JOHNNY POWERS

Johnny Powers was born John Leon Joseph Pavlik, in 1938 in East Detroit, Michigan.
He made his recording debut on Jimmy Williams & the Drifters' 1955 obscuro 45 "Teardrops and Memories"/"Rainbow Heart" on Drifter Records.
Johnny made a smooth transition from country twanger to rockabilly superhero, changing his name to "Powers" and forming a combo called The Rockets. After their release of "Honey Let's Go"/"Your Love" 45, the Rockets disbanded, and Johnny formed a new band called The Tom Cats with Jack Scott's guitarist Stan Getz. It would be the sizzling guitar slinging of Stan Getz that would appear behind Johnny's wailin' on his 1958 hit, “Long Blond Hair,” which charted as high as #3 in some markets.
A year later, he'd been signed by Sun Records and recorded “With Your Love, With Your Kiss” and “Be Mine All Mine". Powers was the last artist to record at the old Union Street studio. Although Powers continued to record and even signed a deal with Motown in 1960 (those are his foot stomps on the Supremes’ classic “Baby Love") he never really managed to release another big seller like "Long Blond Hair".
Just goes to show you what "the record buying public" knows about good rock'n'roll...
Hit or no hit, Johnny's tunes endure as classic examples of pure, undiluted rockabilly. His impressive list of 50's recordings include devastating rockers like "Mean Mistreater" and "Rock Rock", creepy ballads like "Oh So Far Away" and all-out insanity on tracks such as "Be Mine, All Mine" and "Waiting For You".
Johnny retired from performing in the early 80’s to become a Detroit-area record producer and music publisher, until the release of “New Spark For An Old Flame,” his first record in 30 years.

Hear Johnny Powers sing his classic "Long Blond Hair"