曾經培育出"Big Mama" Thornton, Etta James, Hank Ballard, Johnny Ace and Little Richard等這些著名的R&B藝人的Johnny Otis，元月17日以90歲高齡於洛杉磯去世，儘管他熱愛黑人的R&B音樂，但他是擁有希臘血統的白人，而且選擇居住於黑人社區，早年的他在奧克蘭與洛杉磯一帶的樂隊當鼓手，後來組了自己的樂隊，從1948年到1969年曾經有18首R&B暢銷曲，包括"Double Crossing Blues" (#1-1950), "Cupid Boogie" (#1-1950) 和"Rockin' Blues" (#2-1951)，此外他寫了Etta James唱過的"Roll With Me Henry", Gladys Knight唱紅的"Every Beat Of My Heart" 與Fiestas and Sheiks唱過的 "So Fine"這些歌，Johnny在L.A開的夜店，和主持的廣播、電視節目，讓很多蓄勢待發的R&B新秀藝人受到了一般歌迷們的注意，尤其像Little Esther, the Robins (即後來成名的the Coasters), Sugar Pie DeSanto, Jackie Wilson, 和 Little Willie John更是其中佼佼者，而Johnny Otis的兒子Shuggie Otis也是一位受人注目的藝人。
Johnny Otis在歌壇表演多年之後，晚年曾在教會當過牧師，也做過眾議員Mervyn Dymally的辦公室副主管，一直到2006年他還持續在加州柏克萊的電台主持節目，播他喜歡的音樂，1994年Johnny Otis以製作人與作曲人的身份被選入搖滾樂名人堂。
Johnny Otis的名曲"Willie And The Hand Jive"是1958年第9名的歌，在R&B排行榜則獲得第3名。
Willie and the Hand Jive
Johnny Otis
I know a cat named Way-Out Willie
Had a cool little chick named Rockin' Billie
Made a heart of stone Susie-Q, doin' that crazy hand jive too
Papa said "You will ruin my house.
You and that hand jive have got to go"
Willie said "Papa, don't you put me down,
Been doin' that hand jive all over town."
Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive, doin' that crazy hand jive
I don't want you to get on the floor
Gettin' low, getting down with sister go
Come on, get baby, little sister'll die
Said doin' that hand jive one more time
Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive, doin' that crazy hand jive
Doctor getting low and he getting check
Now they're all digging that crazy beat
Way-Out Willie gave 'em all a treat
Been doin' that hand jive with his feet
Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive, doin' that crazy hand jive
Willi and Billie got married last fall
Had to live with his sisters and that ain't all
Daddy got famous it's plain to see
Been doin' that hand jive on his knees
Hand jive, hand jive, hand jive, doin' that crazy hand jive
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