Johnny and Shuggie Otis 1957
On today’s show, we remember bandleader and producer Johnny Otis. He launched and nurtured the careers of many of R&B’s greatest stars, including Etta James. In her 1994 Fresh Air interview, James talked extensively about her relationship with Otis. We found out she passed away shortly before broadcast today and will run an on-air version of her obituary next week.
RIP Johnny. In other news, listening to Esther Philips makes me want to kill myself, knowing she was only like…12, 13,...