Johnny Otis (born Ioannis (Yannis) Veliotes on December 28, 1921 in Vallejo… Read Full Bio ↴Johnny Otis (born Ioannis (Yannis) Veliotes on December 28, 1921 in Vallejo, California - died on January 17, 2012 in Los Angeles, California) was an American blues and rhythm and blues pianist, vibraphonist, drummer, singer, bandleader, and impresario. Johnny Otis was one of the most prominent white figures in the history of black R&B.
After playing in a variety of swing orchestras, including Lloyd Hunter's Serenaders, he founded his own band in 1945 and had one of the most enduring hits of the big band era, "Harlem Nocturne". This band played with Wynonie Harris and Charles Brown. In 1947 he and Bardu Ali opened the Barrelhouse Club in the Watts district of Los Angeles. He reduced the size of his band and hired singers Mel Walker, Little Esther Phillips and the Robins (who later became the Coasters). He discovered the teenaged Phillips when she won one of the Barrelhouse Club's talent shows. With this band, which toured extensively throughout the United States as the California Rhythm and Blues Caravan, he had a long string of rhythm and blues hits through 1952.
In the late 1940s he discovered Big Jay McNeely, who then performed on his Barrelhouse Stomp. In the 1950s he discovered Etta James, for whom he produced her first hit, Roll With Me, Henry, (also known as The Wallflower). Otis produced the original recording of Hound Dog written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller with vocal by Big Mama Thornton, and was given a writing credit on all six of the 1953 releases of the song. As an artist and repertory man for King Records he also discovered Jackie Wilson, Hank Ballard, and Little Willie John, among others. He also became an influential disk jockey in Los Angeles. However, he continued to perform, and in April 1957 he had a hit with his best-known recording Willie and the Hand Jive. His most famous composition is "Every Beat of My Heart", first recorded by an obscure group in the '50s but which became a huge hit for Gladys Knight.
In the 1960s he entered journalism and politics, losing a campaign for a seat in the California Assembly (one reason for the loss may be that he ran under his much less well known real name). He then became chief of staff for Democratic Congressman Mervyn M. Dymally.
He continued performing through the 1990s and headlined the San Francisco Blues Festival in 2000, although because of his many other interests he went through long periods where he did not perform.
In the 1990's he lived near Sebastopol, California and ran a coffee shop / grocery store / blues club in that hip rural city north of San Francisco.
He was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Otis had a popular radio show on KPFA, called The Johnny Otis Show. This show was aired every Saturday Morning, live from the Powerhouse Brewery in Sebastopol. Listeners were invited to stop in for breakfast and enjoy the show live. Alas, the show's frequency deteriorated along with Johnny's health. When Otis moved to Los Angeles, the show stuttered, then stopped completely and now even the Powerhouse has closed its doors. The last real show was August 19, 2006 and the last with Otis was some time before that.
Otis died on January 17, 2012 at the age of ninety.
Otis, of Greek descent, was the older brother of Nicholas Veliotes, former U.S. Ambassador to Jordan (1978-1981) and to Egypt (1984-1986). He was the father of Shuggie Otis.
Frank Zappa had cited Otis as the inspiration for his distinctive trademark facial hair, stating in an interview conducted by Simpsons creator Matt Groening and Guitar Player magazine editor Don Menn that "it looked good on Johnny Otis, so I grew it."
After playing in a variety of swing orchestras, including Lloyd Hunter's Serenaders, he founded his own band in 1945 and had one of the most enduring hits of the big band era, "Harlem Nocturne". This band played with Wynonie Harris and Charles Brown. In 1947 he and Bardu Ali opened the Barrelhouse Club in the Watts district of Los Angeles. He reduced the size of his band and hired singers Mel Walker, Little Esther Phillips and the Robins (who later became the Coasters). He discovered the teenaged Phillips when she won one of the Barrelhouse Club's talent shows. With this band, which toured extensively throughout the United States as the California Rhythm and Blues Caravan, he had a long string of rhythm and blues hits through 1952.
In the late 1940s he discovered Big Jay McNeely, who then performed on his Barrelhouse Stomp. In the 1950s he discovered Etta James, for whom he produced her first hit, Roll With Me, Henry, (also known as The Wallflower). Otis produced the original recording of Hound Dog written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller with vocal by Big Mama Thornton, and was given a writing credit on all six of the 1953 releases of the song. As an artist and repertory man for King Records he also discovered Jackie Wilson, Hank Ballard, and Little Willie John, among others. He also became an influential disk jockey in Los Angeles. However, he continued to perform, and in April 1957 he had a hit with his best-known recording Willie and the Hand Jive. His most famous composition is "Every Beat of My Heart", first recorded by an obscure group in the '50s but which became a huge hit for Gladys Knight.
In the 1960s he entered journalism and politics, losing a campaign for a seat in the California Assembly (one reason for the loss may be that he ran under his much less well known real name). He then became chief of staff for Democratic Congressman Mervyn M. Dymally.
He continued performing through the 1990s and headlined the San Francisco Blues Festival in 2000, although because of his many other interests he went through long periods where he did not perform.
In the 1990's he lived near Sebastopol, California and ran a coffee shop / grocery store / blues club in that hip rural city north of San Francisco.
He was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Otis had a popular radio show on KPFA, called The Johnny Otis Show. This show was aired every Saturday Morning, live from the Powerhouse Brewery in Sebastopol. Listeners were invited to stop in for breakfast and enjoy the show live. Alas, the show's frequency deteriorated along with Johnny's health. When Otis moved to Los Angeles, the show stuttered, then stopped completely and now even the Powerhouse has closed its doors. The last real show was August 19, 2006 and the last with Otis was some time before that.
Otis died on January 17, 2012 at the age of ninety.
Otis, of Greek descent, was the older brother of Nicholas Veliotes, former U.S. Ambassador to Jordan (1978-1981) and to Egypt (1984-1986). He was the father of Shuggie Otis.
Frank Zappa had cited Otis as the inspiration for his distinctive trademark facial hair, stating in an interview conducted by Simpsons creator Matt Groening and Guitar Player magazine editor Don Menn that "it looked good on Johnny Otis, so I grew it."
Poison Ivy
Johnny Otis Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Poison Ivy' by these artists:
Billy Thorpe She comes on like a roseBut everybody knows She'll get you…
Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs She comes on like a rose But everybody knows She'll get you…
Bionic Ghost Kids I was that what you wanted cry I cried myself to…
Buddy Guy Now cats don't touch that gal that bleeds You'll get wasted…
Burque She said I'm young and broke Got nowhere else to go She…
Coasters She comes on like a rose but everybody knows She'll get…
Cruelist Ivies swallowing walls Like nerves crawl up my bones Roll…
David Clayton-Thomas Every smile you give steals the color from my cheeks Every…
Dre. She was stuck in my mind All night, I couldn't…
Faster Pussycat Baby, baby why won't you let me be You're a major…
Feinstein There’s no reason to be telling your lies Our love isn't…
Furnace Creek Hello, West Coast, my dear It's been a while since I've…
Futurisk Is there no chance to hide me from those poisoned…
Gavin Santi You ain't never had guy like me But I know that…
Groundswell I, I scream your name And I, I hear no answer In…
Hanson Poison Ivy Whoa But everybody knows, don't ya know, don't y…
Hemi Moore You're the pain that I crave Hmmmmm A drug I shouldn't take …
Highsnob Ho dovuto ricordarmi chi ero Per dimenticare quello che dice…
Human Nature She's common like a rose Everybody knows She'll get you to l…
Imperial Wax Works in a cubicle with no lock, makes money off the…
Ivy We don't wanna make love All we do is Your sexy when…
Jonas Brothers I just got back from the doctor He told me that…
Karnataka Stormy winds are howling near as the day the endless nights …
Leiber & Stoller She comes on like a rose but everybody knows She'll get…
Limp Bizkit Sometimes my intuitions are Merely warning signs Sometimes i…
Linda McCartney She comes on like a rose But everybody knows She'll get you…
Little Simz This is toxic I know We ain't doing ourselves any good We…
love-sadKid & Garrett. While I tiptoe through my adolescence Getting bumps and scra…
M.P.D. Limited I've been left to the grass and the weeds Making vines…
Manfred Mann She comes on like a rose but everybody knows, She'll…
Matthew & The Earthquakes Thiessen Poison Ivy Better condition than I'd be Hook me to an IV Whi…
Matthew Thiessen Poison Ivy Better condition than I'd be me to an IV While I…
Matthew Thiessen and The Earthquakes Poison ivy Better condition than I be Hook me to an IV Wh…
Me'Shell Ndegéocello she comes on like a rose and everybody knows she'll get yo…
Nick Brodeur Starlight, star bright First star i see tonight. You burn, s…
Nicolas Rage Stay awake I don't wanna fall asleep in Poison Ivy Feel it g…
Paramounts She comes on like a rose And everybody knows She'll get yo…
Sagastrophe I'm soft I'm pink I've had too much time to think I'm…
Tengo John & Salakid J'déteste ce genre de soirée J'ai toujours peur de m'foirer …
The Aztecs She comes on like a rose But everybody knows She'll get you…
The Badlees You are my poison ivy You are my disease You are what…
The Coaster She comes on like a rose but everybody knows She'll get…
The Hollies Poison ivy wrap around me Poison ivy don't set me free There…
The Lambrettas She comes on like a rose and everybody knows She'll get…
The Lords Human Nature Miscellaneous Poison Ivy She's common like a r…
The Nylons She comes on like a rose But everybody knows She'll get you…
The Paramounts She comes on like a rose And everybody knows She'll get you…
The Romantics She comes on like a rose but everybody knows She'll get…
The Sh-Booms Mamacita (She so bad) Yeah she came straight from Taiwan Tho…
The Von Bondies Nothing can compare Two weeks I stared Hands, hand tied…
The Young And The Restless Ay your love is poison Your outta my league just like…
Tory Lanez Tell ya Please don't love her She's got evil in her eyes Kno…
Trust Fund Ozu Ah-ah Ah-ah-ahah-ah Ah-ah Oni-chan I am happy when the sky …
Unruly Child POISON IVY There's a place that I can't reach It's just beyo…
V.A. She comes on like a rose but everybody knows She'll get…
Von Bondies Nothing can compare Two weeks I stared Hands, hand tied…
Willie Mabon Now cat, don’t touch that gal there please You’ll get waste…
Wolverine Slowly her blood will kill him Dying upon the leaves of…
Young & Restless She comes on like a rose And everybody knows She'll get you…
Young Harry Ay your love is poison Your outta my league just like…
● The Rolling Stones She comes on like a rose And everybody knows She'll get yo…
★Jonas Brothers I just got back from the doctor He told me that…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Johnny Otis:
A Fool in Love Why do they think up stories that link my name…
Ain'T Too Proud To Beg I know you wanna leave me, But I refuse to let…
Baby Just You (Keep me hangin' on) Set me free why don't cha babe Get…
Bad Luck Shadow Bad luck shadow, get off of my trail Bad luck shadow,…
Barrel-House Blues I wonder who's kissing her now I wonder who's teaching her…
Bye Bye Baby No one here can love or understand me Oh, what hard…
Castin' My Spell I took a black cat, a cave bat And threw them…
Choo- Choo-Ch-Boogie Heading for the station with a pack on my back I'm…
Country Girl Winding paths through tables and glass First flowers bloom N…
Don't Deceive Me Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh…
Double Crossing Blues Twenty-five minutes past quitting time Seven of us crammed i…
driftin' blues Well I'm drifting and drifting, Like a ship out on the…
Every Beat of My Heart Every Beat Of My Heart Rod Stewart Through these misty eyes…
Goodbye (Keep me hangin' on) Set me free why don't cha babe Get…
Hound dog You ain't nothing but a hound dog Been snoopin' 'round the…
i I may be wrong but I think you're wonderful I may…
I Can Sugar pie honey bunch you know that I love you I…
I'm Ready for Love As I stand alone on this moonful night for the…
It ain't the beauty It don't mean a thing If it ain't got that swing (doo…
Long Tall Sally I'm gonna tell Aunt Mary 'bout Uncle John He said he…
Louie Louie Louie, Louie, oh, oh, me gotta go Louie, Louie, me gotta…
Ma Little Lilly was oh! So silly and shy And all the…
Mocking Bird Everybody have you heard? He's gonna buy me a mockingbird …
Mood Indigo You ain't never been blue; no, no, no, You ain't…
organ grinder's swing Who's that coming down the street? Good old organ grinder Pe…
People Will Say We’re In Love Why do they think up stories that link my name…
Please Don't Leave Me Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh…
Roll With Me Henry (Hey Baby, What do I have to do,) (To make you…
Shake It Lucy Baby Well, come on gal Let's rock this joint tonight Say, come …
Sugar Pie Honey Bunch Sugar pie honey bunch you know that I love you I…
Telephone Baby Hello Johnny Yes it's me and I'm lonely I had to call…
The deacon moves in Look out fat deacon Do ya really think about we kind Well…
Willie & The Hand I know a cat named Way-Out Willie He got a cool…
Willie & the Hand Jive I know a cat named Way-Out Willie He got a cool…
WILLIE AND THE BAND JIVE I know a cat named Way-Out Willie He got a cool…
You Just Kissed Me Goodbye (Keep me hangin' on) Set me free why don't cha babe Get…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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