Biography
William Levise Jnr., 26 February 1945, Detroit, Michigan, USA. An impassioned singer, bearing an aural debt to Little Richard, Mitch Ryder spent his formative years frequenting the clubs on Woodward Avenue, watching many of Motown Records' star attractions. Having outgrown two high school bands, Levise formed Billy Lee And The Rivieras in 1963. Jim McCarty (lead guitar - later of Buddy Miles Express and Cactus), Joe Cubert (rhythm guitar), Earl Elliott (bass) and "Little" John Badanjek (drums) completed the band's early line-up, which recorded two singles for local labels prior to their "discovery" by producer Bob Crewe. The quintet was then given a sharper name - Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels - and in 1965 secured their biggest hit with the frenzied "Jenny Take A Ride", a raw and earthy performance which set new standards in "blue-eyed" soul. It blended Little Richard's "Jenny Jenny" with "CC Rider Blues". Uninhibited at a time of increasing sophistication,...
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