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Rock n’ rollers OTIS hailing from the genre-blending pot of Kentucky USA recently released their new groove-laden single and video ‘Last Fool In The Line’, the first original music from the band for 7 years. Frontman/guitarist Boone Froggett was on hand to fill in the blanks on our introduction to OTIS, or is it Otis?
What are the origins of OTIS, and is it OTIS, or Otis?! These are the kinds of things that keep us awake at night!
We’ll answer to whatever you call us! We started using the all capital spelling to help differentiate our band from the other Otis names in our genre such as Otis Clay, Otis Rush, etc. And, it looks super cool on a show poster, haha!
What should people expect when they check OTIS out? How would you describe yourself?
OTIS is a living, breathing Rock & Soul machine! As you can tell we wear the Southern Rock influence on our sleeve but we have so many other inspirations musically. 50’s Blues, Soul music, and 70’s Prog are all present in the van when we’re on the road. We’ve found that a lot of folks don’t understand us as a band until they see us live.
How did you feel performing your first gig as a band, and how was it?!
Your first gig is always a small step in a long journey but at the same time we were all like “OK, there’s something here”. When we initially formed OTIS as being a “new’ Southern Rock band was kind of unheard of as Active Rock was the trend at the time. So, we had the “what is this about” factor from the very beginning.
The latest single ‘Last Fool in the Line’ has just been released, it must be humbling that not only is it up for Classic Rock Magazine’s fabled ‘Track of The Week’, but also, Joe Bonamassa has added it to his Spotify playlist.
Oh man, YES! This is a really exciting time for us as a band. Joe Bonamassa added us to two of his playlist “Cutting Edge Blues & “Cutting Edge Rock”. We have so much love for Joe as an advocate for Blues Influence in modern music and creating a stump for us all to stand on. And, then to make it on Classic Rock Magazine’s “Tracks of the Week” was such an honor for us. We don’t take it lightly and it’s a signal that organic Rock & Blues still have a place in the current landscape.
‘Last Fool in the Line’ is a fantastic title that could have many different meanings; what do the lyrics deal with?
It’s really a story song, about a guy who’s a little down on his luck and just can’t seem to learn but he’s not necessarily a bad guy either. I’m sure that most of us know a person like this or maybe even have been in the same position. Sometimes the true stories you hear from people in the smoking section or the back alley are more fantastic than fiction.
Is the single fairly indicative of what an OTIS full-length album would sound like if released today?
Absolutely! This is the kind of music that we love creating. Four guys playing live and loud in the room and melting all of our influences together to tell a story. We’ve been writing a lot and we’re looking forward to the opportunity to kick a full-length release out into the world.
In what ways do you feel that the band has grown since releasing the debut album ‘Tough Times: A Tribute to John Brim’ in 2014?
We’ve grown leaps and bounds as a band since then in every way. Playing, songwriting, and understanding who we are as a band. But, we still have that same love and raw passion for blues music that drove us to playing this type of music in the first place. And, this lineup of the band is more powerful and ferocious. There’s just so much energy on stage with the addition of Alex & Dale.
How was your experience of playing at the Allman Brothers’ The Big House Museum earlier in the Summer?
The Big House Museum is a very spiritual place for us as a band. The debut Allman Brothers Band album served as a blueprint for us, they took all of the classic blues influences and made something totally unique and new. So, for us to be even a small part of their legacy is deeply touching for us. When we get the chance to play somewhere that has so much history and energy it makes us dig deeper and play to a higher level.
What is it in the water that makes Kentucky such a fertile breeding ground for fantastic musicians?
Geographically speaking Kentucky is caught between Chicago and the Deep South. We’re right in the middle of the United States! So, you have cultural and musical movements going on all at once. Of course, we’re most well known for Bluegrass, Folk, and Country music but there are so many other contributions that fly under the radar like The Kentucky Headhunters, John Brim who recorded on the Chess label in the 50’s, and countless others. Kentucky is a good spot to be in.
The band has recently opened for 90s outfit Jackyl, but which band at the minute do you feel that you would be best suited to open for?
Playing with Jackyl is always such a good time and we always enjoy visiting with our pal Chris Worley! Bucket list-wise we’d love the opportunity to play with folks like Gov’t Mule, The Black Crowes, or our blues hero Bobby Rush.
Excluding yourself, which new band would you like to see break out and become a success?
There’s a new band out of St. Louis called The Band Feel that we really admire! We share a lot of the same influences and outlook on the current state of Rock & Roll and how it should be presented. Great band!
What frustrates you about the music business?
Man, there’s a lot of frustrations in this business but one of the biggest mountains to climb is just getting people to pay attention. With the modern age of social media, it’s hard for anyone to focus on content for even one minute. It seems that once we get folks to listen to what we do they generally dig it, but the challenge is gaining the attention.
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
My wife Jamie and I went to see the current lineup of YES last year and it was a real treat and such an inspiration. It was “The Classic Tales of YES” tour so I got to hear everything I had always dreamed of hearing as a teenager! There may have been a tear during “Starship Trooper” haha! We just played The Iridium in New York City which was made famous by being Les Paul’s weekly hang-out spot. So, naturally, I’ve been listening to a lot of Les Paul and sessions he played on for folks like Julie London, Mary Ford, and Chet Atkins. I love listening to things I can’t play, haha!
Everybody is a fan of something, who or what are you a fan of?
I’m a huge fan of Classic Horror films! Universal, Amicus, Hammer, I love them all! I also collect vintage print like pulp cover paperbacks, vintage magazines & comics. I recently got to interject this into our music via our new lyric video for “Last Fool in the Line”. Our bud Andy at Very Metal Art knocked it out of the park.
What new music have you been enjoying so far this year?
The new albums from Black Country Communion, Chris Cain & The Fabulous Thunderbirds have all been in heavy rotation! There’s so much good music out there to listen to!
What does the remainder of 2024 hold for OTIS?
More touring! We’re really looking forward to our upcoming shows with The Kentucky Headhunters, playing the Georgia Allman Brothers Band Association Festival in September and headlining one of our favorite venues, John Brown’s On The Square in Marion, IL!
How active are you on social media and where can people connect with you?
We’re very active on socials, it’s the lifeblood of any upcoming band and we really enjoy interacting with all of the OTIS family online! Head to our website www.theotisband.com you can find links to all of our socials, streaming, and more.
