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Shuggie Otis At ACL Fest – Austin Chronicle Concert Review

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Scion of the founding West Coast R&B dynasty going back to his father, classic Forties/Fifties bandleader Johnny Otis, Shuggie’s set Sunday demonstrated many amazing qualities. For one, how to preside over an audience while rooted to one spot and just wailing. This is how enormous the man’s stage presence is: He does not have to move a muscle, fingers and vocal chords aside.

Secondly, this man and his music can make every butt in a dwindling house shake unfettered, yet he and his songs remain unruffled. Shuggie’s sounds are definitely the smoothest to ever have a South Central address.

Third, Otis’ guitar work draws a direct line to the second word in the phrase “rhythm & blues.” … How the man can cut like he does and still retain a mellow tone on his instrument is a true mystery.

Read the complete concert review at The Austin Chronicle.

Photo credit: Sandy Carson

Listen To Shuggie Otis On NPR’s World Cafe

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Blues and R&B musician Shuggie Otis is back with a new album for the first time in almost 40 years. For the reclusive Otis, the release of Wings of Love is major news. Its release is paired with his 1974 masterpiece Inspiration Information. On World Cafe, Shuggie plays some of his recent material with his band, and talks about how he developed the cornerstone of Inspiration Information using a drum machine.

Listen to Shuggie Otis on World Cafe.

Shuggie Otis Named Best Local Music Legend By LA Weekly

The son of R&B royalty Johnny Otis, singer-songwriter Shuggie Otis made a name for himself in the hippie era through works like his psychedelic hit “Strawberry Letter 23.” He even was invited to join The Rolling Stones at one point, though he turned down the offer. … Epic Records finally reissued Otis’ classic 1974 work, Inspiration Information, and he began performing at venues like the Echoplex and El Rey. After years of sampling by prominent hip-hop acts like OutKast, Otis’ music sounds more relevant than ever.

Read more at LA Weekly.