Johnny Otis and His Orchestra

Johnny Otis was a rhythm and blues musician popular in the early fifties. He is best known for his hit Willie and the Hand Jive. He is a member of the Blues Hall of Fame and the R&B Hall of Fame. He is also known for hosting a show that led to the discovery of future music stars such as Big Mama Thornton, Little Willie John, and Hank Ballard. When inducted into the Hall of Fame it was as a nonperformer, likely due to this. However, he and his orchestra had some great success and must be commemorated.