<back - JOHNNY OTIS - Johnny Otis was born December 28, 1921 in Vallejo, California. He grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood in Berkeley, California, where his father owned and operated a neighborhood grocery store. He began his musical career in 1939 as a drummer with Count Otis Matthew's West Oakland House Rockers. In 1943, at the recommendation of Nat King Cole and Jimmy Witherspoon, he moved to Los Angeles to join Harlan Leonard's Kansas City Rockets at the Club Alabam. By 1945 he was leading his own band, and his first big hit that year with Harlem Nocturne. In 1948 he joined with Bardu/Tila Ali, and Johnny Miller to open The Barrelhouse in LA, which was the first nightclub to feature R&B exclusively.

In 1950 he had ten songs that made the Top 10 on Billboard Magazine's Best Selling Retail R&B Records list. With this success, he toured with his California R&B Caravan, the hottest musical attraction at the time. In the early 1950's, remaining active as a songwriter, performer, and producer, Johnny Otis began his radio career and has now spanned over 50 years of radio broadcasting in southern California. Johnny Otis discovered many legendary R&B singers such as Esther Phillips, Big Momma Thornton, Etta James, all of whom were at one time featured vocalists in his band. He also discovered Sugar Pie De Santo, Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Jackie Wilson, and Little Willie John. He produced, and with his band played on the original recording of Hound Dog with Big Momma Thornton. He produced and played on Johnny Ace's 'Pledging My Love', and produced some of Little Richard's earliest recordings. On his own Blues Spectrum label, Johnny Otis  has recorded and played with Rhythm n' Blues pioneers such as Big Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris, Amos Milburn, Jimmy McCracklin, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, and Louis Jordan. Johnny Otis played the drums on Charles Brown's first major hit Driftin' Blues in 1946. Johnny Otis songwriting credits include Every Beat of My Heart, (a song he wrote originally for Jackie Wilson, but was made a hit by Gladys Knight), Roll With Me Henry, So Fine, and Willie and the Hand Jive. Johnny Otis received the R&B Foundation's Pioneer Award, and was inducted into the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame (1994) the Blues Foundation's Hall of Fame in 2000. MP3- Hi Heel Sneekers |