Johnny Rivers to bring decades of hits to MSU Riley Center
Still rocking more than 50 years after his first hit, Johnny Rivers will stir lots of happy memories when he performs at the MSU Riley Center in downtown Meridian on Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. The evening’s fun begins at 6 p.m. with a pre-show party, including refreshments, in the Grand Lobby.
Starting with “Memphis” in 1964, Rivers delivered a string of hit songs that kept him on the charts almost continuously through the 1960s and ’70s. He proved himself equally adept at rock and roll (“Secret Agent Man,” “Midnight Special”), rhythm and blues (“Mountain of Love,” “Seventh Son,” “Rockin’ Pneumonia -- Boogie Woogie Flu”), and ballads (“Swayin’ to the Music (Slow Dancin’),” “Poor Side of Town”).
New York native John Ramistella spent his formative years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His Southern upbringing strongly influenced his bluesy guitar playing and his soulful singing. It even gave him his stage name. For his debut single, the record company wanted a “more musical” moniker.
“We were talking about where I grew up on the Mississippi River,” he said, “and somehow Rivers came out of that.”
Like the Mississippi, Rivers has just kept rolling (and rocking) along ever since.
Tickets are $43 and $37 at the MSU Riley Center Box Office, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets can be purchased online at www.msurileycenter.com or by calling the box office at 601-696-2200.
