We recently connected with Kris Wott and have shared our conversation below.
Kris, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?
I am as happy as I can be in my current state. It is difficult to write or practice when you are as busy as I am. I try to put my mental and physical health first, not to mention I need to keep up on making my home environment clean and tidy to induce a creative workspace. Working 40 hours a week for the City of San Diego takes up most of my weekday hours. Coming home from work at 5:30pm only leaves so much time to create and practice when considering; I need to rest my mind, work out, cook and eat dinner, and clean up after myself. My goal every day is to have the energy and time for my art at the end of the day, but it can be difficult to make time for my passion and be an “adult”. Adulting is every artist’s nightmare because nobody wants to hear a song about your chores and bills.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Before moving to Ocean Beach in 2010, Kris self-taught himself guitar and song writing. He wrote his first song when he was 14 years old. During this time of adolescence, he learned about vocal harmonizing from Ryan Bair and his brother Frank Wott. His live performance career began in his home State of Ohio at a ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ in Canton, Ohio in the summer of 2008. That performance gave Kris the purpose to buy his ‘Takamine – G Series – Acoustic Electric Guitar’ that he named Veronica Vaughan. After moving to San Diego in 2010, Kris met and became friends with fellow aspiring musicians like Michael Head. Michael Head, a living San Diego Music Legend, became Kris’ mentor and close friend. In 2012, Kris’ brother Andrew Wott moved to Ocean Beach, CA. and they formed Kris’ first band ‘Joint Custody’ with Brandon Fetter and Erik Rauum.
Joint Custody performed at venues like Winston’s OB, Gallagher’s Pub, The Griffin, and the Ocean Beach Farmers Market. Realizing he needed practice time to hone in on simultaneously playing guitar and harmonica, Joint Custody dissembled in late 2013. Kris took the next year to practice his craft and graduate from San Diego City College with a Communications Degree. In 2013, Michael Head and Mark Eppler asked him to be the front man of their blues band, ‘The Moneymen’, for a weekly Open Blues Jam at ‘Second Wind’ in Santee, CA. Humbled with the opportunity, Kris dared not to decline. The open blues jam went on for about a year and a half until The Moneymen began to start performing at different locations and became to take in more musicians.
The Moneymen transformed into a blues and rock band with Michael Head on Guitar, Steve Tahmahkera on Drums, Cody Christian on Bass, and Kris Wott on Rhythm Guitar, Harmonica (harness) and vocals. It wasn’t until 2015, when Kris had a bicycle accident injuring his left pointer finger, when he was forced to begin playing the harmonica as a primary instrument on stage. He quickly purchased a Green Bullet Harmonica Microphone and sought council and instruction from his harmonica mentor Bubba McCoy.
In 2017, Kris joined the ‘Country Rockin’ Rebels’ (CCR) as their Harp Player and back up vocalist. Shortly after, he joined the Brown Part Liquor String Band (BPL) as their Harp player and Vocalist. The Moneymen, CCR, and BPL perform at venues like Winston’s OB, SD House of Blues, Hennessey’s Pub La Jolla, Lucy Tavern, The Harp Pub, OB Street Fair Main Stage, Sidecar Bar, Soda Bar, Kensington Club, etc. Steve Tahmahkera retired from the drums and Nathan Walsh Haines from Brother Gow joined the Moneymen just before Covid-19 hit. Kris has continued to write music throughout the pandemic and feels his songs have only gotten better and stronger as his skills have formed.
Kris Wott’s solo album ‘Time Will Tell’ is to be released in July of 2021. The album consists of 9 songs that have been written over a 12-year period. He is eager to share his work and already has a great deal of material ready to go for future albums. Kris specializes in simultaneously playing guitar and harmonica and has a catalogue of over 300 songs.
Kris performed with Fire and Twine (Alyssa Roie Harrington), BPL, and Solo through 2022 and decided to take a break from performing, for the first half of 2023, to be the Vice President of the Spring Harp Fest, write music, rediscover his direction and voice, and begin classes at UCSD for Paralegal Studies. He is currently coming out of his break as an Americana/Country/Folk Rock artist. Kris is just now reaching back out to venues and bookers to book performances as a solo act, with BPL, and his new project Kris Wott & Lower Voltaire.
Kris Wott & Lower Voltaire is traditionally a trio consisting of Nathan Walsh Haines on drums, Cody Christian on bass guitar, and Kris on guitar and harmonica. More instruments can be added to suit the type of venue and performance, but the solid core of Lower Voltaire is on board to support Kris’ vision to transition to Americana/Country/Folk Rock. This new band performs Americana, Country, Folk Rock covers and originals. Contact Kris to book him as a solo artist or with Lower Voltaire at [email protected].
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I am just coming out of a huge pivot. Working in the legal field, going to school to be a paralegal, and becoming the Vice President for the Spring Harp Fest, has been a huge undertaking. Not to mention I was longing to find my true musical sound. The break not only gave me time to focus on the task at hand, but I took vocal lessons and discussed with professional music friends in Nashville that helped me see that I have a Country soul. Transitioning to a Country centric artist has been less of a pivot and more of a clearing of the path. i can clearly see that I have been writing americana/country/folk rock music all along. I originally discovered this when we put steel guitar and fiddle on my solo album – Time Will Tell. Listening to the tracks, after having Ted Stern come in to lay down steel guitar and fiddle, blew me away. I thought to myself, “holy crap, I am a country artist”. Now I am learning as much country as possible and writing with country/americana in mind. I recently just started performing again and have unveiled my new set and image, and the response has been amazing!
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
One thing that I noticed about society, or the gigging industry, is that the audience craves and requests covers. The owners of bars and venues want popular hits and upbeat sets. One thing I think that the audience could do is support original music, request original music, and reward the bravery it takes to take your diary and bring it to society in musical form. I also think that owners of bars and venues should stay in their lane. As a performing artist for almost 2 decades, I have learned to read a crowd, adjust my setlists, flow with the energy of the room, and create a set list that flows as well. In my opinion, a set should flow like a wave. It needs high energy songs, middle energy songs, and low energy (touching) songs. The transition between energies should be fluid and adjusting to the environment as you read the room. An owner seems to only care about his/her reputation to always be fun and exciting. That is not what music is to me and many in the industry. If you are going to have live music at your establishment or you are going to see a live artist or band, go for the experience that the artist or band brings to the table. Truly try to appreciate their craft, intentions, and vulnerability. A musician is not a jukebox and should not be treated as such. Of course, I am not saying that you shouldn’t make requests or react to the performance, but maybe tip accordingly. And as the pros say, “All complaints can be written on the back of a $20 dollar bill”. The longer I play, the less I am willing to sacrifice my musical integrity. I wonder if more artists thought and represented themselves this way, the industry would change?
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kriswottmusic/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/Kris-Wott/100063767943510/#_=_
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristopher-wott-669825113/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqWlZ0S-j_WaQwhUkjeEWQ
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/7xlirN6O69yCMmh2fD83dq?si=84GBfwlvRvSkmJ_EZpLN-A
Image Credits
Brady Cooling