Otis Spann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otis Spann
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| Background information | |
| Born | March 21, 1924 or 1930 Belzoni or Jackson, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | April 24, 1970 (aged 40–46) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Chicago blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Piano, vocals |
| Years active | 1944–1970 |
| Labels | Decca, Chess, Storyville, Testament, Bluesway, Vanguard, CBS/Blue Horizon |
| Associated acts | Muddy Waters |
Otis Spann (born in 1924 or 1930, died in 1970) was a famous American blues musician. Many people think he was the best Chicago blues piano player after World War II.
Contents
Early Life of Otis Spann
There are different ideas about when and where Otis Spann was born. Some say he was born in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1930. However, researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc found records that suggest he was born in 1924 in Belzoni, Mississippi.
Otis Spann's mother, Josephine Erby, was a guitarist. She played with famous musicians like Memphis Minnie and Bessie Smith. His stepfather, Frank Houston Spann, was a preacher and also a musician. Otis was one of five children. He started playing the piano when he was seven years old. He learned from his stepfather and another musician named Little Brother Montgomery.
Otis Spann's Music Career
By the time he was 14, Otis Spann was already playing in bands around Jackson, Mississippi. In 1946, he moved to Chicago. There, he learned a lot from a musician named Big Maceo Merriweather. Otis played music by himself and with a guitarist named Morris Pejoe. He often performed at a place called the Tic Toc Lounge. Otis was known for his special way of playing the piano.
He became the piano player for the famous blues artist Muddy Waters in late 1952. Otis played on many of Muddy Waters' most well-known songs. These include blues classics like "Hoochie Coochie Man", "I'm Ready", and "Got My Mojo Working". Even while playing with Muddy Waters, Otis also recorded music as a solo artist. He also played with other musicians like Bo Diddley and Howlin' Wolf. He stayed with Muddy Waters' band until 1968.
Recordings and Collaborations
Otis Spann recorded for Chess Records. In 1954, he released a song called "It Must Have Been the Devil." He also played piano on some songs by Chuck Berry, like "You Can't Catch Me" in 1956. However, some people think Chuck Berry's regular pianist, Johnnie Johnson, played on those songs instead.
In 1960, Otis recorded with guitarist Robert Lockwood Jr. and singer St. Louis Jimmy Oden. These recordings were later released on albums like Otis Spann Is the Blues. He also recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1963. In 1964, he worked with Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton for Decca Records. He also recorded with James Cotton that year.
His 1966 album, The Blues Is Where It's At, featured musicians like George "Harmonica" Smith and Muddy Waters. In 1967, he released The Bottom of the Blues, which included his wife, Lucille Spann. In the late 1960s, he worked on albums with Buddy Guy, Big Mama Thornton, Peter Green, and Fleetwood Mac.
You can also find videos of Otis Spann performing live. He played at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960 and the American Folk Blues Festival in 1963. He also performed at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival in 1968.
Otis Spann's Passing
Otis Spann passed away in Chicago in 1970 due to a serious illness. He was buried in Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. For almost 30 years, his grave did not have a headstone. Then, a man named Steve Salter wrote a letter asking for help. Blues fans from all over the world sent money to buy a headstone for Otis. On June 6, 1999, the headstone was put in place. It says, "Otis played the deepest blues we ever heard – He'll play forever in our hearts."
Otis Spann's Legacy
Otis Spann left a lasting impact on music. In 1972, a music festival site was named "Otis Spann Memorial Field" in his honor. A music critic named Robert Christgau called him "the greatest modern blues pianist."
In 1980, Otis Spann was chosen to be in the Blues Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for blues musicians. On November 13, 2012, a special marker was placed in Jackson, Mississippi. This marker, called a Mississippi Blues Trail Marker, honors Otis Spann and his cousin, Little Johnnie Jones. It is located where Otis's family lived in the 1930s and 1940s.
Discography
Here are some of the albums Otis Spann released:
- Otis Spann Is the Blues (1960)
- Good Morning Mr. Blues (1963)
- The Blues of Otis Spann (1964)
- The Blues Never Die! (1965)
- Chicago/The Blues/Today!, vol. 1 (1966)
- Otis Spann's Chicago Blues (1966)
- The Blues Is Where It's At (1966)
- The Bottom of the Blues (1968)
- Cryin' Time (1969)
- The Biggest Thing Since Colossus (1969)
- The Everlasting Blues vs. Otis Spann (1969)
- Up in the Queen's Pad (1969)
- Super Black Blues (1969) with T-Bone Walker and Joe Turner
- Sweet Giant of the Blues (1970)
- Walking the Blues (recorded 1960, released 1972)
- Heart Loaded with Trouble (1973) - a collection of songs
- Otis Rides Again (1980)
- Last Call: Live at Boston Tea Party (recorded 1970, released 2000)
- I Wanna Go Home (recorded 1964–69, released 2003)
- Complete Blue Horizon Sessions (recorded 1969, released 2006)
- Someday... (recorded 1967, released 2012)
See also
In Spanish: Otis Spann para niños
- Chicago blues
- List of blues musicians
- List of people from Mississippi
- List of Storyville Records artists
