FOGGY OTIS
Foggy Otis, a native New Jerseyan who now calls Connecticut home, is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who has been doing music since he can remember.
It all began one very special Christmas when his Dad gifted him a Japanese-made Fender Jazz bass at the ripe old age of 12. Foggy was totally smitten with The Beatles at that time and he decided that he wanted to “be” Paul.
The following year, he picked up his first acoustic guitar from a pawn shop in Jersey City – a lightly used Yamaha that was the official catalyst for him taking guitar lessons and he has never looked back!
He attributes much of musicality and his love of playing to his Dad who was not only a very accomplished sax player but also possessed an encyclopedia-like knowledge of all things music.
He always encouraged Foggy and fully supported his dreams and musical endeavors and this is why he appropriately credits his Dad as being his ‘first’ influence. After attending a concert with him in his formative years (only one of many that the two would eventually go on to attend together), Foggy knew that music was truly what he wanted to do!
Shortly after his Paul epiphany, Foggy discovered that ‘other’ Beatle and his interest quickly shifted to Sir George Harrison. Not only did he fully appreciate Harrison’s unique playing style and beautifully crafted guitar solos, he also derived inspiration from Harrison’s interest in Asian culture and philosophy. He even bought his first copy of “Autobiography of a Yogi” before he turned twelve.
In fact, so profound was Harrison’s influence on him that, less than a decade later, Foggy himself earned a BA in Asian Studies from Seton Hall University. And perhaps in the strangest twist of fate or maybe irony, Foggy later learned about Harrison’s love of the ukulele – something that, as a kid, he was totally unaware of.
This love of the ukulele and the full circle moment that it now represents for him became the poignant “aha” moment that led Foggy to conclude why “it all makes sense now”! More on this cosmic uke connection later.
Besides The Beatles, Jerry Garcia (The Grateful Dead) also shaped much of Foggy’s playing style. Jerry taught him to leave “space” in the music and play melodically to serve the song. He was able to experience a gamut of emotions in his phrasing and loved Garcia’s voice!
Another strong musical influence was Chicago’s Terry Kath whose soulful voice and impeccable rhythm guitar contributions really moved Foggy. He describes Kath’s lead guitar playing as “blistering” but laments that he was “gone too soon”!
Corky Hale, an accomplished singer, piano player and harpist also had a huge impact on Foggy. Not only did she inspire him to excel musically but also instilled a very important life-affirming mantra that he has since adopted and now incorporates into both his music and personal life:
“Embrace being different”!
Moving beyond his formative years in Jersey City, Foggy later joined and played in several Jersey bands and he remained in NJ until 2015, after which he moved to upstate NY.
Career highlights include a stint as the bass player for the band ‘Better Off Dead’, a swinging blues group that still exists today.
The band was well liked in Canada and they played both the Montreal Blues Fest and NXNE Toronto. Foggy’s playing can be heard on the band’s first, self-titled album ‘Better Off Dead’.
The next chapter of Foggy’s musical journey involved playing bass for Hoboken singer-songwriter Brian Bellew (RIP). On top of playing countless live shows with him, he played bass and added backing vocals to two (2) of Bellew’s albums – Love & Fear (1991) and Hoboken Death Grid (1993).
One of their most memorable gigs was opening up for Jeff Beck at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ (circa mid 90s). Foggy offered the following commentary about his late friend: “Brian was a fantastic guitarist & songwriter and his love of The Stones was apparent in the band’s sound.”
By the early 2000’s, Foggy formed and fronted his own band playing mainly original songs that he wrote and sang. Known as ‘Boxcar Nancy’, the band played all around New Jersey including the iconic Maxwell’s (Hoboken), The Saint (Asbury Park) and The Stanhope House, just to name a few. They released one album in 2004 titled “Turning ‘Round”.
On the heels of ‘Boxcar Nancy’, Foggy continued writing, playing out and recording new material until a life-changing, catastrophic health event turned his world upside down in 2008.
This totally unexpected “wake-up” call, fueled by a near death experience sidelined not only his musical career but every aspect of his personal life as well. The diagnosis? Congestive heart failure due to a failing heart that was operating at a mere 13% of normal efficiency.
The prognosis? Grim…requiring a 7 hour, quadruple bypass surgery or worse, a full heart transplant if the bypass failed. Fortunately, the bypass surgery worked but it came at a price.
An artery intended for his heart that had been harvested from his left wrist, left him uncomfortably numb from his wrist to his index finger and thumb…two critically needed digits for playing guitar. Back then, he was a guitar playing songwriter and the guitar was his instrument of choice.
After four (4) long and inordinately arduous weeks in the hospital, which included a few serious medical set-backs, Foggy was finally released from the hospital but he recognized that he was not the same man that he was before his hospitalization.
The numbness in his hand lingered unresolved and despite two years of combined therapy and laser focused ‘trying’, the pain was excruciating and just too much to bear.
Despondent and resigned to accept his new normal – a life as a musician without his trusted guitar, he serendipitously picked up a cheap ukulele that he had lying around the house.
What he quickly realized is that making chord shapes on a uke was far less painful to do than on his preferred six (6) string instrument, the guitar.
And so began a love story that continues to this very day…a love story between a man and his ukulele! A musical instrument that Foggy could not have envision loving, let alone mastering but one that he now attributes to his very survival.
Foggy Otis came on our radar in September of 2025, during the highly promoted Rhinestone Pink Guitar Contest.
After submitting his cover version of the song and taking second prize, we were instantly drawn to his artistry. What we didn’t anticipate is how inspiring his story of resilience would move us and compel us to make him a part of the Verdict family.
It is with great pleasure that we welcome Foggy Otis to our roster and only fitting that his debut single on Verdict is his amazing cover version (on uke) of John Davidson’s Rhinestone Pink Guitar.
Foggy’s full-length album is slated for release in early 2026. Additional details to follow soon!
Please join us in welcoming Foggy…expect more great music from this multi-talented artist!