James Otto

James Allen Otto (born July 29, 1973 at Fort Lewis in Washington, USA) is an American country music artist who is a member of the MuzikMafia, a group of country musicians known for their "country music without prejudice". Otto began his career on Mercury Nashville Records in 2002, charting three minor singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and recording his debut album Days of Our Lives for the label before being dropped in 2004.

In late 2007, he signed to Warner Bros. Records. His second album, Sunset Man, was released in April 2008. It was produced by John Rich (of Big & Rich) and Jay DeMarcus (of Rascal Flatts), the latter of whom is Otto's brother-in-law. The lead-off single to Sunset Man, "Just Got Started Lovin' You", became Otto's first Number One hit.
Biography
James Otto was born on July 29, 1973 on the Fort Lewis Army Base in the state of Washington.[1] He first took up singing at age four, and later learned to play violin and saxophone. However, he wanted to learn to play guitar as well, and at age thirteen, he received a guitar for his birthday.[1]

He traveled throughout the country for most of his childhood, but his family finally settled in the small town of Benton City, Washington. After graduating from Kiona-Benton High School, Otto joined the United States Navy, where he served for two years.[1] In 1998, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and began attending songwriters' nights there; three years later, he joined the MuzikMafia, a group of country music songwriters which includes Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson.

James Otto Musical career
In 2002, Otto met Scott Parker of Mercury Nashville Records, who signed him to a record deal that year.[1] His first single, "The Ball", peaked at #45 on the Billboard country charts, while a second single, "Long Way Down", failed to chart at all. Due to the poor chart performance of these singles, Otto's debut album was delayed.

"Days of Our Lives", his third release for the label, was released in late 2003, peaking at #33 on the country charts.[2] Shortly after the song peaked, his debut album (also entitled Days of Our Lives) was released on Mercury, and in 2004, Otto was signed as an opening act for Shania Twain on her Up! Tour. [1] His fourth single for Mercury, "Sunday Morning and Saturday Night", peaked at #58; after the song fell from the charts, Otto exited Mercury's roster.

James Otto Sunset Man
By 2007, Otto signed to Warner Bros. Records Nashville. His first single for the label, "Just Got Started Lovin' You", was released at the end of that year, as the lead-off single to his second album (2008's Sunset Man). The album was co-produced by Otto's brother-in-law, Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, along with John Rich of Big & Rich.[3] "Just Got Started Lovin' You" reached Number One on the Hot Country Songs charts in May of 2008, becoming the highest-charting single of his career.[4]

Also in mid-2008, Otto was commissioned to perform a new theme song for the Atlanta Braves, entitled "The Braves Play Here," composed by Greg Barnhill and Randy Wachtler for 615 Music.[5] Otto also co-wrote Jamey Johnson's 2008 single "In Color", the first release from Johnson's 2008 album That Lonesome Song.[6] Otto's second single from Sunset Man, the song "For You", reached #39 in September 2008. It was followed by "These Are the Good Ole Days".