Otis, Johnny

Otis, Johnny John Alexander Veliotes, 28 December 1921; Vallejo, CA Vocalist, drummer, vibraphonist, pianist, bandleader. The son of Alexander Veliotes, a grocer in an African American district of Berkeley, California. Otis, of Greek heritage, adopted an African American identity as a teenager. He married Phyllis Walker in 1941. Otis began his career as a drummer in 1940 with Count Otis Matthews and his West Oakland House Rockers . He worked in the territory jazz bands of George Morrison…