Boone Froggett of the band Otis joins the Illinois Drifter Podcast to talk about building a blues-rock band from the ground up — from small venues in Kentucky to touring across the U.S. and Europe.
After first connecting at the Backroom Listening Lounge in Riverton, Illinois, Justin and Boone dive into the band’s origins, influences and evolution, along with the realities of life as an independent musician.
Here's a breakdown of the episode:
⏱ Episode Timeline
00:23 – Intro: discovering Otis at Backroom Listening Lounge
02:00 – Welcoming Boone & the Riverton venue experience
02:37 – First impressions of the Backroom Listening Lounge
03:30 – Boone’s musical upbringing in Kentucky
05:41 – Kentucky Headhunters influence & early exposure to music
06:26 – Personal connection to the Headhunters
08:21 – How Otis formed from a cover band background
10:28 – Naming the band (Greg Martin & Otis origin story)
12:34 – Debut album honoring bluesman John Brim
14:20 – Learning to arrange songs & discovering blues roots
18:17 – Billy Gibbons discovers Otis
21:24 – Developing identity before touring
22:43 – Eyes of the Sun album & early momentum
25:37 – Touring Europe vs the U.S. blues-rock scene
27:07 – 2020: band changes, pandemic & cancer diagnosis
30:10 – Surgery, recovery & impact on Boone’s voice
32:31 – Working with the Headhunters during recovery
34:16 – Thyroid cancer details & timeline
35:29 – First time singing again after surgery
37:20 – Decision to rebuild Otis
40:01 – Finding the new lineup (Alex & Dale)
42:37 – Band chemistry, improvisation & live philosophy
46:59 – New music & traction of “Wicked”
48:03 – How “Wicked” was created (influences & groove)
51:51 – Bringing “Wicked” to the live show
53:54 – Other singles & plans for a full album
55:29 – Challenges of making an album as an independent band
57:43 – Touring, word-of-mouth & building a fanbase
59:02 – “You either love Otis or haven’t heard them”
59:57 – What’s next: touring & future plans
01:02:26 – Kentucky Headhunters today
01:04:35 – Future idea: deep dive into Headhunters catalog
01:05:16 – Outro
✅ Check this out
👉 For more on Otis, check out their website at theotisband.com, and on Facebook.
👉 For more on the Backfroom Listening Lounge, check out their website at thebackroomlounge.com, and Facebook.
👉 Go to the Kentucky Headhunters Facebook page here: facebook.com/kentuckyheadhunters/
🎵 Music Credit
Thank you to Nomad Planets for use of their songs:
“We Can Settle This at Sunrise” (theme)
“Sweet Vermillion” (bumper music)
You can purchase their album Outside Abiquiu here:https://nomadplanets.bandcamp.com/album/outside-abiquiu
