Midnight at the Barrelhouse: The Johnny Otis Story

Testimony: In Praise of Johnny Otis

187 Bob Dylan: Johnny’s career just dazzles the mind. From discovering Esther Phillips and Jackie Wilson, to being a drummer, singer, piano player, bandleader, hit maker, right down to sculpting and painting. He even lost a seat for the California State Assembly. You can’t top that. Willie and the hand jive indeed. Bonnie Raitt: Johnny Otis is one of the most important figures in the history of R&B and Rock and Roll. Through mentoring and showcasing so many brilliant stars in his legendary live revues and incredible bands, his contributions as writer/player and producer of so many seminal recordings, and his decades of hosting his beloved West Coast radio show, his legacy as Professor Emeritus of R&B will forever remain intact. Ben Fong-Torres, journalist and author of Not Fade Away: A Backstage Pass to Twenty Years of Rock & Roll: It is fitting that Johnny Otis began his musical career as a drummer. A different drummer, of course. In fact, he helped mix the “shave-and-ahaircut /two bits” beat into the early blues and boogie music he was playing, leading years later to the “Bo Diddley beat” that would become a vital part of the rock & roll sound. From there, he became a multi-instrumentalist Testimony: In Praise of Johnny Otis and vocalist, composer, bandleader, producer, and hit recording artist. He was also a civil rights activist, a preacher, a fine artist, a television host, and a DJ who loved to share his favorite music. Later in life, he returned to the radio, broadcasting from a food market he operated in northern California . All this from a son of Greek immigrants, who made a choice early in life to align himself with the world of African Americans and to travel to the beats of different drums. The original drummers. Willie Brown, former mayor of San Francisco and speaker of the California State Assembly: Johnny is the picture of talent and soul. He loves music, people, performing , and giving. You are fortunate if you are ever in his presence (as I have been on numerous occasions), and if this presence includes performances on a Sunday afternoon in the park, or at one of many venues graced by his talent, then you are in for a lifetime treat. Al Kooper: Johnny Otis showed me early in my career that there could be no limits if that’s what suited someone. Ergo, I have been a songwriter, arranger, bandleader, producer, DJ, journalist, college professor, record company employee, record company owner, and let’s not forget short-order cook. Without the influence of Johnny Otis’s life, Lord knows what cubbyhole I would have been sandwiched into. I will never forget the day I spent at his house. I was asking permission to record a duet album with his fifteen-year-old son. There was a moment when words became useless, and Johnny played vibraphone, I played piano, Shuggie played guitar, and one of my other early idols, Don “Sugarcane” Harris, dropped in for a visit and played violin. Four generations smiling and playing the immortal blues together on a sunny afternoon in northern California. It wasn’t until the instant musical camaraderie began that the veil dropped: Johnny Otis shook my hand and gave me permission to record his amazing teenaged son. I will treasure that afternoon all my life—a life that was liberated by Johnny Otis and his living biography. Aaron Neville: Johnny Otis—he’s the coolest! A true pioneer of the music I love. 188 Testimony Mervyn M. Dymally, former U.S. Congressman (D–California): Johnny Otis is a person for all seasons. He is a multitalented musician, artist, and entertainer, but his talent is not limited to entertainment. I know him very well, personally and professionally. He is a community activist and worked closely with me as a Congressional consultant. History will be very kind to him. Guitar Shorty: Johnny Otis means everything to me. He is one of the greatest people I ever worked with, and he was like a father to me. I can’t think of enough good things to say about him. He took me to my first big festival in Long Beach and really helped my career get going. He did a lot for me on the road, got me gigs, and helped with my performances. Even today I still remember things he told me. He is such a powerful person, but...