Artist:The Johnny Otis ShowSong:Willie & The Hand Jive
Album:The Greatest Johnny Otis Show
The 1958 top ten hit Willie & The Hand Jive is Johnny Otis' signature song. But Otis' real talent was discovering talent which he frequently featured in his band or in his nightclub. And he also wrote and produced their music. So it might surprise some folks that someone so important in the development of black music is not black. He was born Ioannis Veliotis Dec. 28, 1921 in Vallejo, CA. His parents were Greek immigrants and his dad owned a grocery store. His younger brother Nicholas Veliotis was US Ambassador to Jordan and Egypt. He changed his name to Johnny Otis because he wanted to be a musician in the black community. Otis started out as a drummer with Count Otis Matthews in Oakland and then moved to Los Angeles and played for Harlan Leonard's Rockets. He started his own band in 1945 and recorded some singles for Excelsior featuring Jimmy Rushing and Big Jay McNeely. Otis also played drums on sessions. He could see that big band swing was fading so Otis switched to R & B and signed with Savoy Records in 1949. His singers included Little Esther Phillips, Mel Walker and The Robins. He had some R & B hits but switched to Mercury in 1951. His recordings on Mercury and Peacock weren't as successful. But he produced the Big Mama Thornton classic Hound Dog in 1953 and also discovered Little Richard, Jackie Wilson, Little Willie John, Hank Ballard and Etta James. Otis started his own label in 1955 and then signed with Capitol in 1957. Featured singers at the time included Mel Williams and Marie Adams & Three Tons Of Joy. In 1958, Willie & The Hand Jive reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Before you get any nasty thoughts, the hand jive was a popular dance at the time. The odd thing about the song is Otis sings lead which he didn't do usually. Otis had his own TV show in Los Angeles and also appeared in the 1958 film Juke Box Rhythm. This comp covers his Capitol recordings. Johnny Otis has continued to record and tour. His son Shuggie Otis is a guitarist and they recorded an album together in 1982. He also dabbled in politics, owned a nightclub and ran the Landmark Community Gospel Church in Forestville, CA. He has retired due to ill health. But there's no question that Johnny Otis was an important figure in the development of black music. Here's The Johnny Otis Show performing Willie & The Hand Jive on his 1958 TV show. And that is Lionel Hampton appearing at the end of the clip.
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