Great White of Soul: Detroit's Own Mitch Ryder

“Hollywood. That’s where I could’ve gone if I wasn’t such a punk. If I just learned to bend over and say thank you a little more politely, it could’ve been great."

—Mitch Ryder

This quote from Mitch sums up exactly the kind of nitty-gritty Detroit attitude we all like to hear and can't wait see in action on stage at this Friday's concert.

A Hamtramck native, Ryder is often noted for his gruff, wailing singing style influenced by Little Richard and his dynamic stage performances influenced by the late James Brown. As a teen, Ryder sang backup in a black soul group known as the Peps, but racial animosities interfered with his continued presence in the group.

Ryder formed his first band, Tempest, when he was in high school, and the group gained some notoriety playing at a Detroit soul music club called The Village. Ryder next appeared fronting a band called Billy Lee & the Rivieras, which had limited success until they met songwriter and record producer, Bob Crewe. Crewe renamed the group Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, and they recorded several hit records in the mid to late 1960s, most notably, the smash hit "Devil with a Blue Dress On."

Ryder’s last successful ensemble release was Mitch Ryder's Detroit in 1971, which featured the drummer from the original Detroit Wheels, then called Detroit. The album saw Ryder moving from his earlier soul music-influenced sound to a guitar-dominated hard rock sound more in keeping with the early 1970s.

In 1983, Ryder returned to a major label with the John Mellencamp-produced Never Kick a Sleeping Dog. The album featured a cover of the Prince song, "When You Were Mine," which was Ryder's last foray into the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. Ryder continues to record and tour, and his influence is felt in the music of such blue collar rock artists as Bob Seger, John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen.

Here's a few fun facts about Ryder:

• Actress Wynona Ryder took "Ryder" as a stage name, after seeing a Mitch Ryder album in her father's collection.
• “Little Latin Lupe Lu” is known for being one of the best Detroit rock songs of all time.
• Ryder was born under the name of William Levise, Jr.

Check out Ryder belt out hits such as "Sock It To Me, Baby" and "Good Golly Miss Molly" this Friday at 8 p.m. on the Detroit Riverfront.

See you on the Plaza!

- Downtown Detroit Diva