Roots of R&B: Johnny Otis & Etta James

Fresh Air

NPR

Tv & Film, Arts, Society & Culture, Books

4.4 • 34.4K Ratings

🗓️ 27 August 2025

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

All week we're revisiting archival interviews with key figures in early rock and roll, rockabilly and R&B. Singer, songwriter, producer and talent scout Johnny Otis got his start leading a big band that had the 1945 hit “Harlem Nocturne.” Later, as a talent scout, he discovered such performers as Big Mama Thornton, Esther Phillips and Etta James. James' career took off in the '60s with hits including “At Last," “A Sunday Kind of Love” and “I’d Rather Go Blind."

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Life is a mystery for those of faith or no faith. Ye gods with Scott Carter is the podcast that
0:06.4	makes sense of how we make sense of life. Each week we talk to celebrities, scholars, and mere
0:11.9	mortals to unearth what on earth we believe and what we don't. Listen to ye gods with Scott Carter,
0:18.1	part of the NPR network wherever you get your podcasts.
0:21.7	This is Fresh Air. I'm Terry Gross. Today we continue our archive series, R&B, rockabilly,
0:28.3	and early rock and roll. Before Elvis Presley recorded Hound Dog, it was recorded by Big Mama Thornton.
0:34.9	The record's drummer and producer was Johnny Otis,
0:38.5	whose interview
0:39.0	were featuring today.
0:40.9	You ain't nothing but a hound dog
0:44.2	and snooping around the door.
0:48.2	You ain't nothing but a hound dog
0:51.0	being snooping around the door.
0:57.0	You can wagg your stooping around the door You can wag your tail But I ain't gonna feed you no more
1:01.0	You told me you was high cap
1:06.0	But I can see through that
1:09.0	Yeah she told me you was high clad But I could see through that Yeah, she told me you was high-clad
1:12.6	But I can see through that
1:15.6	And Daddy, I know
1:18.6	You ain't no real cool cat
1:22.6	You ain't nothing but a hound dog
1:25.6	When snooping around my door
	...

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