Shuggie Otis is everything you want in a funk and soul artist. He's an enigmatic virtuoso with strong musical roots, credibility and coolness to spare.
Otis was born in 1953. His father was the legendary R&B man Johnny Otis. With that kind of lineage, and with the likes of Etta James and Jackie Wilson hanging around, it's no wonder the younger Otis gravitated towards music.
The singer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist released a trio of records from 1969 to 1974. The final album, Inspiration Information, was arranged, written and played (mostly) by Otis himself. The result is a cult classic, a masterful record that inspired the likes of Prince and Lenny Kravitz, and has been sampled in songs by Outkast, Beyoncé and many other hip-hop artists.
On April 16, Epic/Legacy will be reissuing the long out of print Inspiration Information, with four bonus songs that were recorded in 1971. Along with the reissue, there's a second disc called Wings of Love that features live and studio songs recorded between 1975 and 2000.
Both records are streaming on CBC Music until April 15.
The now 59-year-old Otis just returned from playing shows in Australia and Japan, and is set to entertain North American fans with a tour this spring, including a stop in Toronto on April 14.
Check back in the coming days for CBC Music's feature interview with Otis. For now, transport yourself to 1974 for some Inspiration Information.
Pre-order Inspiration Information/Wings of Love.
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