Rivers was born as John Henry Ramistella in New York City, of Italian ancestry. His family moved from New York to Baton Rouge Louisiana. Influenced by the distinctive Louisiana musical styler, Rivers began playing guitar at age eight, taught by his father and uncle. While still in junior high school, he started sitting in with a band called the Rockers,. Johnny formed his own band, the Spades, and made his first record at 14, while he was a student in High School. Some...
