Living as a “black” man, Otis became part of a world he felt more comfortable in. As an R&B musician, he was surrounded by African-Americans. He understood black culture better than the Greek culture of his family.
He was born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes in California in 1921, the son of Greek immigrants, and from early childhood he loved African American culture with religious ferocity.
Biography. Born in Los Angeles, California, Otis is the son of rhythm and blues pioneer, musician, bandleader, and impresario Johnny Otis, who was of Greek descent, and his wife Phyllis Walker, who was of African American and Filipino descent.
Johnny Otis, the bandleader, talent scout and songwriter who was often called the “Godfather of R&B,” died on Tuesday at his suburban Los Angeles home. He was 90.
While James Brown was seen as the Godfather of soul music, for many music critics Johnny Otis was considered the Godfather of rhythm and blues. But what his many fans across the U.S.A. did not know was that he was actually a Greek-American.
“The term Rhythm & Blues” (R&B) was first coined in 1948 by music journalist turned record producer Jerry Wexler. As time progressed Blues, Doo Wop, funk, Disco, dance, and other forms of R&B music began to develop around the USA.
Rhythm and blues, commonly known as R&B, is a musical genre developed by Black Americans in the 1940s that’s been continuously refined through the present day. R&B derived from gospel, jazz, folk, and traditional blues music and emerged in tandem with rock ‘n’ roll.
He witnessed the inauguration of the nation’s first African-American president and was a friend of Malcolm X and an enemy of racial oppression. Yet Johnny Otis, arguably one of the most important figures in mid-century black music in America, was not actually black. He was white, passing as black…
Despite being a mover and shaker in the world of black music, Mr. Otis was not black, which as far as he was concerned was simply an accident of birth. He was immersed in African-American culture from an early age and said he considered himself “black by persuasion.”
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R’n’B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s.
What was Johnny Otis ethnicity?
He was born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes in California in 1921, the son of Greek immigrants, and from early childhood he loved African American culture with religious ferocity.
Is Shuggie Otis black?
Biography. Born in Los Angeles, California, Otis is the son of rhythm and blues pioneer, musician, bandleader, and impresario Johnny Otis, who was of Greek descent, and his wife Phyllis Walker, who was of African American and Filipino descent.
Who is the godfather of R&B?
Johnny Otis, the bandleader, talent scout and songwriter who was often called the “Godfather of R&B,” died on Tuesday at his suburban Los Angeles home. He was 90.
What instruments did Johnny Otis play?
As a musician (he played piano and vibraphone in addition to drums) Mr. Otis can be heard on Johnny Ace’s “Pledging My Love,” Charles Brown’s “Drifting Blues” and other seminal rhythm and blues records, as well as on jazz recordings by Lester Young and Illinois Jacquet.
Was Johnny Otis African American?
While James Brown was seen as the Godfather of soul music, for many music critics Johnny Otis was considered the Godfather of rhythm and blues. But what his many fans across the U.S.A. did not know was that he was actually a Greek-American.
Who found R&B?
“The term Rhythm & Blues” (R&B) was first coined in 1948 by music journalist turned record producer Jerry Wexler. As time progressed Blues, Doo Wop, funk, Disco, dance, and other forms of R&B music began to develop around the USA.
What style of music did R&B come from?
Rhythm and blues, commonly known as R&B, is a musical genre developed by Black Americans in the 1940s that’s been continuously refined through the present day. R&B derived from gospel, jazz, folk, and traditional blues music and emerged in tandem with rock ‘n’ roll.
Was Johnny Otis black or white?
The fact that he was a white man always seemed to matter little, least of all to Johnny Otis. He was born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes in California in 1921, the son of Greek immigrants, and from early childhood he loved African American culture with religious ferocity.
Is Johnny Otis black?
Despite being a mover and shaker in the world of black music, Mr. Otis was not black, which as far as he was concerned was simply an accident of birth. He was immersed in African-American culture from an early age and said he considered himself “black by persuasion.”
Where did R&B originate from?
Rhythm and blues, commonly known as R&B, is a musical genre developed by Black Americans in the 1940s that’s been continuously refined through the present day. R&B derived from gospel, jazz, folk, and traditional blues music and emerged in tandem with rock ‘n’ roll.
Who is the father of R&B?
Though you may not know the man, you probably know his music. Arkansas-born Louis Jordan’s songs like “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” “Caldonia” and “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” can still be heard today, decades since Jordan ruled the charts.
Who made R&B popular?
Ray Charles. As a performer and recording artist in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Ray Charles pioneered a new style of music that became known as “soul,” a blend of gospel music, blues, and jazz that brought him worldwide fame.
When was R&B founded?
The term “rhythm and blues,” often called “R&B,” originated in the 1940s when it replaced “race music” as a general marketing term for all African American music, though it usually referred only to secular, not religious music.
Where did R&B music originated from?
A distinctly African American music drawing from the deep tributaries of African American expressive culture, it is an amalgam of jump blues, big band swing, gospel, boogie, and blues that was initially developed during a thirty-year period that bridges the era of legally sanctioned racial segregation, international …
What styles make up R&B?
R&B encompasses a variety of styles including soul, Motown, funk, disco, rap, hip-hop, doo-wop, black rock ‘n’ roll, club blues and jump blues…
Who started R&B?
“The term Rhythm & Blues” (R&B) was first coined in 1948 by music journalist turned record producer Jerry Wexler. As time progressed Blues, Doo Wop, funk, Disco, dance, and other forms of R&B music began to develop around the USA.
More Answers On Was Johnny Otis Black
Johnny Otis – Wikipedia
Johnny Otis (born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes; December 28, 1921 – January 17, 2012) was an American singer, musician, composer, arranger, bandleader, … Johnny grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood in Berkeley, California, where his father owned a grocery store. He became known for his choice to live his professional and personal …
The Indomitable Blackness of Johnny Otis – The Atlantic
Johnny Otis claimed to be “black by persuasion.” You look at this people’s lives–Manley was the first woman inducted into the baseball hall of fame–and it’s kind of humbling. It’s like, I’m the …
Johnny Otis: Black by Persuasion – JazzTimes
Johnny Otis died on Tuesday at the age of 90. In a nation of self-styled originals, he was one of the truly unique. Otis spent his life immersed in the culture and society of African-Americans, and he related his life’s story as if he were black too. As he explained to Terry Gross on Fresh Air in 1989: “I could not veer away [from the black …
Johnny Otis: The Greek Blues Legend Who Passed as Black
Johnny Otis began his music career as a drummer and became a bandleader in the late 1940’s. He released a string of successful records as The Johnny Otis Orchestra (1948-1957) and he headlined “The Johnny Otis Show” from 1958-1969. … Living as a “black” man, Otis became part of a world he felt more comfortable in. As an R&B musician …
Johnny Otis (1921 -2012) – BlackPast.org
Otis was raised in a predominately black neighborhood in Berkeley, California, where his father owned and operated a grocery store. … Johnny Otis was married to his wife, Phyllis, for 70 years, and they had four children and nine grandchildren. Otis died at his Altadena, California home on January 17, 2012 at the age of 90.
Johnny Otis – Biography – IMDb
Johnny Otis was involved in virtually every aspect of the music business: he was a singer, musician, composer, producer, record company owner, arranger and talent scout, among others. He helped to shape the R&B genre starting in the late 1940s and stayed involved in it for over 30 years. Otis was white, but grew up in a black neighborhood in …
Johnny Otis, Anti-Racist R&B Pioneer – The Atlantic
Johnny Otis, Anti-Racist R&B Pioneer. By Jack Hamilton. January 23, 2012. The legend who died last week at 90 obliterated the notion of “white music” versus “black music.” Kent Records/ebay. In a …
Johnny Otis – History of Rock
Johnny Otis. A pioneering figure in the development of R&B following the demise of the big bands in the late ’40s, Johnny Otis was the most prominent white figure in the history of black R&B. Otis with Count Otis Matthews and his West Oakland House Stompers 1941. Johnny Otis, a son of Greek parents, grew up in a black residential area of West …
The Greek-American R&B Legend Who Passed as Black
If a role exists in black music that Johnny Otis couldn’t play, it would be hard to find. Known as the godfather of rhythm and blues, Otis was a bandleader, talent scout, singer, drummer, minister, journalist, and television show host. Between 1950 and 1952, Johnny and his band recorded 15 top 40 R&B blues hits.
Johnny Otis the most successful transracial Black man of all time?
Mar 10, 2021. #1. He was born into a Greek Immigrant family as Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes yet lived his professional and personal as a Black man named Johnny Otis. He discovered Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, Jackie Wilson and others while making several hits on his own in the early 50s making himself an influential figure in the development …
Johnny Otis, Singer, and Music Producer born – African American Registry
*Johnny Otis was born on this date in 1921. He was a white, Greek American singer, musician, composer, and record producer. … Otis grew up in a Black neighborhood in Berkeley, California, where his father owned and operated a neighborhood grocery store. Otis’s choice to live his professional and personal life as a member of the Black …
Johnny Otis | Way Back Attack
JOHNNY OTIS. A percussionist whose talent extended beyond his considerable musicianship, Johnny Otis made his mark as a bandleader, singer, … Easily the hottest black act of 1950, the white Johnny Otis was virtually invisible to mainstream pop music fans of the day while his records consistently ranked high on the rhythm and blues charts.
R&B’s Paterfamilias Johnny Otis: ‘Black by Persuasion’
Johnny Otis has lived most of his life at that crowded thoroughfare. Considered by many to be the father of modern R&B music, Otis has been songwriter and impresario, author and nightclub owner …
Otis, Johnny – Hellenism.Net
Johnny Otis never lied about his Greek roots, yet he was so widely seen as a black American that one night in 1960, white racists burned a cross on his lawn. Even that did not deter him in continuing his support for the cause of equal rights. In 1979, Otis told the Los Angeles Times, “Yes, I chose, because, despite all the hardships, there …
Black Studies Scholar Examines the Life of Music Legend Johnny Otis
By any measure, music legend Johnny Otis has lived a remarkable life. Considered by many to be the godfather of rhythm and blues, he has been a musician, music producer, disc jockey, artist, writer, entrepreneur, pastor, and a tireless fighter in the battle for racial equality. In a new biography titled “Midnight at the Barrelhouse — The Johnny Otis Story” (University of Minnesota Press …
Johnny Otis, ‘Godfather of Rhythm and Blues,’ Dies at 90
Jan 20, 2012Despite being a mover and shaker in the world of black music, Mr. Otis was not black, which as far as he was concerned was simply an accident of birth. … Johnny Otis was born John Alexander …
Johnny Otis: The Greek Godfather of R&B | eKathimerini.com
The story of music legend Johnny Otis, born Ioannis Alexandros Veliotes, ranks highly among them. … In 1965, he won a citywide Black History art contest with a painting of Nat Turner, leader of the 1831 slave rebellion. In his biography, “Midnight at the Barrelhouse – The Johnny Otis Story,” George Lipsitz, professor of Black Studies …
Johnny Otis, Music Man — And So Much More | SoCal Focus | KCET
Otis was also a race man — somebody committed to the cause of black equality full-time primarily because they or their family experienced inequality firsthand. In other words, race men (and women) are black by definition. Johnny Otis was white. But he was unquestionably a race man, more so than many black people of his time.
Johnny Otis – All About Blues Music
The Johnny Otis Show took a back seat for a while, but Frank Zappa was a fan (his ‘Trouble Every Day’ on the Watts riots quotes, “I’m not black, but there’s a whole lotta times I wish I could say I’m not white!”) and he encouraged Johnny to get back to music.
Johnny Otis – Alligator Records – Genuine Houserockin’ Music Since 1971
Otis grew up in a tough black ghetto of Berkeley, California, though his parents were immigrant Greek-Americans. His first instrument was drums, and his first love was big band swing music. By the time he was twenty, he was paying his dues on the road with swing bands, touring the Midwest. … The New Johnny Otis Show With Shuggie Otis garnered …
Johnny Otis World, Music and Art – Johnny Otis Official Website
Johnny Otis. December 28, 1921 – January 17, 2012. Johnny Otis was born December 28, 1921 in Vallejo, California. He grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood in Berkeley, California, where his father owned and operated a neighborhood grocery store. He began his musical career in 1939 as a drummer with Count Otis Matthew’s West Oakland …
Johnny Otis, the Greek Godfather of R&B, Dies at 90 – TIME.com
Johnny Otis, the Greek Godfather of R&B, Dies at 90. His “Willie and the Hand Jive” was a 1958 summer sensation, but this white impresario was prouder of launching Etta James, Hank Ballard, Littlle Richard and other black artists into the musical mainstream
Who the Hell is Johnny Otis? – Film Independent
Calling himself “Black by persuasion,” Johnny Otis tore through taboos against white and Black musicians playing together and wrote dozens of R&B and rock hits along with books and articles promoting Black liberation. Synopsis. This is the story of a man who, born in 1921 to Greek immigrant parents in an integrated neighborhood in Berkeley …
Johnny Otis, Rhythm And Blues Pioneer, Has Died – NPR
Jan 19, 2012Johnny Otis, Rhythm And Blues Pioneer, Has Died : … That’s what I loved. It wasn’t the music that brought me to the black community. It was the way of life. I felt I was black.”
Johnny Otis – Telegraph
Johnny Otis, who has died aged 90, was an important influence on early rock and roll, having decided that, although born white, he would rather be black. Johnny Otis, who has died aged 90, was an …
Johnny Otis’s History of Black Music USA – Eat Mo’s
Minstrel music was Whites’ first opportunity to appropriate Black music on a large scale. Bessie Smith made Columbia Records. * This web page is a creation of one of the students taking Mr. Otis’s course, and does not necessarily represent the views or policies of Vista College, its administration, or the professors or students in this course.
Influential R & B singer, musician – Los Angeles Times
Jan 19, 2012Otis wrote other R&B; hits, including “So Fine,” “Double Crossing Blues” and “All Nite Long,” and produced early recordings for Little Richard, Big Mama Thornton and Johnny Ace.
Spirit of the Black Territory Bands – Johnny Otis – AllMusic
Find album reviews, songs, credits and award information for Spirit of the Black Territory Bands by Johnny Otis on AllMusic – 1992 – This nostalgic throwback to the big-band jazz era …
Johnny Otis – Wikipedia
Johnny Otis (born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes; December 28, 1921 – January 17, 2012) was an American singer, musician, composer, arranger, bandleader, … Johnny grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood in Berkeley, California, where his father owned a grocery store. He became known for his choice to live his professional and personal …
Johnny Otis obituary | Music | The Guardian
Jan 19, 2012Thu 19 Jan 2012 14.13 EST. The bandleader Johnny Otis, who has died aged 90, was one of the first white American musicians to cross the racial divide, aligning himself with the black community as …
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