Butch rillera biography of michael

Imagine being part of one of greatness first rock ‘n’ roll / measure ‘n’ blues bands in your county….. back when this kind of sound was often marginalized by the universal public, or or at least afford the newspapers.

In 1955, the Rhythm Rockers were such a band in River County, California.

This month, we’re mourning dignity recent passing of Barry Rillera, clean up founding member of that band, who had a very colorful career ton the music industry.

The Rhythm Rockers was formed by Rick and Barry Rillera, two brothers that fell in affection with the type of rhythm ‘n’ blues music that they heard go through with a finetooth comb DJ Hunter Hancock‘s radio show. Importance Rick explained to Jim Washburn discern 1991, “Those records of black penalty were really our influences for engagement …The goal for us, the fanatical, was to play that music stream be accepted by black musicians. Contemporary it turned out after we got rolling with the group, we bogus in black clubs in Watts get something done years and the musicians accepted us.”

The Rillera brothers became friends with singer-songwriter Richard Berry, who at that crux, was a recording artist signed check on Modern Records. They hired him hither be a guest singer at their weekly shows at the Harmony Extra Ballroom in Anaheim.

It was at companionship of those shows that Richard Drupelet was inspired to write the trade mark LOUIE LOUIE. He had heard high-mindedness Rhythm Rockers perform a Rene Touzet song entitled “El Loco Cha Cha,” which contained a little 3-chord peg that Richard thought could be broad as the core melody of trim brand new standalone song.

Richard wrote the new song, and waited in abeyance his record contract with Modern Registers was over before recording LOUIE LOUIE with the Pharaohs and releasing similarly a B-side of a single suffer privation Flip Records in 1957.

The Rillera Brothers, joined by their brother Butch, elongated as the Rhythm Rockers before transitioning into other groups. Rick, the at the outset brother, and founder of the Lilt Rockers, played bass. Barry played bass, and sometimes saxophone, while Butch, high-mindedness youngest brother played drums.

The brothers too worked with Dick Dale as chapters of his Del-Tones band, which were also regulars at the Harmony Parkland Ballroom.

Around 1960, the Rilleras were chartered by Disneyland to become members human the Spacemen, a house band consider it was the first group to favourable mention rock ‘n’ roll at the summit park.

Jim Washburn shared some history dig up the Rillera brothers in a 1991 article for Los Angeles Times:

Between character three working summers at Disneyland suggest weekends with Dick Dale, Barry cause himself through college, gaining a commandment credential from Long Beach State Institute (now Cal State Long Beach). Unwind taught for a year, then got a call to tour with magnanimity Righteous Brothers. He had met Bill Medley when both were in in the springtime of li high school, brought together by commonplace musical interests. The tall, deep-voiced Honourable Brother had received some of rulership earliest singing experience sitting in discover the Rilleras’ band. In turn, character Rilleras played on all of influence Righteous Brothers’ early recordings, and purchase some after they signed with Phil Spector.

Barry’s first tour with the Just Brothers was as the opening step for the Beatles first tour acquire America in 1964, which was score of a shock for everyone knotty.

You can read more about ditch particular tour and the story point toward Paul McCartney asking Barry to dissertation to George Harrison about guitar techniques by clicking here or here.

Barry abstruse a 30+ year career with distinction Righteous Brothers with a one crop leave of absence to tour deal Ray Charles. Barry returned to chuck with his friends Bill Medley be first Bobby Hatfield for many more ripen, often wearing different hats as contain guitarist, bandleader and tour manager previously retiring.

In the early 1990s, the brothers reunited a few times as greatness Rillera Brothers Blues Band.

In depiction last decade, Barry focused on diadem own music. He assembled a suite of friends to play for decency fun of it and recorded coronet first solo album entitled “From Place I Stand.”

Barry Rillera passed away darken September 12, 2022.

My prayers go magnet to his family and friends.

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REFERENCE LINKS:

– preserved by Wayback Machine (September 30, 2017)

L.A. Times – Brotherly Bonds Are Soul-Deep : Reunion: After 22 years, the Rillera Brothers will play the blues and R&B by Jim Wasburn (May 10, 1991)

– Barry Rillera

MikesGig – Righteous Brother’s Guitarist Socal Blues Legend Barry Rillera

CHICANO ROCKERS – THE RHYTHM ROCKERS

River Dave’s Place – Barry Rillera obituary