William Sherille Levise Jr. (born February 26, 1945), known professionally as Mitch Ryder, is an American rock singer who has recorded more than 25 albums over more than four decades.

Career

Ryder was born on February 26, 1945, in Hamtramck, Michigan. He spent his high school years in

Warren, Michigan Warren is a city in Macomb County, Michigan, Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring Metro Detroit, suburb of Detroit, Warren borders Detroit to the north, roughly north of downtown Detroit. The population was 139,387 at the ...

, a suburb north of

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

. He formed his first band, Tempest, when he was in high school, and the group gained some notice playing at a Detroit

soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in African-American culture, African-American African-American neighborhood, communities throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps ...

club called The Village. Ryder next appeared fronting a band named Billy Lee & The Rivieras, which had limited success until they met songwriter / record producer

Bob Crewe Robert Stanley Crewe (November 12, 1930 – September 11, 2014) was an American songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, and record producer. Crewe co-wrote and produced a string of Top 10 singles with Bob Gaudio for the Four Seasons. As a songw ...

. He selected his stage name when he saw "Mitch Ryder" in the

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

telephone directory and renamed the group Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels. They recorded several hit records for his DynoVoice Records and New Voice labels in the mid to late 1960s, most notably 1966's " Devil with a Blue Dress On", their highest-charting single at number four, as well as "Jenny Take a Ride!" which reached number 10 in 1965, and "Sock It to Me, Baby!", a number six hit in 1967. The Detroit Wheels were John Badanjek on drums, Mark Manko on lead guitar, Joe Kubert (not to be confused with the comic book illustrator

Joe Kubert Joseph Kubert (; September 18, 1926 – August 12, 2012) was a Poland, Polish-born Americans, American comic book artist, art teacher, and founder of The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawk ...

) on rhythm guitar,

Jim McCarty James Stanley McCarty (born 25 July 1943) is an English musician, best known as the drummer for the Yardbirds and Renaissance. Following Chris Dreja's departure from the Yardbirds in 2013, McCarty became the only founding member to still tou ...

(not to be confused with the Yardbirds drummer of the same name) on lead guitar and Jim McAllister on bass. Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels 1966

In December 1966, producer Bob Crewe's vision for Mitch as a blue-eyed soul singer backed by a horn band (a la

Wilson Pickett Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter. A major figure in the development of soul music, Pickett recorded more than 50 songs that made the US R&B charts, many of which crossed over to the '' ...

Joe Tex Yusuf Hazziez (born Joseph Arrington Jr.; August 8, 1935 – August 13, 1982), known professionally as Joe Tex, was an American singer and musician who gained success in the 1960s and 1970s with his brand of Southern soul, which mixed the style ...

, etc.) was put into motion. They assembled a 10 piece band of white R&B musicians: from

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

; Jimmy Wilson (trumpet), Bob Shipley (sax), Jimmy Loomis (sax), Don Lehnhoff (trombone), Frank Invernizzi (organ); from Chicago, Illinois;

John Siomos John T. Siomos (July 30, 1947 – January 16, 2004) was an American drummer who performed with Todd Rundgren, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, Rick Derringer, Carly Simon, Moogy Klingman, Mark "Moogy" Klingman, Buzzy Linhart and Peter Frampt ...

(drums), Bob Slawson (guitar), Carmine Riale (bass guitar); from Miami, Florida; Andy Dio (trumpet); from New York; Johnny ? (lead guitar). The band rehearsed for a month in a dance studio above

Cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat and the Fastest animals, fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, wit ...

, a night club at Broadway and 53rd, then hit the road as The Mitch Ryder Show in February 1967. Ryder was the last person to perform with

Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...

; they performed the song " Knock On Wood", on December 9, 1967, in Cleveland, Ohio, on a local TV show called '' Upbeat''. Redding and four members of his touring band, The Bar-Kays, died in a plane crash near Madison, Wisconsin the following day, December 10, 1967. Ryder's musical endeavors were less successful after the early 1970s. Ryder's participation with the Detroit Wheels ended just as the

counterculture A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. Ho ...

was becoming dominant in 1968. During 1968, trumpeters Mike Thuroff and John Stefan were hired to tour with his horn section and band. Thuroff and Stefan also recorded the trumpet parts of Ryder's song, "Ring My Bell". This song was not permitted to be played by radio in many states due to its sexual innuendos. Ryder had one hit single from that period, a cover version of " What Now, My Love". In the early 70's, he formed the band

. The only other original Wheel in the group was the drummer John Badanjek; other members were guitarists Steve Hunter, Brett Tuggle, organist Harry Phillips, and bassist W.R. Cooke. A single album was released by this grouping, a 1971 self-titled LP issued on

Paramount Records Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson (guitarist), Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramoun ...

(US #176 in 1972). They had a hit with their version of the

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...

-penned song "

Rock & Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

", which Reed liked enough to ask Steve Hunter to join his backing band. Detroit was tagged by the critics as the "American Rolling Stones". According to

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

(which calls Ryder "the unsung hero" of Michigan rock and roll), Ryder withdrew from music in 1973 after experiencing throat trouble, moving to Colorado with his wife and taking up writing and painting. In 1983, Ryder returned to a major label with the

John Mellencamp John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrumentation ...

-produced album ''Never Kick a Sleeping Dog''. The album featured a cover version of the

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

song " When You Were Mine", which was Ryder's last score on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Ryder continues to record and tour in the United States and Europe. In 2005, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. In 2009, Mitch Ryder was inducted as a solo artist. On February 14, 2012, Ryder released ''The Promise'', his first US release in almost 30 years.

Influence

Ryder has influenced the music of such blue collar rock music artists as

Bob Seger Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is a retired American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded with the groups Bob Seger and the Last Heard and the Bob Seger System throu ...

, and also

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...

, whose version of the song "Devil With a Blue Dress" was part of the '' No Nukes'' concert album in the early 1980s. He has also been cited as a primary musical influence by

Ted Nugent Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He goes by several nicknames, including Uncle Ted, the Nuge, and Motor City Madman. Nugent initially gained fame as the le ...

. In concert, Bruce Springsteen has often featured a performance informally known as "Detroit Medley" that includes the songs "Devil with a Blue Dress", "Jenny Take a Ride", " Good Golly Miss Molly" and " C.C. Rider". The medley from time to time blends in a variety of other songs, but this remains the core section, often featuring guitar solos from Springsteen and piano solos by Roy Bittan.

Winona Ryder Winona Laura Horowitz (born ), known professionally as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Having come to attention playing quirky characters in the late 1980s, she achieved success with her more dramatic performances in the 1990s. Ryder's L ...

, the stage name of Winona Laura Horowitz, was inspired by Mitch Ryder's music. Ryder has been credited by guitarist Steve Hunter for giving Hunter his first real break in rock and roll and introducing Hunter to producer

Bob Ezrin Robert Alan Ezrin (born March 25, 1949) is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, best known for his work with Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Aerosmith, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel, Andrea Bocelli and Phish. As of 2010, Ezri ...

. In 2017 he was inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

Ritchie Blackmore Richard Hugh Blackmore (born 14 April 1945) is an English lead guitarist. He was a founding member and the guitarist of Deep Purple, one of the pioneering bands of hard rock. After leaving Deep Purple in 1975, Blackmore formed the band Rainbow ...

acknowledged the influence of Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels on the type of beat

Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...

chose for their version of " Kentucky Woman", the song by

Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling musicians of all time. He has written and ...

Discography

Singles

* That's the Way It's Gonna Be / Fool For You (Carrie 1515, Sep 1962) as Billy Lee & The Rivieras * Won't You Dance With Me / You Know (Hyland 3016, 1964) as Billy Lee & The Rivieras * I Need Help / I Hope (New Voice 801, Aug 1965) * Jenny Take a Ride! enny, Jenny & C.C. Rider/ Baby Jane (Mo-Mo Jane) (New Voice 806, Nov 1965) * Little Latin Lupe Lu / I Hope (New Voice 808, Feb 1966) * Break Out / I Need Help (New Voice 811, May 1966) * Takin' All I Can Get / You Get Your Kicks (New Voice 814, Jul 1966) * Devil With a Blue Dress On & Good Golly, Miss Molly / I Had It Made (New Voice 817, Sep 1966) * Sock It To Me – Baby! / I Never Had It Better (New Voice 820, Jan 1967) * Too Many Fish In the Sea & Three Little Fishes / One Grain of Sand (New Voice 822, Apr 1967) * Joy / I'd Rather Go To Jail (New Voice 824, Jun 1967) - * What Now My Love / Blessing In Disguise (DynoVoice 901, Aug 1967) * You Are My Sunshine / Wild Child (New Voice 826, Oct 1967) - * Come See About Me / A Face In the Crowd (New Voice 828, Dec 1967) * Personality & Chantilly Lace / I Make a Fool of Myself (DynoVoice 905, Jan 1968) * Ruby Baby & Peaches On a Cherry Tree / You Get Your Kicks (New Voice 830, May 1968) - * The Lights of Night / I Need Lovin' You (DynoVoice 916, May 1968) * Ring Your Bell / Baby, I Need Your Loving & Theme For Mitch (DynoVoice 934, Dec 1968) * Sugar Bee / I Believe (There Must Be Someone) (Dot 17290, Aug 1969) * Direct Me / It's Been a Long, Long, Long Time (Dot 17325, Dec 1969) * I Can't See Nobody / The Girl From the North Country (Paramount 0051, Sep 1970) as Detroit * Rock 'n' Roll / Box of Old Roses (Paramount 0133, Dec 1971) as Detroit * Oo La La La Dee Da Doo / Gimme Shelter (Paramount 0158, Apr 1972) as Detroit * When You Were Mine / Stand (Riva/Polygram 213, May 1983) as Mitch Ryder * Like a Rolling Stone / Can Do (Personal 19820, 1985) as Mitch Ryder all releases on New Voice are credited to Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, except numbers 824/826/830; all releases on DynoVoice are credited to Mitch Ryder (solo)

Albums

;Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels * 1966 ''Take A Ride...'' (New Voice) * 1966 ''Breakout...!!!'' (New Voice) * 1967 ''Sock It To Me!'' (New Voice) * 1967 ''All Mitch Ryder Hits!'' (New Voice) * 1967 ''All The Heavy Hits of Mitch Ryder'' (Crewe) * 1968 ''Mitch Ryder Sings The Hits'' (New Voice) * 1972 ''Greatest Hits'' (Virgo) ;

featuring Mitch Ryder * 1971 ''Detroit'' (Paramount/MCA) ;Mitch Ryder (solo) * 1967 ''What Now My Love'' (DynoVoice) * 1969 ''The Detroit – Memphis Experiment'' (with Booker T and the MGs) (Dot) * 1979 ''How I Spent My Vacation'' (Line) * 1980 ''Naked But Not Dead'' (Line) * 1981 ''Live Talkies'' (Line) * 1981 ''Got Change for a Million'' (Line) * 1981 ''Look Ma, No Wheels'' (Quality) * 1981 ''Greatest Hits'' (Quality) * 1982 ''Smart Ass'' (Line) * 1983 ''Never Kick a Sleeping Dog'' (Riva; Line) produced by

* 1985 ''Legendary Full Moon Concert'' (Line) * 1986 ''In the China Shop'' (Line) * 1988 ''Red Blood, White Mink'' (Line) * 1990 ''The Beautiful Toulang Sunset'' (Line) * 1992 ''La Gash'' (Line) * 1992 ''Live at the Logo Hamburg'' (Line) * 1994 ''Rite of Passage'' (with Engerling) (Line) * 1999 ''Monkey Island'' (Line) * 2003 ''The Old Man Springs a Boner'' (with Engerling) (Buschfunk) * 2004 ''A Dark Caucasian Blue'' (with Engerling) (Buschfunk) * 2006 ''The Acquitted Idiot'' (with Engerling) (Buschfunk) * 2008 ''You Deserve My Art'' (with Engerling) (Buschfunk) * 2009 ''Air Harmonie (Live 2008)'' (with Engerling) (Buschfunk) * 2009 ''Detroit Ain't Dead Yet'' (Freeworld) * 2012 ''The Promise'' (Michigan Broadcasting Corporation) reissue of ''Detroit Ain't Dead Yet'' * 2013 ''It's Killing Me (Live 2012)'' (with Engerling) (Buschfunk) * 2017 ''Stick This in Your Ears'' (Buschfunk) * 2018 ''Christmas (Take a Ride)'' (Goldenlane/Cleopatra) * 2019 ''Detroit Breakout!'' (Goldenlane/Cleopatra) * 2019 ''The Blind Squirrel Finds a Nut'' (Buschfunk) * 2023 ''Georgia Drift'' (Buschfunk) * 2024 ''The Roof Is on Fire'' ive( Ruf Records) 2-CD * 2025 ''With Love'' (Ruf Records)

References

External links

Official website
*
"The Ryder stipulates", Metro Times Detroit, September 15, 2004
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryder, Mitch 1945 births Living people American male singers American rock singers Dot Records artists People from Hamtramck, Michigan People from Livonia, Michigan American rhythm and blues singers Singers from Detroit People from South Lyon, Michigan The Detroit Wheels members