Otis Gibbs

• Name — Otis Gibbs • Birth Name — Paul Otis Gibbs III • Born — February 11, 1966 (age 60) • Birthplace — Wanamaker, Indiana • Genre — Folk music • Occupation — Singer-songwriter • Instrument — Guitar • Years Active — 2002–present • Label — Wanamaker Benchmark Flat Earth • Current Members — Thomm Jutz Mark Fain Paul Griffith Amy Lashley • Website — otisgibbs.com

Gibbs was raised in Wanamaker, Indiana, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Indianapolis. He recalls being introduced to the music industry at an early age, when a friend of his aunt's that was supposed to be babysitting him would take him to a nearby saloon to earn money by singing while he played the piano. Gibbs worked for over 10 years as a tree planter in Indiana, planting what he estimates to be over 7,000 trees.

• Illustration — SXSW 2009: Jovita's, Austin, TX March 21, 2009 (Twangfest party) Gibbs' songs feature stories about everyday life. He has been compared to Woody Guthrie, Tom T. Hall, Kris Kristofferson, and Townes Van Zandt. His 2014 album, Souvenirs of a Misspent Youth was described as "his most pleasing, direct and artful work" by The Tennessean. Alan Harrison of No Depression notes that "The Darker Side of Me" is the type of song that Johnny Cash would be interested in recording. Billy Bragg included Gibbs' song "The Peoples Day" in a list of "Top Five Songs with Something to Say", published in the Wall Street Journal. Andy Gill of The Independent wrote that there is a "authenticity and dedication in Gibbs' delivery which is somehow cleansing in its purity".

Gibbs lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, with his long-time partner Amy Lashley, a singer-songwriter and children's book author.