(37) JOHNNY RIVERS (Before He was Secret Agent Man)

I met Johnny Rivers through Buddy Knox in New York City. They both lived in the same hotel, the Forest Hotel. There were several hotels in New York where entertainers kept rooms or rented them when they were in town to record or on hiatus from touring. I'd been living in one with my manager.

After I left United Artists I had nowhere to live. One day I saw Johnny and told him I had a "little delimma." Without any hesitation, he told me to get my stuff and come right up to his hotel. I shared his room with him for a few weeks. And when I moved to Los Angeles in 1960, Johnny came out and stayed with me a while to get started.

Johnny was just 16 years old when, as Johnny Ramistella, he arrived to the Big Apple from Baton Rouge, Louisiana! He was mature for his age and very ambitious. His parents were behind him all the way. And the day would come, years later, when he would be able to thank them for the sacrifices they made.

Johnny Rivers and Ersel Hickey were great buddies. Ersel, who had been orphaned, taught the teenaged Johnny how to survive in the big city of New York. Johnny taught Ersel guitar chords. Ersel taught him about the various recording studios around town. It was that spirit of all for one and one for all that sustained us. Johnny was very much part of our "in crowd."

Johnny Rivers was a young man who kept going no matter what. He's still going today. And he has a great web site of his own that he narrates so I'll let him speak for himself here.

LINK TO JOHHNY RIVERS OFFICIAL SITE by clicking the title above!