Johnny Rivers

Singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer Johnny Rivers has lent his smooth, reedy and soulful voice to a diverse array of songs in such music genres as blues, folk, rhythm and blues and inspired covers of rock-and-roll oldies. Moreover, Rivers has recorded a slew of singles and albums that have sold over 30 million copies, and he has had nine Top 10 hits as well as 17 other songs in the Top 40 charts throughout his career. He was born as John Henry Ramistella on November 7, 1942, in New York City and grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Rivers first began playing the guitar at age eight; he was taught how to play guitar by his father. Rivers formed his own group called The Spades while still in junior high school in 1956 and even recorded a few songs on the Suede label. Following brief abortive stints in both New York -- where legendary rock'n'roll disc jockey Alan Freed suggested that Johnny change his last name to Rivers -- and Nashville, Johnny settled in Los Angeles. He soon