Blues Bytes – A Farewell To Etta James and Johnny Otis 1.27.12

Chip Eagle | Jan 26, 2012 | Comments 12

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A Tearful Farewell to a

Couple of Great Americans

By Rev. Billy C. Wirtz

“Something Told Me It Was Over”

Back in 1995, I was playing a gig at some big festival park near the Bay area. I finished a set, and this older gentleman walked up and said, “I like your music, nice piano playing.” I looked him up and down and thanked him, and then he added, ‘I’m Johnny Otis’ road manager.” I felt a knot in my gut, but I asked anyway, “Do you think I could meet him?”

He replied, “Of course.” Five minutes later, I was in a trailer, talking to THE Godfather of R&B, who also happened to be a visual artist, a social activist, an organic gardener, a famous D.J., a great-grandfather, a brilliant historian, and one hell of a nice guy. We talked for the better part of an hour with grandkids climbing in his lap, his wife fixing him some lunch, and the two of us trading musician stories about mutual friends, our favorite players, etc. At the end of the hour, I asked him for an autograph. It was for a dear friend of mine. Johnny looked genuinely surprised and said, “YOU want MY autograph?”

It was all I could do to calmly say, “Yes please, Mr. Otis.” He corrected me, chuckling as he said, “ Call me Johnny.”

Mr. Johnny Otis passed away last week, at the age of 90.

There are numerous accounts of his life all over the Internet, so I’ll settle for a partial list of his accomplishments and contributions to American music:

As a jazz musician he worked with Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, Lester Young, and Count Basie.

As a musician, he played drums on “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton, “Drifting Blues” by Charles Brown, and “Flying Home” by Illinois Jacquet.

He played the vibes on “Pledging My Love” by Johnny Ace.

As a writer, his two biggest hits were “Every Beat Of My Heart” by Gladys Knight and “Willie and The Hand Jive” by The Johnny Otis Show.

As a producer, talent scout, and bandleader he produced, discovered, and recorded Big Mama Thornton, Little Esther Phillips, Sugarcane Harris, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Margie Evans, Shuggie Otis, Hank Ballard, Jackie Wilson, and Little Willie John.

And of course, at the age of fifteen Jamesetta Hawkins, who is better known as Etta James.

Not only did he discover all of these artists, along with a few dozen others, but also he didn’t forget about them either. I remember buying his Live At the Monterey Jazz Festival album. It was recorded around 1970, and yet it had the timeless feel of a classic R&B revue. He introduces the trombonist, known as “The Mighty Flea.” At the conclusion of the song, Otis tells the crowd: “Those of you that played brass instruments in high school know that was triple-tonguing.” (Pause) “Let’s give his tongue a nice round of applause.”

Which brings up yet another amazing part of this incredible pioneer, you never knew what to expect from him. He recorded a straight blues album with Charles Brown, followed by an R&B disc with Richard “‘Louie, Louie” Berry. Shortly after those two, he recorded a hilariously obscene X-rated party record entitled Snatch and The Poontangs. Six months later, he recorded a tribute album to the “territory bands.” The territory bands were the big bands, Count Basie and Jimmy Lunceford (among others) of his youth.

When I saw him play, later that afternoon in 1995, he stuck entirely to 1960′s soul standards. From a musician’s perspective, it was a brilliant call. The afternoon had been filled with several blues acts and folks were pretty “bluesed-out.” On the other hand, they were much too rowdy to sit and listen to serious jazz, so Mr. Otis and company kicked off the set with “Knock On Wood,” and played classic soul for the next hour. The crowd loved it, they danced, they sang along at the top of their lungs, and there wasn’t a frown in the place.

It takes more than a good musician to read a crowd that fast, and it takes more than just a good bandleader to keep up friendly banter with the audience in between the songs. Sixty minutes after he started, he closed with “Willie and The Hand Jive,” inviting his grandkids on stage to do the Hand Jive along with grandpa. In many respects, Johnny Otis changed the way that black music was played here on earth, and I’ll bet you that within five minutes of his arrival at the Pearly Gates, St. Peter was doing that crazy Hand Jive, too.

Something’s’ Got a Hold On Me

Her mother was a prostitute, her father is reputed to be Minnesota Fats. She grew up in a series of foster homes, and was discovered at the age of fourteen by Johnny Otis, who produced her first hit, “Roll with Me, Henry,” later changed to “Wallflower,” and covered by Georgia Gibbs. She went on to record such classics as “Tell Mama,” “Security,” and, of course, “I’d Rather Go Blind.”

She had a life-long habit that she finally beat in her later years. In her autobiography, she credits, along with Johnny Otis, Johnny “Guitar” Watson as being a major influence in not just her music, but her life, as well.

I was thirteen the first time I heard that one song. Over the years, I’ve come to love “At Last,” “Security,” and all the others, but those horn lines (especially the baritone part) on “Tell Mama” still give me chills, every time.

On the cover of her live album Etta James Rocks The House, recorded in Nashville in the early sixties, there is an Ace bandage visible on her arm. At the time her record company claimed she had slipped and fallen, etc. In fact, as she herself confessed, it was there to cover up much deeper scars.

Etta James never had it easy. She was always just one step ahead or one step behind the curve. Although recognized by her peers in the industry, she was never given the recognition she so justly deserved from the public.

I could go on listing a bunch of facts, but I’d rather you read them for your self. Pick up a copy of her autobiography, Rage To Survive. You’ll never read a more honest and painful account of a life that never stopped being a struggle. But all that aside, she left some truly great, great music. She admits to being a little bit of a challenge to work with, especially during her years with the Chess record company, but regardless, she sang songs that fifty years from now that will stand as examples of Blues, Soul, and Rhythm and Blues at its absolute finest.

She died in her son Danto’s arms, he told the press, “… I told her that I loved her. I said ‘You were a wonderful mother, you did a wonderful job, your seven grandchildren love you, and they will be okay.’ For sure, the world lost a legend today. I am very proud of her, and very thankful.”

Etta James struggled for a lot of years, and now her struggle is finally over. At Last.

One Final Note:

Johnny Otis wrote a book entitled Upside Your Head. As of this writing, you can still get it from Amazon.

Written from the unique perspective of a Greek who passed for African-American, his stories about fifty years in the music business are both fascinating and eye opening,

However, this is much more than a collection of stories. What are most amazing are his essays on American society. His observations and opinions on both the good and that which he sees as in desperate need of change, still ring as true (maybe even truer) today, than they did when this book was written, almost twenty years ago.

Rev. Billy C. Wirtz is a weekly columnist with BluesWax.

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