[BHS Etree] MISC - Johnny Otis, Former BHS Student, Dies at Age 90

[BHS etree]

Johnny Otis, a former Berkeley High student and renowned musician, died on
Tuesday, January 17 at age 90. Johnny is a member of the Berkeley High Hall
of Fame.  

 

"The bandleader Johnny Otis was one of the first white American musicians to
cross the racial divide, aligning himself with the black community as a
teenager and from then on regarding himself - and being treated as - a black
man," wrote the British newspaper The Guardian. "He attracted many nicknames
- among them the Duke Ellington of Watts, the Reverend Hand Jive and the
Godfather of Rhythm and Blues - and distinguished himself as a television
host, political activist, preacher, cartoonist, painter, chef, record
producer, talent scout, DJ, sculptor, writer and organic farmer." 

 

For the rest of the Guardian story go to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/jan/19/johnny-otis 

 

For the story in the New York Times story go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/arts/music/johnny-otis-musician-dies-at-90
.html?_r=1
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/20/arts/music/johnny-otis-musician-dies-at-9
0.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all> &pagewanted=all 

 

To watch Johnny Otis play the Hand Jive go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEeeGMpM_Nk
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEeeGMpM_Nk&feature=share> &feature=share 

 

For a more detailed biography go to:
http://thesis.haverford.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/10066/5995/Lipsitz_33_1-
2.pdf?sequence=1 

 

_________________

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