Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

RYDER, Mitch & the Detroit Wheels

USA group of '60s formed by Mitch Ryder (b William Levise, '45, Hamtramack MI), who'd been brought up in Detroit on black music, sang in black quartet the Peps until harassment drove him out. After sojourn in L.A., returned to to form Billy Lee and the Rivieras, with himself as vocalist Lee, Jim McCarty on guitar, Earl Elliott on bass, John Badanjek on drums, adding Joe Kubert on rhythm guitar from Levise's high school group the Tempest (all b '47-8; Kubert d 19 June '91). Changed name at behest of prod. Bob Crewe; after flop "I Need Help', second single on New Voice label made top 10 '66: "Jenny Take A Ride!' was effectively a medley of "See See Rider' and Little Richard's "Jenny Jenny'; making up in energy what it lacked in originality. Five top 40 hits incl. "Devil With A Blue Dress On & Good Golly Miss Molly', "Little Latin Lupe Lu' with torrid voice and wailing organ, "Sock It To Me Baby' with brass-laden James Brown style. Under Crewe's infl. he was persuaded to go solo, but "What Now My Love' on Crewe's DynoVoice label was the only top 30 to show: disillusion and lawsuits followed. Came back on Dot with The Detroit-Memphis Experience '69, backed by Booker T And The MGs, but it didn't sell; he formed Detroit with Badanjek, five others for an eponymous LP; submerged to write songs with his wife Kimberley, paint, write a novel. Badanjek and McCartey (now ex-Cactus) formed Rockets '77; Ryder surfaced '78 on Seeds & Stems with How I Spent My Vacation (on Line in Europe), it led to a tour and albums incl. Naked But Not Dead, Got Change For A Million, Smart Ass '79-82. John Mellencamp prod. well-received Never Kick a Sleeping Dog '83 on Riva/Phonogram; Bruce Springsteen used hits in show-closing "Detroit Medley', keeping the memory alive.