Special Tribute: Jimmy Otey, Tuesday, August 27, 2013 @ Carol Ann's Restaurant, 407 Murfreesboro Rd., Nashville, Tennessee Rhythm & Blues Society, (Grown Folks Night) Host, Jimmy Church Jimmy Otey has been a musician since 1958. He first started playing the trumpet as a child but switched to drums while in Junior High. His first job was with a little hometown band called the "Cheers". One Saturday night, there was a knock on Jimmy's family's door; at the door was Cecil Dennie, the guitar player for the band and Leslie Woodson, the piano player. A player (James Lane in the band had just quit in the middle of a performance and they needed a drummer. They asked Jimmy's parents if he could come with them to finish the band's performance that night . Jimmy's mother reluctantly said that he could go with them if his father, James "Bear" Otey Sr., accompanied his son. The year was 1958 and Jimmy was 12 years old. His first gig was the "Morning start Night Club" in Franklin Tennessee, owned by Lawton "Big Lawton" Brittain Sr. (a friend of Jimmy's father). After that night, the band "Cheers" wanted Jimmy to continue to play with them. His mother. Alberta Otey, said Jimmy could play with the band only if his father accompanied him on every performance, and on the condition that he never perform on school night, and that he continue to attend church (Shorter Chapel A.M.E. Church) each Sunday no matter how tired he might be from performing the previous night with the band. Jimmy continued playing with the "Cheers Band" until he was about 14 years old, traveling throughout Tennessee and a few other states. His father, who went Jimmy on every job until he was 18 years old, made him practice the drums every day without fail ( he practiced at night as well) on the front porch of the families' home. He often kept the neighbors up and the police had to come by and tell him and his father to cool it down. Jimmy had already been playing drums in the (high school) Franklin Training School Band, even though he was attending Johnson Elementary School and that was during his 7th and 8th grade year. Jimmy's first band director was Jesse Palmer Walker Jr., who taught him his rudiments and how to read music. He also took piano lessons from Mrs. Bobby Jean Wray, his high school music teacher. Jimmy's band director in high school was James P. Watkins, who taught him how to play jazz on the drums and classical music on the saxophone. Jimmy was introduced to Milt Turner of Nashville and former drummer of the late Ray Charles, who taught him the skills to swing with bands. Through this interaction, he encountered musicians Hank Crawford (sax player for Ray Charles), Phineas Newborn (Piano), Charles Dungee (bass player for Sammy Davis Jr.), Ernest Vantreas (piano) for Ray Charles) and Johnny Jones (guitar for Jimi Hendrix). Jimmy said his father was his greatest influence in all aspects of his life, including his music. When Jimmy finished high school, he began working at the Franklin Manufacturing Company in the day and attending the Blair School of Music in Nashville in the evening, three nights a week, majoring in percussion. After about two years, he left Franklin Manufacturing Company and took a job with Johnny Jones and the King Casuals, backing up the Jackie Wilson Show, with groups like Impressions, Gene Chandler and Pig Meat Markum, touring all over the county. Jimmy later played with the Buford Majors Revue and the Tyron Smith Revue as band leader. He traveled around the world for two years with Little Richard before going on to perform with James Brown, and Taj Mahal. He also played in the band for the Bill Cosby Show, which aired on NBC. He continues to perform with his band, the New Imperials and resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

• published: 29 Aug 2013
• views: 14