New Film in Production
Who the Hell is Johnny Otis?
When a high school counselor told him to quit his Black friends, Loannis Veliotes, the son of Greek immigrants, dropped out and became Johnny Otis, a legendary innovator of Rhythm & Blues.
A musician, artist, and writer, but his book defending the 1965 Watts Rebellion – Listen to the Lambs – was a full-throated battle cry against racism and white supremacy. And it nearly ended his career.
This is the provocative and inspiring story of the artist behind “Willie and the Hand Jive,” who influenced R&B and soul singers from Big Mama Thornton and Gladys Knight to Soul musicians today such as Bruno Mars and Jon Batiste. And it’s about his lifelong battle with white supremacy.
To learn more about this important film, watch the slide show
This project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a partner of the NEH. Visit www.calhum.org.