Johnny Otis

Johnny Otis (1970)

Interview by Charlie Gillett, Rock's Backpages Audio, August 1970

From Little Esther to Big Mama, "The Duke Ellington of Watts" takes us back to Central Avenue: the shysters, the talent, the clubs and record labels; the hits, the misses and the rip-offs.

File format: mp3; in 2 parts, total file sizes: 45.6meg, total interview length: 49' 49" sound quality: ***

Johnny Otis: The New Johnny Otis Show

Review by Charlie Gillett, Record Mirror, November 1969

"I'm gonna lay right here on this wall, And drink this beer, And watch her walk. You heard me call a while ...

Johnny Otis: Listen to the Lambs (W.W. Norton, NY)

Review by Bill Millar, Shout, December 1969

Johnny Otis is a 48-year-old Greek American, genetically white but black in every other conceivable respect. And if that’s difficult to comprehend, consider that, as ...

Johnny Otis: Doin' That Hand Jive With His Feet

Interview by John Morthland, Creem, November 1971

When the Johnny Otis Show appears on stage, it brings years and years of rhythm and blues history with it. ...

Johnny Otis: The Godfather of R&B

Retrospective by Bill Millar, Record Mirror, July 1972

I THOUGHT Johnny Otis was suffering from over-exposure Dave Wolf who has drained his life savings to bring over Johnny's entire package thinks not. So ...

Johnny Otis, Platters, Jackie Wilson Reissue Albums

Review by Bob Fisher, Cream, February 1975

Johnny Otis: Pioneers of Rock: Vol. 2The Platters: The Best of the PlattersJackie Wilson: Greatest Hits ...

Johnny Otis

Profile and Interview by Don Snowden, New York Rocker, February 1982

IT'S BECOMING readily apparent that one salient characteristic of the first batch of Los Angeles bands (let's leave those lovable beach punks out of this) ...

Solomon Burke, Willie Garcia, Johnny Otis, Little Richard: Four Souls – From Music To The Ministry

Profile and Interview by Don Snowden, Los Angeles Times, August 1985

SOLOMON BURKE looked more like Don Corleone surveying his domain in The Godfather than a preacher preparing to conduct a recent late-afternoon service. ...

Johnny Otis: Blues, R&B, Jazz

Live Review by Don Snowden, Los Angeles Times, July 1986

"THE BARRELHOUSE used to be right down there on the northeast corner of Wilmington," Johnny Otis said Saturday afternoon, referring to the nightclub – a ...

Johnny Otis at 80

Retrospective and Interview by James Maycock, MOJO, 2002

JOHNNY OTIS, the renaissance man of rhythm and blues, is somewhat ambivalent about entering his ninth decade. "I have two kinds of feelings," he concedes. ...