The Soul Corner - Johnny Otis, 1921-2012

Johnny Otis died this week. Otis was the son of Greek immigrants but self-identified as an African American, and became a major R&B pioneer as a performer, songwriter, producer, record label owner and talent scout (he discovered Etta James among many others). He worked in politics, hosted a music TV show in LA, had a longtime R&B radio program in LA, wrote books and was the father of R&B guitarist Shuggie Otis. And he did quite a bit more.

It's a fascinating story and you should read about Johnny Otis here:

http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608000814/Johnny-Otis.html

Let's celebrate his remarkable life with his signature song "Willie and the Hand Jive" and this vintage TV performance:

Johnny Otis' official web page is well worth a visit: http://www.johnnyotisworld.com/