b. 29 July 1973, Fort Lewis, Washington, USA. Having learned to play saxophone and violin as a child, this Nashville-based singer-songwriter graduated to the guitar in his early teens and began immersing himself in country music. After a two-year period of military service in the US Navy, Otto relocated to the home of country music in Nashville, Tennessee, in an attempt to break into the city’s lucrative songwriting circuit. He established himself as a member of the loose-knit collective MuzikMafia, which had been inaugurated in 2001 by Big Kenny and John Rich of Big And Rich. The experience paid off as Otto landed a recording contract the following year with the Mercury Nashville imprint. Despite placing two singles in the country charts, ‘The Ball’ and ‘Days Of Our Lives’, Otto failed to break through with his album debut (named after the second single) and parted company with Mercury shortly afterwards. He was given a second chance with a new contract with the Warner Nashville imprint, and enjoyed more success this time around as the single ‘Just Got Started Lovin’ You’ began a steady climb into the country Top 5. The attendant Sunset Man, released in April 2008, was a strong collection of contemporary country co-produced by John Rich. The album reached the country and mainstream Top 3, confirming Otto’s commercial renaissance.
