Johnny Otis - Revision history

Spider of Destiny at 20:38, 11 June 2026

2026-06-11T20:38:23Z

Spider of Destiny at 18:35, 11 June 2026

2026-06-11T18:35:58Z

Spider of Destiny at 17:41, 11 June 2026

2026-06-11T17:41:33Z

Spider of Destiny at 11:08, 23 May 2026

2026-05-23T11:08:15Z

Spider of Destiny at 18:15, 22 May 2026

2026-05-22T18:15:18Z

Spider of Destiny at 16:55, 22 May 2026

2026-05-22T16:55:03Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 19:02, 16 November 2021

2021-11-16T19:02:19Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 17:44, 26 October 2021

2021-10-26T17:44:34Z

Jason.Kreitzer: Item no longer exists.

2021-08-16T15:48:41Z

Item no longer exists.

Jason.Kreitzer at 04:39, 9 August 2021

2021-08-09T04:39:29Z

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 [[Category:Jazz Composers|Otis, Johnny]]
 [[Category:Doo-wop and R&B Artists|Otis, Johnny]]
-[[Category:Favorite Musicians|Otis, Johnny]]
+[[Category:Favorite Jazz Composers|Otis, Johnny]]
 [[Category:Record Producers|Otis, Johnny]]
 [[Category:Sculptors|Otis, Johnny]]

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 In January 1949 he has hits on the Savoy label with recordings by [[The Robins]], and the 14 year old Little Esther. They all tour as ''"The Savoy Barrelhouse Caravan with Johnny Otis & His Combo"''. Savoy continues to put out records and by April the caravan arrives at New York's Apollo for a week of shows. The caravan continues its tour, proving very popular in Atlanta, and eventually arrives at The Royal Theater in [[Baltimore]].
-They enjoy a succession of hits throughout 1950 on the Savoy label and Little Esther and Johnny Otis are given the Best Jazz and Blues Artists Award of 1950 by Cashbox magazine. By 1951 Little Esther had left Otis and signed as a solo artist with the King label; although their paths would often cross and she would continue recording until her death in 1984 as Esther Philips. Linda Hopkins takes over the female vocal role with the band although Savoy continue to release recordings it holds featuring Little Esther. By 1952 Otis signed with Mercury records and records with Ben Webster. In April he starts a tour with [[Willie Mae Thornton]]. While Mercury continues to release records by the Otis band he does some arranging and production work for Don Robey's Peacock label. This results in [[Willie Mae Thornton]]'s ''"[[Hound Dog]]"'', a song written by two young songwriters called Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The songs popularity is instantaneous and Peacock has three pressing plants running full time just to keep up with demand. Otis continues producing for Robey's labels and eventually signs a contract with Robey himself.
+They enjoy a succession of hits throughout 1950 on the Savoy label and Little Esther and Johnny Otis are given the Best Jazz and Blues Artists Award of 1950 by Cashbox magazine. By 1951 Little Esther had left Otis and signed as a solo artist with the King label; although their paths would often cross and she would continue recording until her death in 1984 as Esther Philips. Linda Hopkins takes over the female vocal role with the band although Savoy continue to release recordings it holds featuring Little Esther. By 1952 Otis signed with Mercury records and records with Ben Webster. In April he starts a tour with [[Willie Mae Thornton]]. While Mercury continues to release records by the Otis band he does some arranging and production work for Don Robey's Peacock label. This results in [[Willie Mae Thornton]]'s ''"[[Hound Dog]]"'', a song written by two young songwriters called [[Leiber and Stoller|Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller]]. The songs popularity is instantaneous and Peacock has three pressing plants running full time just to keep up with demand. Otis continues producing for Robey's labels and eventually signs a contract with Robey himself.
 Towards the end of 1953 Otis tours as the Johnny Otis Revue with [[Willie Mae Thornton]], Marie Adams and Junior Parker, and once again storms New York's Apollo.

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 [[Category:Jazz Composers|Otis, Johnny]]
 [[Category:Doo-wop and R&B Artists|Otis, Johnny]]
-[[Category:Favorite Artists|Otis, Johnny]]
+[[Category:Favorite Musicians|Otis, Johnny]]
 [[Category:Record Producers|Otis, Johnny]]
 [[Category:Sculptors|Otis, Johnny]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:08, 23 May 2026
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	[[Category:Radio Presenters\|Otis, Johnny]]		[[Category:Radio Presenters\|Otis, Johnny]]
	[[Category:Songwriters\|Otis, Johnny]]		[[Category:Songwriters\|Otis, Johnny]]
		+	[[Category:Publishers\|Otis, Johnny]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:15, 22 May 2026
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	[[Category:Politicians\|Otis, Johnny]]		[[Category:Politicians\|Otis, Johnny]]
	[[Category:Radio Presenters\|Otis, Johnny]]		[[Category:Radio Presenters\|Otis, Johnny]]
		+	[[Category:Songwriters\|Otis, Johnny]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:02, 16 November 2021
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		+	__NOTOC__
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	[[Image:Otis.jpg\|thumb\|Johnny Otis]]		[[Image:Otis.jpg\|thumb\|Johnny Otis]]

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 By early 1954 Otis was back in [[Los Angeles]] where he discovered a young vocalist called Jamesetta Hawkins. Otis quickly recorded her as Etta James and produces ''"The Wallflower (Roll with me Henry)"'', with Otis on percussion and backing vocals by [[Richard Berry]] and The Peaches, it quickly became one of the first Rock and Roll anthems - probably helped a little by regular plays on Otis' daily radio show. The KFOX radio show would be another platform for Otis to present his artists including the young vocal groups [[The Penguins]] and [[The Medallions]].
-In early 1955 Otis inaugurated a series of shows at the [[El Monte Legion Stadium|Legion Stadium]] in El Monte and by the end of the year Otis was signed up to host a [http://www.duncanmoran.me.uk/ZWJ/johnnyotistv.mov TV show] on KTTV. In early 1956 the Mesner Brothers, owners of Aladdin Records, along with Otis, set up a new label called Ultra. The names was soon changed to Dig and Otis assumed the role of managing A & R. After several releases, including his own records, for Dig Otis is signed to Capitol records (his first major label signing) in 1957. Being a small fish in the large Capitol poll Otis gets little marketing support and his records for them do not sell as well as was hoped: Capitol even consider dropping the whole Johnny Otis band/TV show package. In the spring of 1958 Otis takes his whole entourage on tour in the UK where it is pointed out to him that teenagers frequenting coffee bars had taken to "hand jiving" to the records on the juke boxes. On his return to the US Otis records ''"Willie and the Hand Jive"'', a song building on rhythms popular from the 1930's and developed by [[Wikipedia:Bo Diddley|Bo Diddley]] in the 1950's, which Capitol release with barely a mention to the media. By the summer the record has taken off featuring in the charts for four months. After decades in the business Otis finds himself an overnight success. Despite the song crossing over from the R&B world into pop charts Otis remained true to his roots and put together and all black show which is increasingly performing to white audiences. Otis is unable to provide Capitol with a follow up hit. The TV show continues to promote new talent including [[Don & Dewey]] – It was Otis who gave [[Don "Sugarcane" Harris|Don Harris]] the nickname ''"Sugarcane"''.
+In early 1955 Otis inaugurated a series of shows at the [[El Monte Legion Stadium|Legion Stadium]] in El Monte and by the end of the year Otis was signed up to host a [http://www.duncanmoran.me.uk/ZWJ/johnnyotistv.mov TV show] on [[KTTV]]. In early 1956 the Mesner Brothers, owners of Aladdin Records, along with Otis, set up a new label called Ultra. The names was soon changed to Dig and Otis assumed the role of managing A & R. After several releases, including his own records, for Dig Otis is signed to Capitol records (his first major label signing) in 1957. Being a small fish in the large Capitol poll Otis gets little marketing support and his records for them do not sell as well as was hoped: Capitol even consider dropping the whole Johnny Otis band/TV show package. In the spring of 1958 Otis takes his whole entourage on tour in the UK where it is pointed out to him that teenagers frequenting coffee bars had taken to "hand jiving" to the records on the juke boxes. On his return to the US Otis records ''"Willie and the Hand Jive"'', a song building on rhythms popular from the 1930's and developed by [[Wikipedia:Bo Diddley|Bo Diddley]] in the 1950's, which Capitol release with barely a mention to the media. By the summer the record has taken off featuring in the charts for four months. After decades in the business Otis finds himself an overnight success. Despite the song crossing over from the R&B world into pop charts Otis remained true to his roots and put together and all black show which is increasingly performing to white audiences. Otis is unable to provide Capitol with a follow up hit. The TV show continues to promote new talent including [[Don & Dewey]] – It was Otis who gave [[Don "Sugarcane" Harris|Don Harris]] the nickname ''"Sugarcane"''.
 ==Later career==

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 ==Later career==
-As the 1950's rolled into the 1960's the musical tastes of the public once again shifted; this time towards heart-throb teen idols, vocal groups (particularly girl groups) and Surf and Hot Rod bands. Otis set up a Eldo records but with little success and he drifted away from the music scene. After the [[Watts Riots]] he became active politically within the [[Los Angeles]] community. Otis wrote a book ''"Listen To The Lambs"'' which portrayed the communities he grew up in with all their talents and yet they were disenfranchised from the pursuit of the ''"American dream"''. He stood for election to the California Assembly (but as he campaigned as Johnny Veliotes, rather than Otis, he probably failed to pick up as many votes as could have been expected and he did not win a place.). [http://www.duncanmoran.me.uk/ZWJ/electotis.mp3   Vote for Johnny Otis: Don't forget to remember to register to vote] (184KB mp3).
+As the 1950's rolled into the 1960's the musical tastes of the public once again shifted; this time towards heart-throb teen idols, vocal groups (particularly girl groups) and Surf and Hot Rod bands. Otis set up a Eldo records but with little success and he drifted away from the music scene. After the [[Wikipedia:Watts riots|Watts Riots]] he became active politically within the [[Los Angeles]] community. Otis wrote a book ''"Listen To The Lambs"'' which portrayed the communities he grew up in with all their talents and yet they were disenfranchised from the pursuit of the ''"American dream"''. He stood for election to the California Assembly (but as he campaigned as Johnny Veliotes, rather than Otis, he probably failed to pick up as many votes as could have been expected and he did not win a place.).
 Johnny Otis continued to paint, sculpt and write as well as presenting a weekly radio show until his death in 2012.