Johnny Rivers

John Henry Ramistella (born 1942), who took the stage name Johnny Rivers, was born in New York City on November 7, 1942, began playing a guitar at eight years of age, and was recording in his early teens.

In the early 60s Johnny landed a spot on the same stage where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton and others started, The Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport.

After New York disc jockey Alan Freed suggested he change his name, Johnny Rivers was created, and in his early 20s he would headline at a hot new club, The Whiskey A-Go-Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. In the summer of 1964, his “Memphis”, taken from the album Johnny Rivers at the Whiskey A-Go-Go, gave him his first gold record, followed by "Maybelline" and "Mountain of Love".

In the years that followed, Johnny Rivers had 17 Top 40 hits and would add eight more million selling singles: “Seventh Son", “Secret Agent Man”, “Poor Side of Town”, “Tracks of My Tears”, “Baby, I Need Your Lovin’”, “Rockin’ Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu”, "Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancin')”, and “Summer Rain.”

Grammy Award winner Johnny Rivers lives in Los Angeles.