Johnny Rivers is an odd figure in the history of rock music. At the most obvious level, he was a 1960s rock star and a real rarity as a singer/guitarist who made a name for himself as a straight-ahead & roller rock during the middle of the white American decade. Just as important, behind the scenes, their recordings and their success led to the direct and indirect release of at least three record labels and a dozen other careers, whose influence extended into the 1970s, 1980s and beyond. Rivers was very much a soul mate to figures like Buddy Holly and Ronnie Hawkins, with all the verve and spirit of the members of this first wave of rock & roll. He had the misfortune of being born a little too late to catch that wave, however, and it took until the middle of the next decade to find his target audience.