New Mercury Nashville artist James Otto kindly took time out of his schedule to answer some questions from your AboutCountry Staff.
AboutCountry Staff: Who are some of your musical influences?
James Otto: Bob Seger, Hank Williams, Jr., The Allman Brothers, Don Williams, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Travis Tritt
AboutCountry Staff: What is your favorite track on "Days of Our Lives"?
James Otto: I think my favorite changes from time to time depending on my mood. Right now, my favorite is "Misspent Youth," but other recent favorites have been "She Knows" and "Sunday Morning And Saturday Night."
AboutCountry Staff: What was it like touring with Shania Twain?
James Otto: It was great having her close my shows every night! Haha No, really, it was amazing. Shania and her band/crew were really great to me. I got some great exposure, and gained a lot of experience playing huge arenas like Madison Square Garden. And, I learned a lot from playing in front of an innovator like Shania. I also loved meeting and talking to Mutt Lange-one of the most brilliant producers of all time. I grew up listening to Def Leppard and AC/DC, so that was a big deal to me, too.
AboutCountry Staff: Who are some of your favorite non-country artists?
James Otto: Right now, I am completely into Cold Play, Train, Maroon 5, Ryan Adams, Jeff Buckley and Kid Rock. Some of my all-time favorites would be Van Halen, The Rolling Stones, Donnie Hathaway, Otis Redding, The Black Crowes, and of course, Bob Seger.
AboutCountry Staff: When you are writing songs, do you sit down and think of a plot and go from there or do the lyrics just come to you out of nowhere?
James Otto: For me, it can happen either way. Most often, the ideas for songs come out of conversations with co-writers, but sometimes it's just a stream of consciousness. For example, "Song Of The Violin" came like that-it was just a gift from God. My mom had asked me to write a special song for my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. For the longest time I couldn't write a word, and then suddenly it just poured out in like 20 minutes.
AboutCountry Staff: Do you play any other instrument besides the guitar?
James Otto: Well, I played the saxophone for about 5 years in school, but if you asked me to play a note now it would be a lost cause! So, I guess the real answer is no.
AboutCountry Staff: Where were you when you heard one of your songs on the radio for the first time?
James Otto: It was surreal. I heard "Days Of Our Lives" on the radio in the car while I was in Baton Rouge, LA on radio tour. I couldn't believe it was finally happening after so many long years.
AboutCountry Staff: Was it hard to wait for your album to get released?
James Otto: You could certainly say that! Once I was signed to Mercury, I had to wait about 2 years for it to be released. Anticipation is hardly the word.
AboutCountry Staff: If the label gave you the choice, what songs would be singles from the album?
James Otto: "Sunday Morning, Saturday Night," "Miss Temptation," "Lowdown On The Highlife," "Song Of The Violin," and "If It's The Last Thing I Do" - I know that's a lot, but it's hard to choose.
AboutCountry Staff: How often do you get to visit your family in the Northwest?
James Otto: I get to travel out there about once or twice a year. I was there for Christmas this past year, and that was a really cool thing for me.
AboutCountry Staff: Have any advice for aspiring singer/songwriters?
James Otto: First things first: if you can see yourself doing anything else and being happy then do it because this is a really tough business. But, if you choose to pursue this option, move to Nashville, work your tail off, and be at songwriters' clubs every night to take in the wisdom and brilliance of all the talented people around you.
AboutCountry Staff: What are your thoughts about the current climate in Country music?
James Otto: I love all kinds of country music from traditional to pop to alternative to the uptempo rockin' stuff. I believe that there's room for all of it on country radio because I think the listeners are also open to this kind of diversity-the kind we had back in the days of the Outlaws. I hope to be a part of a musical revolution with some of my best friends that make up what we call the MuzikMafia-where we play country music without prejudice. My buddies that also support this idea are the new duo Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Jon Nicholson, and Kid Rock. We want to push the boundaries a bit and recruit more young listeners to country. Artists like Keith Urban, Montgomery Gentry, and The Dixie Chicks are already opening doors, and we want to bust those doors wide open.
