Carey Ott

Chicago native Carey Ott launched his musical path in the mid-1990s alongside the group Torben Floor. His brother Chris Ott handled bass duties while Doug Sale played drums and John Mooney covered guitar, helping the outfit build an audience across Chicago venues through Ott’s introspective and confessional material. Because Ott composed every song, the band secured appearances at SXSW plus performances at Schubas, Doubledoor, and Metro. Torben Floor issued its sole album, Live Music in the Apartment, in 1999 yet never secured a major-label contract. During this period Ott connected with producer Ed Tinley and recorded a demo together. Discouraged by the lack of major-label interest, the group disbanded soon after the album appeared.

The split ultimately opened new opportunities for Ott. His manager forwarded the Tinley collaboration to Nashville producer Ray Kennedy, who responded favorably and passed the recordings to Dualtone Records. Label executives traveled to Chicago, attended one of Ott’s solo shows at the Subterranean, and extended a recording contract. Ott relocated to Nashville without delay, reunited with Tinley, and began shaping material for his Dualtone debut, Lucid Dream, issued in the summer of 2006. Around the same time his song “Am I Just One” aired during an episode of the ABC series Grey’s Anatomy, accelerating his transition from independent stages to wider recognition.