Clyde Otis, a prolific American songwriter and producer, and the first African American A&R executive at a major record company, has died in New Jersey aged 83.
Otis began songwriting in the early fifties, but didn't get his break until 1954 when, as a New York cab driver, he overheard one of his fares saying they were going to a party being thrown by music publisher Sidney Kornhauser. He persuaded the fare to give Kornhauser a song he had written, a song called 'That's All There Is To That' which was subsequently a Top 20 hit for Nat King Cole.
Professional work followed, and in 1958 he joined Mercury Records A&R staff where he worked with the likes of Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughn and, most notably, Brook Benton. His output for the label was high - in 1962 he produced 33 of Mercury's 51 chart hits.
After leaving Mercury he formed his own publishing firm called the Clyde Otis Music Group, and relocated to Nashville where he produced for numerous star singers, including Aretha Franklin, Johnny Mathis and Elvis. He later moved himself, his family and his company to New Jersey, where his publishing firm is still based.
A private funeral service will be held next week, with a larger memorial service also planned.