Joel

William Martin "Billy" Joel is an United States rock music musician, singer-songwriter, and Classical music composer. He released his first hit song, "Piano Man ", in 1973....
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd are an English Rock music band who initially earned recognition for their psychedelic rock and space rock music, and later, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music....
 (from 1975's Wish You Were Here
Wish You Were Here (album)

Wish You Were Here is a concept album by Pink Floyd. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios between January and July 1975 and released on 15 September 1975 , the album would later be regarded as one of Pink Floyd's greatest albums and was ranked 209 on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list....
 onward), Queen
Queen (band)

Queen were an England rock music band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Meddows-Taylor, with bassist John Deacon completing the lineup the following year....
, Genesis
Genesis (band)

Genesis are an English rock music band formed in 1967. With approximately 150 million albums sold worldwide, Genesis are among the top 30 List of best-selling music artists....
 (though under the members' individual names and/or the pseudonym Gelring Limited) and Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond

Neil Leslie Diamond is an United States of America singer-songwriter.Neil Diamond is one of pop music's most enduring and successful singer-songwriters....
 who have their name as the copyright
Copyright

Copyright is a form of intellectual property which gives the creator of an original work exclusive rights for a certain time period in relation to that work, including its publication, distribution and adaptation; after which time the work is said to enter the public domain....
 owner on their recordings. (Most records have the recording company as the named owner of the recording.) This noteworthy development was spearheaded by supergroup The Bee Gees
Bee Gees

The Bee Gees were a singing trio of brothers ? Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, and Maurice Gibb. They were born on the Isle of Man to England parents, lived in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, England, United Kingdom and during their childhood years moved to Brisbane, Australia, where they began their musical careers....
 after their successful $200,000,000 lawsuit against RSO, which remains to this day the largest successful lawsuit against a record company by an artist/group.

Discography


Main albums


  • At the Whiskey 'a GoGo
    At the Whiskey 'a GoGo

    Johnny Rivers at the Whisky a Go Go is the debut album from American rock and roll singer/songwriter/guitarist Johnny Rivers. The album was released in February of 1964, just as The Beatles and the British music invasion was getting into full swing....
     (live album
    Live album

    A live album – commonly contrasted with a studio album – is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances. Live albums may be recorded at a single concert, or combine recordings made at multiple concerts....
    ) (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 (Johnny Rivers album) (1966)
  • Rewind (Johnny Rivers album) (1967)
  • Whiskey 'a GoGo Revisited (live) (1967)
  • Realization (Johnny Rivers album) (1968)
  • Slim Slo Slider (1970)
  • Homegrown (Johnny Rivers album) (1971)
  • A Portrait Of Johnny Rivers (1971)
  • L.A. Reggae (1972)
  • Blue Suede Shoes (Johnny Rivers album) (1973)
  • Rockin Pneumonia (Johnny Rivers album) (1973)
  • Last Boogie in Paris (live) (1974) (not released in the U.S.)
  • Rockin' Rivers (1974) (not released in the U.S.)
  • Road (Johnny Rivers album) (1974)
  • New Lovers and Old Friends (1975)
  • Wild Night (Johnny Rivers album) (1976)
  • Outside Help (1977)
  • The Rock And Roll Years (1981)
  • Borrowed Time
    Borrowed Time

    Borrowed Time is a recording by Diamond Head . This is Diamond Head's fourth recording, their second on the MCA label. The album was recorded in 1981 and released in 1982, reaching Number 24 on the UK album chart....
     (1980)
  • Not a Through Street (1983)
  • Greatest Hits
    Greatest hits

    A greatest hits album is a compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular music artist or band. To increase the appeal of the album – especially to people who already own the previously released material – it is common to include remixes or alternate takes of popular songs or new material, with new son...
     (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)


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 Rain: The Essential Rivers, 1964-1975 (2006)
  • Secret Agent Man: The Ultimate Johnny Rivers Anthology (2006)


Singles

Chart positions are from the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard Single popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on airplay and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday; while the airplay tracking-week runs from Wednesday to Tuesday....
:
  • "Memphis
    Memphis, Tennessee (song)

    "Memphis, Tennessee" is a song by legendary rock & roll singer?songwriter Chuck Berry. It is sometimes shortened to "Memphis".The song has been covered by many artists, such as George Thorogood, The Grateful Dead, Silicon Teens, Lonnie Mack, Johnny Rivers, The Beatles, The Animals, Paul Anka, Count Basie, The Dave Clark Five, Bo Didd...
    " #2 (1964)
  • "Maybellene" #12 (1964)
  • "Mountain of Love
    Mountain of Love

    "Mountain of Love" is a song written by Harold Dorman . Dorman released his version as a single in 1960. It performed well, becoming a top forty hit on the Billboard Hot 100....
    " #9 (1964)
  • "Lawdy Miss Clawdy
    Lawdy Miss Clawdy

    "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a song by Lloyd Price. It was first recorded by Price at the New Orleans recording studio of Specialty Records in March of 1952....
    " (1964)
  • "Midnight Special
    Midnight Special (song)

    "Midnight Special" is a traditional folk song thought to have originated among prisoners in the American South. The title comes from the refrain which refers to the Midnight Special and its "ever-loving light" ....
    " #20 (1965)
  • "Cupid" #76 (1965)
  • "Seventh Son
    The Seventh Son (song)

    "The Seventh Son", also recorded as "Seventh Son", is a song written by Willie Dixon. It was released as a single by Willie Mabon on Chess Records in 1955...
    " #7 (1965)
  • "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" #26 (1965)
  • "Under Your Spell Again" #35 (1965)
  • "Do You Wanna Dance?
    Do You Wanna Dance?

    "Do You Wanna Dance?" is a song written by Bobby Freeman, and recorded by him in 1958. It is also popular in a version performed by the Beach Boys, which was released in 1965, and in a version recorded by Bette Midler in 1972....
    " #31 (1966)
  • "Secret Agent Man
    Secret Agent Man (song)

    "Secret Agent Man" is a song written by Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan. The song evokes secret agents both musically and through its lyrics . The most famous recording of the song was made by Johnny Rivers for the opening titles of the American broadcast of the British spy series Danger Man, which aired in the US as Secret Agent from 19...
    " #3 (1966)
  • "(I Washed My Hands In) Muddy Water" #19 (1966)
  • "Poor Side Of Town
    Poor Side of Town (Johnny Rivers song)

    "Poor Side of Town" is a song by Johnny Rivers, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 12, 1966....
    " #1 (1966)
  • "Baby I Need Your Lovin'
    Baby I Need Your Loving

    "Baby I Need Your Loving" is a 1964 hit single recorded by The Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland-Dozier-Holland, the song was the group's first Motown single and their first pop Top 20 hit, making it to number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1964.It was also their firs...
    " #3 (1967)
  • "The Tracks Of My Tears
    The Tracks of My Tears

    "The Tracks of My Tears" is a 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla label. It is considered among their best recordings, and is listed on the The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll....
    " #10 (1967)
  • "Summer Rain" #14 (1967)
  • "Look To Your Soul" #49 (1968)
  • "Right Relations" #61 (1968)
  • "These Are Not My People" #55 (1969)
  • "Moody River
    Moody River

    "Moody River" is a number-one Billboard Hot 100 song from June of 1961 in music by Pat Boone. It was written by and originally performed by country rockabilly singer Chase Webster ....
    " #41 (1969)
  • "One Woman" #89 (1969)
  • "Into the Mystic
    Into the Mystic

    "Into the Mystic" is a song written by Northern Ireland singer-songwriter Van Morrison and featured on his 1970 album Moondance. This song was also included on Morrison's 1974 live album, It's Too Late To Stop Now....
    " #51 (1970)
  • "Fire and Rain
    Fire and Rain

    "Fire and Rain" is a folk/rock song written and performed by James Taylor. As the signature single on his second album, Sweet Baby James, the song engendered widespread attention for him....
    " # 94 (1970)
  • "Sea Cruise
    Sea Cruise

    "Sea Cruise" is a song written by Huey "Piano" Smith....
    " #84 (1971)
  • "Think His Name" #65 (1971)
  • "Rockin' Pneumonia - Boogie Woogie Flu" #6 (1972)
  • "Blue Suede Shoes
    Blue Suede Shoes

    "Blue Suede Shoes" is a rock and roll Standard written and first recorded by Carl Perkins in 1955. The 12-bar blues is considered one of the first rock and roll records and incorporated elements of blues, country music and pop music of the time....
    " #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)


External links