Otis was
one of the most important artists in R&B history. He was a bandleader,
promoter, vocalist, club owner, drummer, and producer, and he helped launch the
careers of such R&B legends as Johnny Ace, The Robins, Little Esther, Etta James
and many others. These singers recorded with his band and toured as part of his
entourage.
Most of Johnny Otis’ records were released as the “Johnny Otis Quintette” or “The Johnny Otis Show. Otis’s biggest hit was, “Willie and the Hand Jive,” a song which has been covered by scores of other artists.
That song
and others are best heard on the compilation albums, “The Original Johnny Otis
Show” (1978), and a number of other compilations of early rock and roll such as
the terrific compilation featuring Otis and many others, “Loud, Fast and Out of
Control: The Wild Sounds of ‘50s Rock” (1999).
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