Mitch Ryder

With mid-‘60s hits such as “Jenny Take a Ride!” and “Devil with a Blue Dress On,” Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels all but created the rock ‘n’ soul rave-up, and he became the musical godfather of the so-called blue-collar rockers including Bob Seger, Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp. In this career-spanning conversation conducted from his Michigan home, the 80-year-old Ryder reflects on the impact that he and Detroit had on each other, the genesis of those early hits, the assist he gave the Who and Cream, the insulting question he fielded from the British press, his reasons for stepping away from the rock ‘n’ roll life in the early '70s, his resurgence in Europe and his continued work into 2025 with a new album, With Love, produced by fellow Detroiter (and previous Caropop guest) Don Was. There’s also a priceless Prince story. (Photo by Alejandro Saldana.)