Otis Spann

A core member of Muddy Waters' legendary bands of the 1950s and 1960s, pianist, vocalist, composer, Otis Spann is widely considered the standard bearer for postwar blues pianists. Spann played on most of Waters' classic Chess sides between 1953 and 1969. He offered a barnstorming approach to boogie woogie and stride in developing the Chicago blues piano style. His own debut, 1960's Otis Spann Is the Blues, also featured the guitar and vocals of Robert Lockwood, Jr. The Blues Of Otis Spann appeared in 1964 and featured Waters under a psuedonymn. Spann cut well received sides for Bluesway -- 1966's The Blues Is Where It's At and 1968's The Bottom of the Blues. In 1969, he released five albums, among them Cryin' Time for Vanguard, The Biggest Thing Since Colossus for Blue Horizon, and Super Black Blues with T-Bone Walker and Big Joe Turner. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980.