James Otto is a little nervous. He's standing outside Duke's Bar and Grill in Portland, getting ready to play an acoustic set for a rowdy Monday night crowd as part of 99.5 The Wolf's Full Moon Concert Series. But that's not what's making him anxious.
After this gig, he'll fold his 6' 5" frame into an airline seat for a 6 a.m. flight out of PDX to Nashville, where tomorrow night, he'll be performing the country classic "Deeper Than The Holler" for the man who sang it originally: Randy Travis.
"I'm going to play it tonight to get warmed up for tomorrow," he says, referring to the Academy of Country Music (ACM) event honoring Travis. He'll be followed on the lineup by Carrie Underwood, the ACM's reigning Entertainer of the Year.
But Otto is no stranger to awards himself. He's been kicking around Nashville for twelve years, and finally in 2008, he hit the big time with the sexy, twangy single "Just Got Started Loving You" off his debut CD for Warner Brothers, Sunset Man. That tune not only became the most played country song of the year, but it also brought Otto one of two Grammy nominations: The second was for co-writing the powerful Jamey Johnson hit "In Color", a song that also took home the ACM Award for 2008 Song of the Year. A product of the Pacific Northwest, Otto is tall as a Ponderosa pine, with a strong, sultry voice that easily mesmerized the school-night crowd at Duke's. But what will Randy Travis think tonight when Otto takes the stage in Nashville to cover one of his biggest hits? Take a listen to Otto's "warm up" last night in Portland, and I think you'll agree that Randy will be smiling.
For more info: 99.5 The Wolf brings hot up-and-coming country acts to Duke's on a regular basis to benefit Doernbecher Children's Hospital. Next up,Trailer Choir ("Rockin' The Beer Gut") on October 8th. James Otto's new CD is tentatively scheduled to hit stores in early 2010.
Comments
James sound SO precious singing Randy Travis, I love James SO much!!! (smiles)
God bless you and him and Randy always!!!
Holly in East Tennessee
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