Southern rock band performs at The Coterie April 24.
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Kentucky-based rockers OTIS will perform in Kokomo at The Coterie, 107 W. Sycamore St., on Fri., April 24. The band blends roots music, blues, classic rock, soul, and Southern rock to create an original sound reminiscent of the great classic rock/Southern rock bands, like the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, and Wet Willie.
Lead singer Boone Froggett said he and the band are excited to return to Kokomo for their third appearance in the City of Firsts; the last coming in Fall 2025.
“Man, we’re looking forward to it!” said Froggett. “This will be our third time at The Coterie. And, man, that’s a really fun place! We’re hoping to pull a few new folks in for this show.”
The band, which includes John Seeley on bass, Alex Wells on guitar, and Dale Myers on drums to go along with Froggett’s vocals, grew up around Country and Southern rock in their hometown of Edmonton, Ky. It was only natural that music would influence their lives.
“We’re from the same town as the Kentucky Headhunters,” said Froggett. “Our town’s got a little grocery store, and that’s where their tour bus parked. We all grew up seeing them, seeing that big bus pull out. They kind of let us know, hey, we can do something from our home. We ain’t got to move to Nashville or LA or New York or no big city.
“We can embrace where we come from and build something unique. That’s what got us going. At the time we started, it was kind of unheard of for there to be a new Southern rock band, or a new classic rock band. But we stuck to our guns, and over time the industry’s changed a little bit. There’s more bands like us popping up and playing that style of music.”
Froggett said OTIS draws inspiration from many band and musical genres. He cited Humble Pie, the Allman Brothers Band, and Vanilla Fudge among their rock influence, along with classic blues artists such as Muddy Waters and Little Walter.
A month ago, OTIS released its latest single, “I’m Wicked.” Since its release, it has garnered more than 60,000 streams and won Classic Rock Magazine’s “Track of the Week.” It is quickly finding and audience.
“If you’re a fan of Bobby Rush or John Lee Hooker or Canned Heat, you’ll probably dig this song,” said Froggett. “It’s very blues-oriented, but it’s got some modern twists in the arrangement.
“The song came about when we were rehearsing. We were really just making noise and chatting with each other, and our guitar player, Alex, was telling us about a funeral he went to. As he was going through the line, everybody was shaking the preacher’s hand. But when the when he got to the preacher, the preacher looked at him and said, ‘Son, you got that evil in you. I can’t shake your hand.’
“We all thought was funny, because Alex is such a nice guy. But I got to thinking about it. You know what? Alex probably isn’t the only long-haired guy that’s ever happened to. So, it gave us the idea, and we ran with it. Anytime you get singled out in society, your first instinct is to kind of look at yourself and ask, ‘What in the world did I do to make that happen?’ That’s what the song’s about.”
Other numbers that are sure to get the audience on its feet include “Blind Hog,” from OTIS’s 2017 album, “Eyes of the Sun,” and Froggett’s personal favorite, “Shake You.”
“We’ve played ‘Blind Hog’ all over the world,” said Froggett. “That’s the one people recognize from the radio and online. ‘Shake You’ is a funky rock song, but it has this Latin section in it where we venture off and do some improvisational jamming. That’s fun because our show is different every night. It keeps it fresh for us and keeps it fresh for the audience.”
Doors open at 8 p.m. for this event, and the show begins at 9 p.m. There is no cover charge for this event, and there is no charge for general admission. For additional information about OTIS, visit its website at www.otisband.com. OTIS also maintains a presence on various social media. But nothing beats seeing a band in person.
“Just come on out and forget about what’s going on in the world,” said Froggett. “Let’s have a good time and enjoy some rock and roll music.”