"Nostalgic" News and Events
When Bob Dylan names your version of one of his songsas his favorite of the more than 25,000 covers done overthe past 40-plus years, that's pretty high praise. However, Dylan offered that assessment of Johnny Rivers'recording of "Positively 4th Street," on Secret AgentMan: The Ultimate Johnny Rivers Anthology 1964-2004,which displays his prowess interpreting such disparatesources as Chuck Berry, Motown, The Beach Boys, PeteSeeger, and Leadbelly.
To date, Rivers has reached the top40 17 times, with nine singles hittingthe Top 10. The list includes hits like"Summer Rain," "Baby I Need YourLovin'," and the achingly beautiful"Poor Side of Town."
The artist born John Rastemella inNew York on July 4, 1942, has had aremarkable career that started yearsbefore the public became aware of himin '64. Rivers had been drawn to theguitar before rock and roll became anational sensation. As a boy, he was influenced by his fatherand uncle performingtraditional songs.
"I would just sitand stare at them,"said Rivers. "Andeventually, my dadbought me a $20Stella guitar."
The first artist tomake an indelibleimpression on Riverswas Elvis Presley, whom the 13-year oldwitnessed performing at the local highschool in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
"My buddy and I decided we'd catchthis country music show, and in themiddle (comedienne) Minnie Pearl,who was the host, says, 'And here's thisnew sensation with his new song that'screatin' a big stir... The Hillbilly Cat,Elvis Presley.' He comes walking onstagewith Scotty (Moore) and Bill (Black),and they're setting up Scotty's amplifier,while he's kind of jumping around. Hewas wearing a pink suit and white buckshoes, and people started laughing.He's up there twitching around, he'sgot pimples all over his face. His hair'sall greasy, and I'm thinking, 'This isthe coolest guy I've ever seen,'" Riversrecalls with a big laugh.
Two years later, at the age of 15, Rivers had already begun his recordingand performing career. On a schoolChristmas vacation, he ventured to NewYork to stay with his aunt. At that time,the country's most famous disc jockey,the legendary Alan Freed, had a nightly radio show broadcast over the equallylegendary station, WINS, whose studioswere located in Manhattan's ColumbusCircle. One evening, standing outside,shivering in the snow while waiting forFreed to make his grand entrance, theself-assured youngster approached himand said, "Mr. Freed, I have a band inBaton Rouge called the Spades, andwe have a record on the radio downthere.' I just handed it to him, and hecouldn't believe it. It was like somethingout of an Alan Freedmovie!"
Freed soon securedhim a contract withGone Records, andconvinced the teenager to change hisname to Johnny Rivers. Nothing muchhappened in termsof chart success, butRivers continuedperforming, using his1957 Stratocaster.
"I wasn't much of a lead guitaristthen," he admits. "And the Strat wasn'treally a good rhythm guitar. It wasbetter for things like blues."One day, Rivers was walking downManhattan's Canal Street, when hespotted a shiny red Gibson ES-335 ina music store's window. He went inand had the store owner hook it up. "Iloved its big, fat rhythm sound withthe humbucking pickups."
Too short on cash to purchase it, hediscovered the proprietor was willing toswap it for $50... and his Stratocaster.While the red Gibson has been Rivers'trademark, he laments with a laugh."Little did I know then that modelStrat would become one of the mostcollectible guitars in the world."
Rivers spent another five yearsrecording for various labels, cutting$25 demos for singers like Presley andRick Nelson. However, it wasn't untillate '63 that he started attracting a following, playing at an L.A. restaurantcalled Gazzari's. At the time, Riverswas backed only by a drummer, and he began seeking a bass player. Anacquaintance told him, "We know thisone guy who's a disc jockey, but he alsoplays a pretty good bass. A few dayslater, this guy comes in, and we ranthrough some songs."
On the night they were supposed todebut, the bassist came in after theyhad already finished their first set. "Ifired him on the spot. Years later, he put this group together - Sly and TheFamily Stone!" recalls Rivers, with abig chuckle.
The bass slot was filled by Joe Osborne. However, despite attractingbig crowds that included Hollywoodluminaries, Rivers was becoming disillusioned by his meager $150 a weeksalary. He soon switched to the moreprofitable Whiskey A Go Go. ProducerBones Howe recorded six shows there,and Rivers soon hit the charts witha revamped version of Chuck Berry's"Memphis."The long run of hit singles endedafter 1977's "Slow Dancin'."
"I made some really great recordsafter that, but I didn't have the propermachine behind them," he says. "So Istruggled along and put stuff out on myown label, Soul City, with independentdistribution. It was really tough."
Rivers turns 65 this year, but don'texpect the still-very-in-demand performer to even consider cutting downhis work schedule. "I try to take careof my health," says Rivers, who doesn'tlook that much different than in hisheyday four decades ago. "I don't dodrugs. I drink very little, and I runtwo to three miles every day to keepmy weight down. I try to lift weightsthree times a week, nothing radical, butjust enough to stay in shape."
And to keep his guitar chops finelytuned, Rivers practices at home with anEpiphone Emperor Joe Pass model. Heexplains. "The neck is a lot fatter thanmy 335, so it gives me a little workoutto keep my fingers from cramping uponstage. There's a lot of playing to dowhen you're doing rhythm and leadon everything." - Elliot StephenCohen
Reprinted from VintageGuitar.com March 2007.