Shuggie Otis Q&A With Spinner

Despite his success, Shuggie Otis has had it harder than most music lovers realize. Sure, he’s been sampled by almost every hip-hopper imaginable. And he wrote “Strawberry Letter 23,” a huge hit for the Brothers Johnson.The problem for Otis has really been escaping his own considerable shadow. The guy was a guitar god by age 15. The auteur of several classic (if poorly-selling) Psych-Funk albums by 21. He was actually asked to join the Rolling Stones as a replacement for Mick Taylor. That’s enough pressure to drive anyone underground. Luckily, at 59, Otis is out amongst us again. He’s touring and is re-releasing his masterpiece, Inspiration Information, plus the never-released Wings of Love. Spinner recently talked to the California native about his mysterious, misunderstood persona.

Read the Shuggie Otis Q&A at Spinner.