Saturday April 23, 2022 “Slow Dancing (Swaying to the Music)” Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers is a unique figure in the history of rock music.
When someone starts a discussion about musical superstars, his name doesn’t usually fall easily into the conversation but I am here to persuade you that Johnny Rivers should certainly be there.
Rivers has recorded thirty albums, and that doesn’t include his seventeen compilation collections, has fifteen top twenty hits, he introduced the world to songwriters like Jimmy Webb and James Taylor before we knew who they were, had his own record label, managed and produced successful groups like the Fifth Dimension and he is one of a very small number of performers who have their own names as the copyright owner on their recordings.
Rivers was a rock star in the 1960s and a rarity as a white American singer/guitarist who made a name for himself as a straight-ahead rock & roller during the middle of that decade when British groups dominated the charts. Just as important behind the scenes, his recordings and their success led to the launching, directly and indirectly, of at least three record labels and a dozen other careers whose influence extended into the 1970s, 1980s, and beyond. And yet mentally he almost slips into that one hit wonder frame of reference.
Today’s song, “Slow Dancing (Swaying to the Music)” was written by singer/songwriter Jack Tempchin who also wrote the Eagles hits "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and “Already Gone”, as well as "You Belong to the City", "Smuggler's Blues", which he co-wrote with Glenn Frey.
Thought that I would save a slow one for that last dance and let’s make it a ladies choice.
Stay safe and well…dance and music are two sides of the same coin. When we hear music, there seems to be an invisible force that drives us to sway to the beat…and that’s a good thing.