Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Riversis an Italian-American rock 'n' roll singer, songwriter, legendary guitarist, and record producer. His repertoire includes pop, folk, blues, and old-time rock 'n' roll. Rivers charted during the 1960s and 1970s but remains best known for a string of hit singles between 1964 and 1968, among them "Memphis", "Mountain of Love", "The Seventh Son", "Secret Agent Man", "Poor Side of Town", "Baby I Need Your Lovin'", and "Summer Rain"...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMusician
Date of Birth7 November 1942
CountryUnited States of America
Performing live, that's the ultimate thing. That's where it starts and that's where it ends. It's all about playing music.
The web site and the Internet are a whole new ball game.
Alan's publishing company was in the Brill Building, and of course, the Brill Building was where all the songwriters hung out because that's where all the publishers were.
In early '57, I bought a Fender Telecaster.
I play my old songs but I have to keep playing new ones. That's what keeps you going.
But I always loved songs with great lyrics.
I learned some chords and I started watching anybody I could, once I really got into it.
I loved playing and I was actually working two jobs.
In 1965, Gibson made the red one I use now, and a black one, which was the first black 335 they ever made.
I'd gone through periods where I didn't work live performances for probably seven or eight months at a time.
Even Woodstock turned out to be a disaster. Everybody was stuck in the mud and people got sick.
About two months into the Whisky, I borrowed some money and rented a remote recording truck.
I've got a Fender Concert amp from the '60s, the one Joe Osborn used. He played his bass through it.
The first time I went to New York, I met Alan Freed.