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I had a chance to meet Johnny Rivers a few years back. Turns out that he and Elvis had more than in common than making recordings of Chuck Berry’s “Memphis.” The very first recording he made, when he was still John Ramistella in New York in the late Fifties, was “Baby Come Back.” It wasn’t a hit, but it was composed by Otis Blackwell, who gave Elvis some of his biggest hits, including “Don’t Be Cruel” and “All Shook Up.” In Los Angeles in the early Sixties, he hooked up with Ricky Nelson and, through him, met Elvis himself. This was before Johnny became a star. At Elvis’ home in Bel Air, they talked about music and about Rivers’ hometown, Baton Rouge. Johnny had seen Elvis perform there. On later visits, they jammed on songs ranging from Roy Orbison’s “Running Scared” to Timi Yuro’s “Hurt.” “Another song Elvis did very well was ‘Unchained Melody,’” Rivers writes in a memoirs he is planning to publish .“We would go from these beautiful ballads to funky blues songs by Jimmy Reed…These images of jamming with Elvis are still very strong in my mind today.” |
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| So are memories of going out for a spin on their motorcycles. A favorite shot in Johnny’s collection shows the two of them on their hogs on Sunset Blvd. one day in 1966. By then, Rivers had hit the charts with “Mountain of Love,” “Seventh Son” and “Secret Agent Man. Ah, to be young and hot in Hollywood! |
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Elvis was always the King to me. He still is. I am his number one fan. But Johnny was
the one who got me to dance in the sixties. I discovered that he and I shared the same
birthdate. He is five years older than me. On my recent 60th Birthday we listened to
Elvis but I told my wife that Johnny and me shared the same birthdate. My wife's
favorite is Ricky Nelson. I'd have to say that Elvis, Ricky, and Johnny form a trio of
the greatest Rockabilly stars that ever lived. Johnny was meant to be part of Elvis and
Ricky's life. I'd be happy to go on a desert Island and only have these three's recordings.
It would be Heaven on Earth. Edvis.
Very cool photo of Johnny and Elvis!
i saw elvis at thegarden in 1972 and the hilton in 1975. i was ablack teen ager at the time. i met him and said great show elvis! hw was shocked as if ti say wow a black teenager enjoyed my show. long live elvis