Shuggie Otis is a musician and noted songwriter who has straddled the gamut of music genres, creating varied songs that could be pigeonholed as R&B, jazz, funk, blues, rock or pop. Born in Los Angeles to music impresario Johnny Otis and his wife Phyllis in 1953, Shuggie (a nickname given to him by his mother, short for sugar) started playing guitar at a young age and would play in various outfits that his father was bandleader for, even donning large sunglasses and a fake mustache for after hours club performances. Getting his feet wet at an early age gave Shuggie the industry knowledge that many young musicians don't acquire until they're old. Releasing his debut album, Here Comes Shuggie Otis, in 1969, the LP would go on to become a quintessential favorite amongst connoisseurs of R&B-influenced soul music.
