Strawberry Letter #23 !!

[Gig Young]

I guess that would be the letter W.
High in vitamin C.

(I would like to see a mash-up of the Beatles' Strawberry Fields and Strawberry Letter # 23).

Brother Johnson's iconic version of Shuggie Otis's original:

 

[Tim Bowen]

Lee Ritenour on guitar. Awesome track.

The late Louis Johnson was the second notable guy to do the slap 'n' pop bass thing after Larry Graham pretty much invented it. And I still think those guys sound the best/smoothest at it.

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Much prefer Shuggies original.

 

[Gig Young]

Much prefer Shuggies original.

I just called Shuggie.
He's going to let me share this- but just for 30 minutes:

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

The whole album Inspiration Information is just brilliant. SOs tone with his 335 is one of the sweetest I've ever heard.

 

[Gig Young]

The whole album Inspiration Information is just brilliant. SOs tone with his 335 is one of the sweetest I've ever heard.

Thank you. Probably later tonight I'll check some of his catalog.
He's an interesting fellow, esp starting so strong and full at such a young age

 

[HDTH]

Thank you. Probably later tonight I'll check some of his catalog.
He's an interesting fellow, esp starting so strong and full at such a young age

When your dad is Johnny Otis you're bound to meet some musical legends while growing up and it sounds like some things rubbed off on Shuggie!

 

[Laurence]

Shuggie!

 

[musicman1]

Man i could listen to bass players like louis johnson or Bernard Edwards all day. That slapping and popping musicman bass. So damn good.

 

[Laurence]

 

[BADHAK]

Great song

 

[gibson3798]

Snuggie for sure.

The first time I heard this song, I must have played it 5-6 times in a row that night.

 

[Ogre]

Thunder Thumbs & Lightning Licks!

 

[Stx]

Didn't even know that was a remake. So that was Bros + Quincy Jones + Lee Ritenour, made that great.

 

[Tim Bowen]

I do dig the original Shuggie side a bunch. Might be sacrilege, but I prefer the Brothers Johnson cover if held at gunpoint to choose between the two. Much has to do with the aforementioned stellar Louis Johnson bass track.

It happens, preferring a high profile cover to a recording by the original artist. Wilson Pickett's reading of the much maligned Mustang Sally to Mack Rice's original version; Deep Purple's version of (Joe South's) Hush to Billy Joe Royal's; Manfred Mann's Earth Band's Blinded by the Light to Springsteen's; Hendrix's All Along the Watchtower to Dylan's; Jeff Beck Group's Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You to Dylan's; pretty much everything Linda Ronstadt ever recorded (for me, yep, even the Little Feat and Elvis Costello tunes), to list but a few personal examples.

Back-to-back





Shuggie Otis, Graham Central Station, and Brothers Johnson were all big influences for Prince. Folks typically quickly cite James Brown, Hendrix, Sly Stone, Miles, Beatles, and EW&F, and rightfully so, but Shuggie, Larry G, and Bros. J all tweaked Prince Rogers Nelson's ear in a major way along his path.