Johnny Rivers

Genres:	Easy Listening • Pop / Rock
Descriptive "tags":	classic rock • 60s • oldies • rock • rock n roll • rock and roll • singer-songwriter
Decades Active:	1960s • 1970s • 1980s • 1990s • 2000s
Links online:	Wikipedia

Biography

John Henry Ramistella, 7 November 1942, New York City, New York, USA. Rivers enjoyed a succession of pop hits in the 60s and 70s, initially by remaking earlier R&B songs and eventually with his own compositions. His singles were spirited creations, some recorded live in front of an enthusiastic, hip Los Angeles audience.

The singer’s father moved the family to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1945, where his son began playing guitar at the age of eight. By the age of 13, having become enamoured of the local rock ‘n’ roll and R&B artists, he was fronting his own group. In 1958, Ramistella ventured to New York to make his first recording. Top disc jockey Alan Freed met the singer and gave him his new name, Johnny Rivers, and also recommended to the local Gone Records label that they sign Rivers. They did, and his first single, ‘Baby, Come Back’, was issued that year. At 17 Rivers moved to Nashville, where he wrote...

Read the Full Biography of Johnny Rivers