Anyone who has ever aspired or dreamt of working successfully within the music industry can learn much by carefully following Clyde’s four-decade career.
Songwriter and producer, Clyde Otis is a cornerstone of the music industry as we know it today, not just in his songs, but as an inspiration in the history and politics of music in this country. He was one of the first African Americans to recognize the long-term potential of music publishing.
Born in 1925, Otis grew up during the Depression in an impoverished home in rural Mississippi. He dropped out of school after the 6th grade to support his family, and eventually enrolled in the Marines during World War II. In the service, he met and was inspired by Bobby Troup, songwriter of the famous song “Route 66.” After being discharged, he moved to New York City to pursue his dreams.
Clyde worked as a taxi driver to support himself, writing songs and recording demos after his shift was finished. On one fortuitous night in 1955, as he drove two women in the music business to a party, his entire life changed. Clyde convinced the women to take his demo of “That’s All There is to That,” and his music got into the hands of Jack Hooke. From there it continued further up the chain to music business executive Herman Lubinsky, which led to Otis’s demo being recorded by Nat King Cole and the Four Buddies on Savoy. Soon after, he came out with other famous tracks, such as “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” and “Doncha’ Think it’s Time” by Elvis Presley.
A few years later, Clyde met Nat Goodman, then-manager of The Diamonds, who helped Clyde sharpen and develop his lyrical focus commercially. Clyde’s next hit, “The Stroll,” a dance track, was recorded by The Diamonds and skyrocketed to number four on the charts. The dance that carried its name became a staple on the legendary Dick Clark Show, and this song also marked the beginning of his relationship with Mercury Records. While still working on The Diamonds recording of “The Stroll,” Otis met then-president of Mercury Records, Art Talmadge. Talmadge was impressed by Clyde’s method of operating in the recording studio. In 1959, Clyde was appointed an executive after being recruited and accepting the groundbreaking position as Mercury Record’s official East Coast A&R man. He was the first Black man to ever hold that position, preceding Quincy Jones.
Otis really came into his sound as he started working with well-known artists such as Brook Benton, with whom he made 17 consecutive hits (including “It’s Just a Matter of Time” and “Kiddio”), and Dinah Washington (including “What a Difference a Day Makes” and “This Bitter Earth”). As his songs continued to climb the charts, Clyde shifted his focus to freelance sessions with musical greats, including Johnny Desmond, Eddie Fisher, Johnny Rat, and Nat King Cole. Collaborating with arranger Belford Hendricks, Otis created robustly orchestrated pop tracks paired with memorable, catchy vocals. His signature sound is timeless and soulful and laid the groundwork for Motown and styles. Clyde’s songs have been used constantly in movies and commercials.
Italian Soul singer, Timi Yuro, reflected on her collaboration with Otis for their smash hit “Hurt,” saying, “Nat King Cole adored him; Final adored him. He made Brook Benton. Clyde Otis was there for all of them singers and we adored him, because he had a coil that was unbelievable.”
In a recap of the Billboard and Cashbox Top 100 hits for 1962, Clyde’s last year with Mercury Records, Clyde had produced 33 of Mercury’s 51 hit singles. During his four year tenure with Mercury, Clyde was responsible for earnings in excess of $100 million. Upon leaving Mercury Records, Clyde served a brief stint at Liberty Records. While earning double what he made while at Mercury, Otis wanted to return to his true love: songwriting and publishing. Clyde parted ways with Liberty and, soon after, launched his independent production company, Argon Productions. This led him to produce timeless hits with major stars such as Aretha Franklin, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Sarah Vaughn, Johnny Mathis, Clyde McPhatter and many more. Clyde also began exploring musical waters that were previously unchartered by African Americans. Although his productions were rooted in R&B, he expanded his catalogue to country music, opening offices in Nashville and producing “It’s Just A Matter Of Time,” which became a number one country song for Randy Travis in 1989. Clyde’s songs were recorded by country superstars such as Sonny James, Don Williams, Jacky Ward, Charlie Rich, Glen Campbell, Charley Pride and Barbara Mandrell. Clyde made history as the first African American music publisher to earn a number one Country Music Award.
Clyde continued to churn out multiple R&B hits for stars such as the Isley Bros., Joe Simon, B.B. King, Jean Wells, Ben E. King, Ray Charles, Clarence Carter, and many others. Otis served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the A&R Producer’s Hall of Fame by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences in 1987.
When asked what his secret was behind the production of such endless streams of timeless hits, Otis says, “I’ve always been able to produce a hit when I was willing to pay the price emotionally—for hit records are usually the result of the producer’s total emotional involvement.” For Clyde Otis, this is the formula for success in almost every endeavor.
Clyde towered over many at 6’4”, but his raw talent and integrity stood even taller. While many Black writers and producers got taken advantage of in the music industry, Otis remained determined with a truly entrepreneurial spirit. His son, Isidro, reflected, “My father’s working style in the studio was very laid back, because he already knew exactly what he wanted.” Although his energy might have been relaxed, his work ethic was steadfast and stoic, clearly focused on self-preservation. Whereas other songwriters of the time were required to share a percentage of their rights, Otis maintained full publishing rights of his songs, and that decision made him one of the first African Americans to ever do so.
On a larger scale, this refusal to sacrifice his rights and autonomy turned him into a hero and role model for other African American artists, as he established himself as one of the first major Black record executives. Many Black artists were limited to performing and recording due to prejudices in the industry, but Otis’s angle wasn’t performance. As his presence in the music industry grew, he self-educated on publishing, but even beforehand had a keen understanding of its value at a time when no one else was making independent moves. While many artists only dreamed of the spotlight, Otis was putting into place a bigger plan for the future.
In his personal life, Otis was wed to former actress and model, Lourdes Guerrero, and a devoted and present father to three children: Clyde III, AnaIza, and Isidro. He built their family home in 1964, where the music demographics of the neighborhood included the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Tony Bennett, and Wilson Pickett.
On January 8, 2008, Clyde Otis passed away at 83 years old in his home in Englewood, New Jersey. He received many awards for his work, including the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. From a taxi driver to talented artists across multiple genres to business mogul, Otis has been a master of the unexpected in more ways than one, making history and spreading joy to music lovers all over the globe. Clyde’s spirit infuses jazz today, and his family is honored to preserve and continue his legacy.