Were The Rivieras who backed Billy Lee[[Mitch Ryder) Same Rivieras on Riley's Records?

[robb_k]

Were The Rivieras, who backed Billy Lee[[Mitch Ryder) the same Rivieras that recorded for Riley's Records, and was re-issued as by The Proto-Jays on Diamond Jim Records? These 4 Caucasian young men became The Detroit Wheels. I always thought Diamond Jim Riley's Rivieras were a Black group. But, unfortunately, I never saw a billboard showing a photo of the group.
Here's a Billy Lee & Rivieras' photo record sleeve, probably from 1962 or 1963.

In 1965, they became Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels. They also left the R&B/Doo-Wop sound for a more "Garagy"/Raucus sound. So, it's difficult to believe they were the same group moonlighting for Diamond Jim Riley in 1966-69 going back to their older sound.

[robb_k]

Here are Diamond Jim Riley's Rivieras group:

On the You-Tube page I copied this from, a poster named Shawn Booth says this was his father's group, and they were a Black trio. It's a LOT easier for me to believe that these guys were a different [[African-American) group, rather than Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels taking their old name and moonlighting while under contract to Dynovoice Records, in the late 1960s.

[robb_k]

I'll answer my own question. They were an African-American trio. Here's their photo. Do any of you old-time Detroiters remember them? I remember seeing their name on venue appearance posters, but never saw a photo of them.

[Graham Jarvis]

Robb
As you have already deduced The "Billy Lee Riveras" are nothing to do with Rileys or Diamond Jim

There were two Detroit "Rivieras" Re: your photo above aka the "Proto Jay's" also Issued same 2 sides on "Riley's 368 as Rivieras & Riley's 8790" as the Proto Jay's
I don't know to any other records they issued other than the 2 Rileys 45's? don't know their names? any clues?
Maybe they switched to the "Proto Jays" due to the Billy Lee group with the same name?

The other Rivieras "Blue Eyed" grp being: being Billy Lee [[Mitch Ryder), Jim McCarthy, Earl Elliot, John Badenjek & Joe Kubert. [[Courtesy of Keith Rylatt)

[robb_k]

Robb
1) I don't know to any other records they issued other than the 2 Rileys 45's? don't know their names? any clues?
2) Maybe they switched to the "Proto Jays" due to the Billy Lee group with the same name?

1) Riley's Rivieras' lead singer was David Booth, and the other two were Leonard Stewart, and Leonard Gillespie. The name, Leonard Stewart rings a bell with me. I think he may have been in another Detroit Soul group. I don't recognise the other 2 names as Detroit Soul singers I had known about before.

2) Billy Lee and The Rivieras were LONGGG gone by the time The Proto-Jays record came out. They were already Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels in 1965, and never used the name, Rivieras again, as far as I know.