Born Fred Bishti on 14 February 1950 in Beirut, Lebanon, Otis Grand has lived the greater part of his existence in the United States, aside from a period of several years spent in France. Picking up the guitar at thirteen, he drew inspiration from B.B. King, T-Bone Walker, Otis Rush, and Johnny Otis, subsequently performing alongside numerous blues musicians in the San Francisco Bay area. Otis Grand And The Dance Kings generated considerable excitement upon their arrival on the British blues circuit in the late 1980s; their debut release earned a W.C. Handy award nomination partly through the participation of Joe Louis Walker. The follow-up recording featured additional contributions from Jimmy Nelson, Pee Wee Ellis, and Walker once more. Recognized as a compelling stage performer, Grand received the UK Blues Guitarist Of The Year accolade in 1990 and maintained visibility in yearly surveys across the 1990s, owing to an unrelenting tour itinerary. He currently makes his home in Croydon, Surrey, gateway to the blues!
