Shuggie Otis, the guitarist, singer and songwriter whose composition “Strawberry Letter 23” and 1974 album Inspiration Information have been cult classics for years, has recently begun performing live again after a layoff of more than a decade. The son of the legendary R&B bandleader Johnny Otis, Shuggie will be heading out on the road in April to promote the reissue that month by Epic/Legacy of Inspiration Information, which is being paired with a number of previously unreleased tracks from 1976-2000 (the bonus disc is titled Wings of Love) in a two-disc package.
At New York’s Highline Ballroom on Jan. 10, Otis and band gave New York a taste of what’s to come in the spring. His set included a selection of tunes from his ’70s heyday. Photographer Greg Aiello and JT Associate Editor Jeff Tamarkin were there with their cameras.