Hollywood Fats

Michael Leonard Mann (March 17, 1954 – December 8, 1986), known as Hollywood Fats, was an American blues guitarist, active in Los Angeles, California.

Hollywood Fats was born in Los Angeles and started playing guitar at the age of 10. While in his teens, his mother would drive him to various clubs in South Central Los Angeles to jam with well-known blues musicians when they came to town. Hollywood Fats' father was a doctor and his siblings went on to become doctors and lawyers. He met Buddy Guy and Junior Wells who gave him the nickname. Hollywood Fats toured with James Harman, Jimmy Witherspoon, J. B. Hutto, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Albert King.

During the 1970s and 1980s he worked with the blues harmonica player and singer James Harman. He played on a number of his records including Extra Napkin's; Mo' Na' Kins, Please!; Those Dangerous Gentlemans; and Strictly Live In '85 (Vol. 1). Other guitarists with whom he played included Junior Watson, Kid Ramos, and Dave Alvin.

Hollywood Fats was invited to be a sideman to Muddy Waters and later met the harmonica player Al Blake. Blake had just moved to Los Angeles from Oklahoma. In 1974, Hollywood Fats and Blake formed a band consisting of pianist Fred Kaplan, Richard Innes on drums and Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor called the Hollywood Fats Band.

For a King Biscuit Flower Hour concert on September 7, 1979, which was later to be released on LP and CD, Hollywood Fats played the lead guitar in Canned Heat.

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