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 ." Although his career waned a bit in the '80s, Johnny Rivers continues to both tour and record the occasional new album to this day.
The song Secret Agent Man composed for "Danger Man" , can be also heard in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls , Spy Hard , Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery , Bowfinger and Company Man (instrumental version).
Mentioned in the song "Life Is a Rock But the Radio Rolled Me" by Reunion.
He originally sang with a group, "The Spades" in 1956.
In his classic 1967 hit, "Summer Rain", the line, "The jukebox kept on playing Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band", pays tribute to the popular album by The Beatles , though that album was never released on 45 RPM for the jukeboxes.
His 1967 hit "Summer Rain" (#14 US Pop), pays tribute to his earlier "Secret Agent Man" (#3 US Pop ) with the introduction to "The James Bond Theme", played in the fade out.
Inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
Owned his own record label, Soul City Records.
