Johnny Otis (born Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes; December 28, 1921 – January 17, 2012) was an American singer, musician, composer, arranger, bandleader, talent scout, disc jockey, record producer, television show host, artist, author, journalist, minister, and impresario. He was a seminal influence on American R&B and rock and roll. He discovered numerous artists early in their careers who went on to become highly successful in their own right, including Little Esther Phillips, Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, Johnny Ace, Jackie Wilson, Little Willie John, Hank Ballard, and The Robins (who eventually changed their name to The Coasters), among many others. Otis has been called the "Godfather of Rhythm and Blues".
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Shuggie Otis
American singer-songwriter, recording artist, and multi-instrumentalist
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Esther Phillips
American R&B singer
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Preston Love
American saxophonist
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Roy Milton
American R&B and jump blues singer, drummer and bandleader
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Margie Evans
American blues singer and songwriter
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Red Holloway
American jazz tenor saxophonist
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Ernie Freeman
American musician
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Eddie Vinson
American jump blues, jazz, bebop and R&B alto saxophonist and blues shouter
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Big Jay McNeely
American rhythm and blues saxophonist
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Amos Milburn
American rhythm and blues singer, and pianist
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Mike Kowalski
American drummer and percussionist
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Little Willie Jackson
American jazz and rhythm and blues saxophonist, bandleader and occasional vocalist
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Clifford Solomon
American musician
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Gerald Wilson
American trumpetist (1918-2014)
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Lowell Fulson
American musician
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Joe Liggins
American R&B, jazz and blues pianist
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Etta James
American recording artist; singer
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Cash McCall
American electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter
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Little Willie John
American recording artist; R&B singer
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Don Harris
American rock and roll violinist and guitarist
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John Boudreaux Jr.
New Orleans jazz musician
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Otis Redding
American singer, songwriter and record producer
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Floyd Dixon
American rhythm and blues pianist and singer
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Wynonie Harris
American blues shouter and rhythm and blues singer
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Roy Brown
American R&B singer, songwriter and musician
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Marie Adams
American singer (1925-1972)
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Albert Collins
American blues musician, recording artist, songwriter
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Charles Brown
American recording artist; songwriter, blues singer and pianist
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Johnny Mars
American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter
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Leon René
American songwriter, record label owner, record producer
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Sonny Criss
American jazz musician
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Ivory Joe Hunter
American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, and pianist
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Maxwell Davis
American musician
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Booker T. & the M.G.'s
American musical group; R& B/funk band
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Linda Hopkins
African American actress and blues and gospel singer
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Little Willie Littlefield
American R&B pianist and singer
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Ike Turner
African American musician, songwriter, and producer (1931-2007)
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Eddie Floyd
American singer
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Percy Mayfield
American singer and songwriter
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Johnny "Guitar" Watson
guitarist
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Big Mama Thornton
American rhythm and blues singer and songwriter
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Solomon Burke
American singer
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Arnold Moore
American singer
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Hal Mooney
American composer
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Johnny Heartsman
American electric blues and soul blues musician
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Dinah Washington
American singer, songwriter, pianist
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Jimmy Nolen
American guitarist
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T-Bone Walker
American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
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Henry Glover
American songwriter, arranger, record producer and trumpet player
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Ike & Tina Turner
American musical duo
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Cozy Cole
American musician
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Plas Johnson
American musician
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Big Joe Turner
American blues shouter
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The Brothers Johnson
Funk Band
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Joe Maphis
American musician
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The Blues Brothers
American blues and soul band
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Steve Cropper
American guitarist, songwriter and record producer
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Barbara Lynn
American rhythm and blues and electric blues guitarist and singer
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Eddie Rubin
American drummer
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Barbara Morrison
American singer
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Ray Charles
American recording artist; musician, singer, songwriter