Although you will doubtless read elsewhere that Quincy Jones was the first black man to hold down a senior executive position in a major record company, the mighty CLYDE OTIS (he stood 6'4") beat him to it by a good few years. Perhaps best known for his long, hugely rewarding collaboration with Brook Benton, songwriter / bandleader / arranger / producer, Otis possessed perfect ears and was a wildly successful writer and producer. At the outset of his career he was active as a recording artist, Clyde Otis And His Orchestra; Disc 1 of this unique compilation comprises tracks from his own LPs and 45rpms. Disc 2 presents Otis as a songwriter, arranger and producer, juxtaposing a handful of key hits and million sellers against a selection of collectors' rarities. Much of the material on Disc 1 is unavailable elsewhere on CD, as are several of the more esoteric, collectable sides on Disc 2.
2 Nat "King" Cole & the Four Knights - That's All There Is to That
3 The Cues - Crackerjack
4 The Five Keys - Out of Sight, Out of Mind
5 Varetta Dillard - I Miss You Jimmy
6 Elvis Presley - Any Way You Want Me
7 Georgia Gibbs - Silent Lips
8 The Diamonds - the Stroll
9 Lavern Baker - Substitute
10 Nat "King" Cole - Looking Back
11 Roy Hamilton - in a Dream
12 Johnnie Ray - Endlessly
13 The Impressions Featuring Jerry Butler - Come Back My Love
14 Priscilla Bowman - a Rockin' Good Way
15 The Ellis Brothers - Sneaky Alligator
16 Ruth Brown - I'll Step Aside
17 The Del Vikings - Flat Tire
18 Brook Benton - It's Just a Matter of Time
19 Ben Hewitt - I Ain't Givin' Up Nothin' (If I Can't Get Something from You)
20 Ivory Joe Hunter - I Just Want to Love You
21 Sarah Vaughan - Smooth Operator
22 Brook Benton & Dinah Washington - Baby (You've Got What It Takes)
23 Patti Page - Promise Me, Thomas
24 Cindy Deveraux - Sing on Baby
25 Dinah Washington - This Bitter Earth
26 Brook Benton - Kiddio
27 Jack Scott - Patsy
28 Clyde McPhatter - You're Movin' Me
29 The Chord Spinners - Call Me
30 Timi Yuro - Count Everything
31 Jay Miller - Big Daddy, You Gotta Go
32 Timi Yuro - What's a Matter Baby
33 Maxine Brown - If You Have No Real Objections
Although you will doubtless read elsewhere that Quincy Jones was the first black man to hold down a senior executive position in a major record company, the mighty CLYDE OTIS (he stood 6'4") beat him to it by a good few years. Perhaps best known for his long, hugely rewarding collaboration with Brook Benton, songwriter / bandleader / arranger / producer, Otis possessed perfect ears and was a wildly successful writer and producer. At the outset of his career he was active as a recording artist, Clyde Otis And His Orchestra; Disc 1 of this unique compilation comprises tracks from his own LPs and 45rpms. Disc 2 presents Otis as a songwriter, arranger and producer, juxtaposing a handful of key hits and million sellers against a selection of collectors' rarities. Much of the material on Disc 1 is unavailable elsewhere on CD, as are several of the more esoteric, collectable sides on Disc 2.