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Otis Spann

Otis Spann
(March 21, 1930 - April 25, 1970)

Otis was one ace of a Chicago Blues piano player. He was born and grew up in Mississippi and began teaching himself to play the piano before his tenth birthday. By fourteen was playing in clubs and bars. After moving to Chicago in 1951, he quickly took to playing in Blues clubs, and two years later he was invited to play with Muddy Waters at the legendary Blues record label Chess Records. His piano backings can be heard in several Muddy Waters hits, including the chart-toppers "Hoochie Coochie Man" and "I'm Ready", among others. He quickly became a staple in the Chess family, playing backing piano for a number of Chess artists, including Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and Bo Diddley.

His first solo album "Otis Spann Is The Blues", accompanied by Lightnin' Hopkins, is regarded as one of the greatest Piano Blues albums of all time. His first album brought him widespread exposure, and he played festivals, recorded and toured extensively. Otis prepared to drive into an illustrious solo career, leaving Water's band to be replaced by Pinetop Perkins in 1969. Unfortunately, it was not to be. He was diagnosed with cancer and died far too young in 1970 at only 40 years old.

Before his terribly untimely death, he cut arguably the best Blues piano recordings ever made, played with the likes of Robert Jr. Lockwood, James Cotton, and even Buddy Guy. Finally, in 1980 he was posthumously inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

Notable albums by Otis Spann
Otis Spann Is The Blues       (buy album)       (download album)

Notable notables on Otis Spann
Curiously, on his album, "Otis Spann Is The Blues", only ten tracks are listed. However, on most copies of the album, there are, in fact, sixteen tracks, the last six mystery tracks are unnamed and undocumented. Largely, these tracks have been elusive in being identified and named. After some hard-fought research, revisiting the original August 23, 1960 recording session in New York City, the names of the six bonus tracks are as follows:

11. Spann And Bob 3:22
12. Can't Stand Your Evil Ways(Take 2) 3:46
13. Talkin' The Blues(Take 1) 5:46
14. Baby Child(Take 3) 4:29
15. Cow Cow Blues(Take 3) 4:19
16. Beat-Up Team(First Version) 6:37