Johnny Otis has passed....

[Pilgrim]

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-johnny-otis-20120119,0,2183487.story

Quite a guy, and quite an impact on music.  R.I.P.

[Dave W]

Nice article. One of those guys who had a lot of influence behind the scenes, especially with Jackie Wilson, while being mostly forgotten as a singer.

I'm not aware of him having anything to do with discovering Little Richard, though.

[Droombolus]

We recorded his So Fine only a month ago ...... and I'll be looking up Telephone Baby this evening ! RIP Johnny !

[Pilgrim]

His 1945 original version of Harlem Nocturne is well worth listening to.  Just fire it up and close your eyes, and you can practically see a black & white film noir private dick movie...pretty cool, and a great example of music that captures the idiom of a time period.

[Stjofön Big]

That one is one of my absolute favourites through the years. Slowboiling of pure sex. Love it!

[Droombolus]

His 1945 original version of Harlem Nocturne is well worth listening to.  Just fire it up and close your eyes, and you can practically see a black & white film noir private dick movie...pretty cool, and a great example of music that captures the idiom of a time period.

It was used as the tune for the Mike Hammer series with Stacey Keach .... alas that series was shot in colour but it was 100% gum shoe ......

[Dave W]

With all due respect, Johnny Otis didn't write Harlem Nocturne. He was one of many who covered it.

Earle Hagen wrote it. He was better known in the industry for writing theme songs for TV.

[Pilgrim]

With all due respect, Johnny Otis didn't write Harlem Nocturne. He was one of many who covered it.

Earle Hagen wrote it. He was better known in the industry for writing theme songs for TV.

RIGHT!  Thanks for correcting my error.  Hagen definitely deserves the creator credit.