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An immense influence on the development of Rock and Roll, Johnny Otis is a key element in the history of modern music. He produced, and with his band played on the original recording of "Hound Dog" with "Big Momma" Thornton, featured here and which has since become synonymous with the birth of Rock and Roll following the 1956 Elvis rendition. He produced and played on Johnny Ace's "Pledging My Love", and produced some of Little Richard's earliest recordings. In 1950 he had ten songs that made the Top 10 on Billboard Magazine's Best Selling Retail Rhythm & Blues Records list and became the hottest musical attraction in black America and was described as the most influential white musician on black music. He discovered many great Rhythm and Blues singers such as Esther Phillips, Willie "Mae" Thornton, Etta James, Jackie Wilson and many more. He has also recorded and produced with some of the greatest names in black music history. His career expanded into Radio and Television in the 1950s and "The Johnny Otis Show" ran on national TV for 8 years. Now in his 80s Johnny Otis still presents a weekly radio show, teaches at The University Of California at Berkeley and is widely respected as a musician, writer, producer, artist, author and historian of American history. Johnny Otis's song writing credits include "Every Beat of My Heart", (a song he wrote originally for Jackie Wilson, but was made a hit by Gladys Knight and the Pips), "Roll With Me Henry", (also known as "The Wallflower"), "So Fine", "Willie and the Hand Jive" (which sold over 1.5 million copies), and many, many others. Johnny has been inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, and into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He remains active in the recording studio. His 1994 release "Spirit of the Black Territory Bands" received a Grammy nomination.

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