William S. Levise, Jr (born 26 February 1945), better known by his stage name
Mitch Ryder, is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who has recorded over two dozen albums in more than four decades.
Career
Ryder is noted for his gruff, wailing singing style, much influenced by
Little RichardRichard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, and his dynamic stage performances, influenced by James Brown. As a teen, Ryder sang backup in a black soul group known as the Peps, but racial animosities interfered with his continued presence in the group.
Ryder formed his first band (Tempest) when he was in high school, and the group gained some notoriety playing at a Detroit soul music club called The Village. Ryder next appeared fronting a
bandIn music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
called Billy Lee & The Rivieras, which had limited success until they met the
songwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
/
record producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
,
Bob CreweBob Crewe is an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, record producer and fine artist. He is known for producing, and co-writing with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for The Four Seasons...
. Crewe renamed the group Mitch Ryder &
The Detroit WheelsThe Detroit Wheels were an American rock group from Detroit, Michigan. They served as Mitch Ryder's backup band from 1964–1967, and played on all his most successful records.Their original members were:* Jim McCarty...
, and they recorded several hit
recordsA gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
on his
DynoVoice RecordsDynoVoice Records was an American record label, founded in 1965 by songwriter/producer Bob Crewe. DynoVoice, along with its NewVoice Records subsidiary, was originally distributed by Bell Records, and later by Dot Records. The label existed until 1969 when it was merged into the Crewe Group of...
labelIn the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
in the mid to late 1960s, most notably "
Devil with a Blue Dress On"Devil with a Blue Dress On" is a song written by Shorty Long and William "Mickey" Stevenson, first performed by Long and released as a single in 1964. A 1966 cover version by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels peaked at #4 on the U.S...
", their highest-charting single at #4, as well as "Sock It to Me-Baby!", a #6 hit in 1967, and "Jenny Take a Ride!", which reached #10 in 1965.
Since the early 1970s, Ryder's musical endeavors have not met with the same success that they did before. Ryder himself has blamed his lack of subsequent hits on his unsuccessful aim (largely prodded by Bob Crewe, who most music critics say had the idea in the first place, thus breaking up the Wheels) at the
Tom JonesSir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
-type
cabaretCabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
/night club audience just as the
countercultureCounterculture is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a cultural group, or subculture, that run counter to those of the social mainstream of the day, the cultural equivalent of political opposition. Counterculture can also be described as a group whose behavior...
was becoming dominant in 1967 and 1968. In 1968, Trumpeters Mike Thuroff and John Stefan were hired to tour with his great horn section and band. Mike Thuroff and John Stefan also recorded the trumpet parts on Mitch's song, "Ring My Bell." Although this was a "Great Song" with a "Real Nice Groove," it was not permitted to be played on radio air time in many States due to its sexual innuendos. Mitch had one hit single from that period, a cover of "What Now, My Love," but no other success approaching his run with the Wheels. His last successful
ensembleA musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
release was
Mitch Ryder's Detroit in 1971, which featured the
drummerA drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
from the original Detroit Wheels, Johnny (Johnny Bee) Badjanek and called the new band
DetroitDetroit was a rock group formed by Mitch Ryder as a successor to his Detroit Wheels in 1970. The only original Wheel in the group was drummer John Badanjek; other members were guitarists Steve Hunter and Brett Tuggle, organist Harry Phillips, and bassist W.R. Cooke. A single album was released by...
. The album saw Ryder moving from his earlier
soul musicSoul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
-influenced sound to a guitar-dominated
hard rockHard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
sound more in keeping with the early 1970s; the new band's version of
Lou ReedLewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
's anthemic "Rock and Roll" is considered a minor classic.
According to allmusic.com (which calls Ryder "the unsung hero" of Michigan rock and roll), Ryder withdrew from music after experiencing throat trouble, moving to Colorado with his wife and taking up writing and painting. In 1983 Ryder returned to a major label with the
John MellencampJohn Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock that eschews synthesizers and other artificial sounds...
-produced
Never Kick a Sleeping Dog. The album featured a cover of the
PrincePrince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
song "
When You Were Mine"When You Were Mine" is a song written and released by Prince on his 1980 album, Dirty Mind. Though not released as a single, the song received a promotional 12" release...
," which was Ryder's last foray into the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. Ryder continues to record and tour, and his influence is felt in the music of such
blue collarBlue collar can refer to:*Blue-collar worker, a traditional designation of the working class*Blue-collar crime, the types of crimes typically associated with the working class*A census designation...
rock artists as
Bob SegerRobert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
,
John MellencampJohn Mellencamp, previously known by the stage names Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, painter and occasional actor known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock that eschews synthesizers and other artificial sounds...
, and
Bruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
-whose version of "Devil With a Blue Dress" highlighted the
No Nukes concert album in the early 1980s. He has also been cited as a primary musical influence by
Ted NugentTheodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
.
Winona RyderWinona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
took "Ryder" as a stage name, after seeing a Mitch Ryder album in her father's collection.
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2005. The group's biggest hit, "
Devil with a Blue Dress On"Devil with a Blue Dress On" is a song written by Shorty Long and William "Mickey" Stevenson, first performed by Long and released as a single in 1964. A 1966 cover version by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels peaked at #4 on the U.S...
/
Good Golly, Miss Molly"Good Golly Miss Molly" is a hit rock 'n' roll song first recorded in 1958 by the American musician Little Richard. The song, a 12-bar blues, was written by John Marascalco and producer Robert "Bumps" Blackwell. Although it was first recorded by Little Richard, Blackwell produced another version...
", was voted a Legendary Michigan Song in 2008. In 2009, Ryder was inducted into Michigan Rock and Roll Legends for a second time in recognition of his long career as a solo artist.
Ryder currently resides in
Livonia, MichiganLivonia is a city in the northwest part of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Livonia is a very large suburb with an array of traditional neighborhoods connected to the metropolitan area by freeways. The population was 96,942 at the 2010 census, making it Michigan's 9th largest...
, a western suburb of
Detroit, MichiganDetroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. He continues to tour and perform throughout the United States and Europe.
Singles
Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
- 1965 "I Need Help (Help Help) / I Hope"
- 1965 "Come See About Me / A Face in the Crowd" (New Voice Records 828 Promotion Copy. Uncertain if ever released commercially in the U.S.)
- 1965 "Jenny Take a Ride! / Baby Jane (Mo-Mo Jane)"(U.S.
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
#10); (UKThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#33)
- 1966 "Little Latin Lupe Lu
"Little Latin Lupe Lu" was written by Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers, who had a chart record with the song in 1963 reaching #47 on the Cashbox music chart and #49 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.-Cover versions:...
" (US #17)
- 1966 "Break Out / I Need Help" (US #62)
- 1966 "Takin' All I Can Get / You Get Your Kicks" (US #100)
- 1966 "Devil with a Blue Dress On
"Devil with a Blue Dress On" is a song written by Shorty Long and William "Mickey" Stevenson, first performed by Long and released as a single in 1964. A 1966 cover version by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels peaked at #4 on the U.S...
/ Good Golly Miss Molly" (US #4)
- 1967 "Sock It to Me-Baby! / I Never Had it Better" (US #6)
- 1967 "Too Many Fish in the Sea
"Too Many Fish in the Sea" is a 1964 hit song recorded by Motown singing group The Marvelettes. It was the group's first top 40 pop hit in almost a year reaching number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was one of the first hit singles written by Norman Whitfield and was also written by Eddie...
/Three Little Fishes" (US #24)
Mitch Ryder
- 1962 "That's the Way it's Gonna Be / Fool for You"
- 1964 "You Know / Won't You Dance With Me?"
- 1967 "Joy" / "I'd Rather Go To Jail" (New Voice Records 824) (US #41)
- 1967 "What Now My Love
"What Now, My Love?" is the English title of a popular song whose original French version, "Et Maintenant" was written in 1961 by composer Gilbert Bécaud and lyricist Pierre Delanoë...
/ Blessings in Disguise" (US #30)
- 1967 "You Are My Sunshine
"You Are My Sunshine" is a popular song first recorded in 1939. It has been declared one of the state songs of Louisiana as a result of its association with former state governor and country music singer Jimmie Davis. The song is copyright 1940 Peer International Corporation, words and music by...
/ Wild Child" (US #88)
- 1967 "(You've Got) Personality - Chantilly Lace
Chantilly lace is a handmade bobbin lace named after the city of Chantilly, France, in a tradition dating from the 17th century, though the most famous are silk laces introduced in the 18th century...
/ I Make a Fool of Myself" (US #87)
- 1968 "Baby I Need Your Lovin' (& Theme For Mitch) / Ring Your Bell"
- 1969 "Sugar Bee (We Three) / I Believe (There Must Be Someone)"
- 1969 "It's Been a Long Time / Direct Me"
- 1971 "I Can't See Nobody / Girl from the North Country"
- 1971 "Sing a Simple Song / Ring Your Bell"
- 1979 "Rock And Roll / Soul Kitchen"
- 1979 "Nice And Easy / Passion's Wheel"
- 1979 "Freezin' In Hell / Long Hard Road"
- 1980 "Ain't Nobody White / It's My Life"
- 1980 "We're Gonna Win / Beyond The Wall-Bare Your Soul"
- 1981 "War / Don't Wanna Hear It"
- 1981 "Red Scar Eyes / We're Gonna Win"
- 1983 "Er ist Nicht Mein President / Berlin"
- 1983 "When You Were Mine" (Riva Polygram) (US #87)
- 1985 "Like A Rolling Stone / Can Do"
- 1987 "Good Golly Ask Ollie / Good Gollie Ask Ollie (dun mix)"
Detroit Featuring Mitch Ryder
- 1971 "It ain't Easy / Long Neck Goose"
- 1972 "Rock and Roll / Box of Old Roses"(written by Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
)
- 1972 "Ohh-La La La-Dee Da Doo / Gimme Shelter"
Albums
Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
- 1966 Take A Ride (New Voice)
- 1966 Breakout! (New Voice)
- 1967 Sock It To Me (New Voice)
- 1967 All Mitch Ryder Hits (New Voice)
- 1967 All The Heavy Hits (Crewe)
- 1968 Mitch Ryder Sings The Hits (New Voice)
Mitch Ryder
- 1967 What Now My Love (Dynovoice)
- 1969 The Detroit/Memphis Experiment (with Booker T and the MGs)
- 1979 How I Spent My Vacation (Line)
- 1980 Naked But Not Dead (Line)
- 1981 Live Talkies (Line)
- 1981 Got Change For A Million (Line)
- 1981 Look Ma, No Wheels (Quality)
- 1981 Greatest Hits (Quality)
- 1982 Smart Ass (Line)
- 1983 Never Kick a Sleeping Dog (Line)
- 1985 Legendary Full Moon Concert (Line)
- 1986 In The China Shop (Line)
- 1988 Red Blood, White Mink (Line)
- 1990 The Beautiful Toulang Sunset (Line)
- 1992 La Gash (Line)
- 1992 Live at the Logo Hamburg (Line)
- 1994 Rite Of Passage (Line)
- 1999 Monkey Island (Line)
- 2003 The Old Man Springs a Boner (???)
- 2004 A Dark Caucasian Blue (with ([Engerling]) (Buschfunk)
- 2006 TheAcquitted Idiot (with ([Engerling]) (Buschfunk)
- 2008 You deserve my Art (with ([Engerling]) (Buschfunk)
- 2009 Detroit ain't dead yet (The Promise)?? studio production with Don Was
- 2009 Air Harmonie (with Engerling) (Buschfunk)
Detroit Featuring Mitch Ryder
- 1971 Detroit (Paramount/MCA)
Quotations
- "Hollywood, that's where I could've gone if I wasn't such a punk. If I just learned to bend over and say thank you a little more politely, it could've been great."—Mitch Ryder
- "There's six members on the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame board of directors and three of those men are my enemies. So what are my chances of getting in there?" —Mitch Ryder
External links