In 1967 I had the great fortune of making the acquaintance of Otis Spann who at the time had been the piano player for the Muddy Waters Band for 17 years.  Otis - a brilliant personality, as well as the definitive blues piano player - had aspirations to go out on his own to make a name for himself.  As fate would have it, I helped him to take the initial steps in achieving that goal by helping him to put a band together, as well as getting him his first solo gig at a Boston club called the Ark.  Sadly, Otis would live only three more short years.  This was not enough time for him to get his solo career in full swing, or to achieve the recognition and financial rewards he deserved.  One of the saddest moments and memories of my life is the scene of passing a hat to raise enough money to bury Otis.  That an individual of his enormous stature would pass away with no financial resources as a result of his body of work was incomprehensible to me.  It is one of those moments in life where one is stopped dead in their tracks with no explanation or comprehension of the moment they are in.  If you read a discography or Otis' work, not only will you be astounded by the volume of his work, but also by all the great players of the Blues and Blues Rock scene of the Sixties that he recorded with.

In addition to being a phenomenal musical talent, Otis also had a brilliant mind and a heart of gold.  I was extremely fortunate to have been in his presence during the last years of his life and can tell you that he had a profound a powerful impact on me as a young man, which has lasted to this day.  I also know that anyone who came into his presence was immediately aware that they were in the presence of a very talented, gifted and special human being.  When Otis died the headline to his obituary in Rolling Stone said, "Everyone Will Miss Otis."  All this being said, I am dedicating this record company to the greatness that was Otis Spann, as his memory will burn in my heart forever.  Spann Records will be a company focused on producing the finest and truest musical artists that we can find, whether they are vocalists or instrumentalists.  The talent will embody feeling, emotion, heart and soul, and most of all, musical integrity.  It is our intent to capture on disc as much as possible the spontaneity and feeling of a live performance.  We will not rely on technology to enhance the performance or our presentations; rather we will use it to bring out the best of the purity of our Artists.  It is our vision to bring you music that makes you feel good, that makes you happier than you were, that is uplifting to the soul and that make the heart happy.  We want to transport you to a beautiful moment in time, a place where you leave the worries of today behind, giving you joy in the moment and hope for tomorrow.

Keep on Rockin',

~Douglas Grossman

(Founder/CEO - Spann Records, LLC)