Shuggie Otis

by Ed Hogan
Guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist Shuggie Otis may not be a household name, but his Strawberry Letter 23 is in the record collections of millions of households. The Brothers Johnsons cover of Strawberry Letter 23 has sold over a million copies, peaking at number one R&B and number five pop on Billboards charts in summer 1977. It was on their LP Right on Time, which went platinum, selling over a million copies, holding the number one R&B spot for three weeks and making it to number 13 pop in spring 1977. Otis wrote Strawberry Letter 23 for his girlfriend, who used strawberry scented paper for her letters to him. Another Otis favorite, Inspiration Information, received substantial airplay in Chicago and other markets, charting #56 R&B in early 1975.
Born Johnny Otis, Jr. on November 30, 1953, in Los Angeles, CA, Otis formidable musical talents appeared at an early age. He began his professional career around 1965. He played a guitar solo on his bandleader, father Johnny Otis 1969 number 29 R&B hit, Country Girl, issued by Kent Records. His guitar skills were so adept that during his teen years, he would have to wear dark glasses and strategically apply black ink between his nose and mouth to appear old enough to perform in clubs with his father.
Signing with CBS Records, Otis began recording virtuoso guitar-laced R&B/West Coast blues sides. His first LP was Al Kooper Introduces Shuggie Otis on CBS. Johnny Otis produced 1970s Here Comes Shuggie Otis, which was issued on the CBS imprint, Epic Records. Otis Freedom Flight was issued September 1971 and included the original version of Strawberry Letter 23, the heart-tugging Someones Always Singing, Ice Cold Daydream, and the bluesy Me and My Woman, co-written by Otis and Gene Barge (known best for his association with Chess Records, Chuck Willis, and Natalie Cole).
His LP Inspiration Information was issued in October 1974, with Otis playing all of the instruments on jazzy and Latin-tinged R&B numbers. The LP was one of the first releases to showcase the electronic rhythm box then found usually on organs. Besides Inspiration Information, the LP included the sly Sparkle City, the sweet ballad Outtamihead, and the lush, strings-laden Island Letter, which was the B-side of Inspiration Information.
George Johnson of the Brothers Johnson was dating one of Otis cousins who gave Johnson a copy of Freedom Flight. Immediately, he liked Ice Cold Daydream and Strawberry Letter 23. The latter song was played at his brother Louis Johnsons wedding during the wedding march. Louis suggested the song to their producer Quincy Jones for an album track. The tracks complex guitar solo was played by Lee Ritenour. The Brothers Johnson version is quite close to Otis original version.
Later on in the 90s, Otis played with his own band around northern California and toured extensively. His son, Lucky Otis, played bass with Johnny Otis band. Shuggie Otis is featured in the book Alligator Records Presents West Coast Blues, issued in August 1998 by Milwaukee, WI, publisher Hal Leonard.