The Alt-Country Cruise

[@BlindSquirrelRocks-dv9lc]

Morning, Otis! As soon as I finish my coffee, I'm getting outside to shovel another 5" of snow on top of my car, and making my way over to South Suburban Carp, IN, to plow more snow off of the lane down to my cabin. This is the winter that many old Hoosiers used to see decades ago, but it pales in comparison to the ice monsters of '77 and '78! It's fun to see kids finally get to use those sleds they got for Christmas in 2020, and I'm cursing my decision to sell the snow blower a couple of years ago. At least I got a rick of seasoned firewood for the stove, and the heat tape is plugged in so those water pipes can flow! Winter rituals almost forgotten, and rarely appreciated. A brown ale always seems to taste better when you come in from a cold day's work! Stay semi-frosty, buddy!

[@tygerstripes3752]

"...heat tape is plugged in..." Hrrmm. I'll be looking that one up, so thank you!

[@ish474]

Your show in Chicago on that Alt country cruise was December 13th 2013 I just looked at the pictures that was the first time I ever met you. I sold merch for you and the bottle rockets that night and accidentally walked away with some of the bottle rockets money so I drove to Champaign Illinois the next day to give it back. Ironically I didn't stay for the show because there was a winter storm coming so I drove straight through Indianapolis all the way back to Pittsburgh at 4:00 in the afternoon.

[@billdauphine951]

Honest man.👍

[@paulh6299]

good morning Otis, I hope your well. Snow down south, California is on fire. I'm kind of appreciating the rain here in the Northwest . Be safe spring is coming.

[@otisgibbs]

---- Otis Tour Dates ------- 02/27/25 -Iduna -Drachten, Netherlands 02/28/25. -De Schalm. -Westwoud, Netherlands 03/02/25. -Private Event. -Sint Willebrord, Netherlands 03/05/25 -TivoliVredenburg -Utrecht, Netherlands 03/06/25 -Cultural Centre De Zeepziederij -Bree, Belgium 03/07/25. -Popuppodium. -Almelo, Netherlands 03/08/25 -Lutherse Kerk -Groningen, Netherlands 03/09/25. -Walhalla -Rotterdam, Netherlands ------ Details at otisgibbs.com ----------

[@laurabethmichels2865]

Worst winter i experienced in MT was Feb. 1968, never got above zero the whole month, minus 40 with a wind chill that dropped the temp to -70 degrees at night. My Dad and brother had to feed our cattle after breakfast and My Mom and i would tell them; you have a half hour to do the feeding; after that we are coming to find you. We opened all the undersink areas and let the hot water trickle constantly to keep our wrapped pipes from freezing and all vehicles we drove were plugged into engine block heaters. Montana ranchers are trained to be under these conditions; it's much harder on inexperienced folks when they have to deal with biter cold conditions. Please put provisions and sleeping bags in your vehicles; so that way if you are stranded by the weather; you're prepared.

[@billdauphine951]

Minnesota here...totally been there. ❤

[@farmerhatfield9684]

Good morning Mr Otis Gibbs , got my coffee, hope you had some hot coffee before standing in the cold. Much love to you and Amy. Y'all stay warm and your pipes thawed

[@darrell3368]

Good morning Otis. I hope you had your coffee this morning to warm you up stay dry and warm keep up the great work and Gods blessings to you and your family

[@brettauten7175]

I'm here for any and all Bottle Rockets' stories.

[@Deg99]

Good morning from the cold north of central Canada (Saskatoon)....snowing this morning and very nice-6C (21F)....have a great Saturday wherever you are... 🙂

[@jr642]

I once drove through a snow and ice storm from Nashville to St Louis to see a Bottle Rockets/Otis Gibbs show. I believe it was Thanksgiving weekend of 2013. Nashville was fine, Clarksville was a little icy, Paducah was awful, Mt Vernon was awful. The show was great.

[@lenkeesee5038]

Dallas, Texas - We had a very unusual 2-day snow event. We accumulated only about 3 or 4 inches of snow, and the stayed around 30 degrees, but schools and lots of businesses were closed. It was probably very difficult to get to the airport, and lots of flights were canceled. I just stayed home, drank coffee, and watched the Billy Prine interview. Good Times!

[@libbytown]

Thank You Otis. Glad you got the pipes sorted out. We up here in Maine have been dealing with frozen pipes our whole lives!! Cold as F%#! up here at t5he moment. LOVED the Billy Prine interview. Actually, I love all the videos. Lest not overlook your stuff. You're the real deal. If you're ever up here look us up!

[@jammininthepast]

Thanks Otis, enjoy the beautiful mid American winter. Appreciated.

[@mattmiskie]

Hi Ottis. Just a dusting of snow overnight. Had a gig in State College PA last night- overnight lows in the teens so had to bring the guitars and some other gear into the motel room. Gettysburg gig tonight- grateful for the work as January can be slow. Gigging in the winter is an entirely different beast. Thanks for sharing ❤

[@drwindupbird]

"The South isn't prepared for the cold" Meanwhile in the UK, it snows for two minutes and all the roads and schools close :O

[@michaelbeck1042]

Last winter ,( I live in Montana) we played a bar gig in Ennis, Montana... it was cold... to get there we had to drive over the Norris Hill , it was 51 below zero at the top... 37 below in Ennis... why are we doin this gig ? The Longbranch Bar had some hearty souls in there.. it was surreal .... then the drive home... I can't tell you why we did it.. but we did. Musicians ... we're all a little looney.... Bless the firefighters in LA... and the first responders. They're heroes !!

[@brucehelppie6119]

i live in ohio and we have good snow removal and salted roads. i lived in virginia for 5 years as a kid, they didn't have salt for the roads, only sand. that helped and we often got bigger snowfalls than what i've seen here.

[@otisgibbs]

Ways to support this channel. www.patreon.com/otisgibbs kzbin.info/door/YX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Qjoin Tip jar for anyone who wants to help support this channel. paypal.me/otisgibbs?locale.x=... www.venmo.com/OtisGibbs Paypal: @otisgibbs Venmo: @OtisGibbs

[@GoneButNotGone]

I wish you’d said a bit more about the Bottlerockets. Love that band. Brian Henneman no doubt is an interesting alt-country cruise co-pilot.

[@ricksaint2000]

Thank you Otis

[@wittry2]

The bad weather went south of us. 20 degrees here as I listen to you Otis. Happy day to you!

[@SeeCSeesCC]

❤ i’ve been on the alt music cruise up and across, both ways in the snow through Canada. All accomplished in our cargo van with a block heater in the cold with more cold, and did I say it was cold? Happy new year Otis to you and Miss Amy.

[@buzzsmith8146]

Thanks, Otis.

[@bellaeden6551]

Good morning Otis and Amy. :)

[@macdaddy63]

Good morning Otis, have a wonderful weekend and stay warm. Much love to you

[@greggtrubee9565]

Thanks Otis. Another fun talk. Salute you for being outside and in the snow. Congrats on your tour of the Netherlands. A beautiful area. Enjoy and have fun and don't forget your hot coffee. You may be on another Bluz cruz there?!

[@cs6113]

Good Morning Otis, You are my sunshine, NYC...Much love to you.

[@TonyBoyd-b2j]

Gawd I miss The Bottle Rockets. ❤😊

[@mjemigh3304]

I guess they knew when it was time to quit, but I sure wouldn't mind hearing them for a few more decades.

[@WillyPDX94]

The Bottle Rockets are one of my all-time favorite bands. My band used to cover a bunch of their songs. Too bad Henneman called it quits. He was the real deal, a great songwriter and performer. ✌❤

[@vmcelvis]

That's a big 10/4 on Alaska in January- it's night all day long (or most of it), Summer time when the salmon are running . Anchorage/Kenai/Homer all have live music in some form. It can be rough and rowdy because of the influx of the "lower 48ers" from the colleges who work the processing plants, but all around an adventure. You might get to see the legendary Kenai caribou herd and wait 2 hours+ while they cross the only road. Big shout out for John Prines brother's interview. That was top drawer.So many great recollections and I was there moments. If he hasn't written a book, he ought to. Golden Tomes

[@mitchmatthews6713]

Detroit made it with only 4 inches last night. Yeah, we northern alt-country people play no matter what the weather. Stay safe, boss!

[@wildcolonialman]

Fabulous. Some unusual weather in a lot of places perhaps, although certainly not unusual, more a case of being ready for such, as you opine. In New Zealand and the Capital City, Wellington, and this is high summer month time, and its quite chilly for near a month. Hilarious, but always have wood or heating means should such occur. God Bless all.

[@defh2o]

WFPK is the best radio station currently on the air. they play it ALL. Used to be; when I go south I start listening just soputh of seymour and keep it there until it goes beyond fuzz. NOW I have the app. good stuff.

[@seeyouinhale2317]

Saw you at the Handle Bar in Greenville SC on that Bottle Rockets tour; been a fan ever since.

[@rblanchard63]

Morning Otis...just a Cold Hard Rain here yesterday in the Florida Panhandle..and overcast and cold again today

[@jbjames6]

Yes to snow overnight in Raleigh, NC. The local news kept pointing out that it had been over 1000 days since we had measurable snowfall. The forecast was for about 3" but I think we got less than that - and more sleet than snow. But now it may thaw and re-freeze for a couple of days and still cause problems... No, we don't handle snow and ice well here.

[@Jokkmokk21]

Good morning Otis, from Kendall, Wisconsin. An hour north of Madison. Snow tonight and tomorrow, Tuesday low will be 0! Thanks for your channel!

[@scottkidwell3601]

Happy Saturday, Otis! I served in two duty stations in Alaska. Beautiful country. I don't know that I'd want to go back some 30 years later. Different experience in the Coast Guard. Touring wouldn't be bad. So far, this winter hasn't been bad in the PNW. I'm not a fan of the cold or the wind. Mostly wind. I have to catch up after a week of travel and long workdays. Be good to you 🙏🏻🤍

[@mojo6778]

We got around 9" of snow in Sherman, Texas - 65 miles north of Dallas on Thursday . It was beautiful, but really slows down the day to day routine. Still have 4-5" in the yard this afternoon. No pipe issues here, but did get down to 19 degrees last night. Definitely not north Texas weather.😃

[@tygerstripes3752]

I can hear some cardinals in the background. Hope there's a feeder nearby. It's cold here, but nothing like snowing. We had a broken pipe in the front yard this last week, but our plumber came out and did the repair in the rain, wotta champion.

[@eriknorthenscold704]

No snow here in Playa del Carmen Mexico.....I don't miss Minnesota winters at all!

[@johnrichardson1917]

One of the very few time in Peachtree Corners, GA I can relate (only by 2"s) I can relate to , Amy and Otis surroundings. As always Thank you Otis!

[@whatsnottohike]

I imagine you put the heating on first again this year 🙂

[@user-mad7max11dystopia]

That’s what most people don’t get about the south. If it snows rarely they don’t budget for winter weather. Whether it’s treating roads or insulating pipes or whatever, that makes a difference. Tennessee is kind of in the middle. I remember 1985 in the Knoxville area it got down to -24 with a -68 wind chill. East Tennessee was colder than Minnesota. We survived it but that’s just a whole different kind of cold. Ten inches of snow. Blizzard conditions and I remember it like yesterday.

[@charskene714]

I lived in Wisconsin for a couple of years. And there’s nothing like that Wisconsin cold. It’s the kind of cold. It goes right through you. You can’t wear enough clothes. I’m from the state of Maine now living in Oklahoma. I grew up with cold weather and hard winters, but Wisconsin’s got main beat by a mile.

[@Oldtimefolk1658]

Thanks Otis. Love your stories. Please come to Milwaukee for a gig sometime. :) Stay safe out there.

[@steveweiman4708]

Oh, when I heard you mention the tour with Bottle Rockets: I would love to see an interview with Brian Henneman! :)

[@xjamesramos]

Pretty snowy up here in Frankfort, IN. Sent you a photo on your instagram. Had breakfast in Fountain Square and noticed I was having breakfast with Otis Gibbs. Hehehe

[@bellaeden6551]

Spent three winters outside of Fairbanks. Went on a hunting trip up in the Arctic Circle once and it was -55F. Good times.

[@mjemigh3304]

Ugh.....my early years were spent in upstate NY. 22 years of snow and ice is enough for one lifetime. Now in my 70s, I'm content being a Floridian.

[@earring1]

That's the downfall of winning that heat contest I guess lol. Safe travels, Otis.

[@dhand34]

I got your snow. I’m in CO now

[@bjorntannberg1581]

Lots of snow here in Stockholm. Back hurts from shoveling.

[@benritchsmith]

Your recounting of winter touring reminds me of David Mallet’s ‘Snowbound’

[@Frostheimer]

The Bottle Rockets are who brought me to you.

[@meltedwheeliebin]

Alt. Country, whatever that is!

[@philovance1940]

When it snows in Oklahoma, people act like it’s the apocalypse

[@phildirt3]

Just so you know. Google has a picture of wilco on the bottle rockets page

[@petersheely7246]

👍☕️😎

[@badad0166]

If you let the taps dribble overnight you will save in frustration what you spend on water...moving water can't freeze. How's that for a song title.

[@kristofer603]

Otis-Howdee-Do ya have an Agent who books you???

[@julesotis13]

how about an alt cruise...hee hee 😂

[@fredradical]

Where's your warm cup of coffee? Funny when I saw your thumbnail I instinctively got up and got another cup before watching.

[@MarkAllenMars]

Morning

[@jimmycoleman5853]

Alt country? I understand record and press people looking to categorize musicians but I’m not a fan of all the sub genre labels

[@charskene714]

I lived in Wisconsin for a couple of years. And there’s nothing like that Wisconsin cold. It’s the kind of cold. It goes right through you. You can’t wear enough clothes. I’m from the state of Maine now living in Oklahoma. I grew up with cold weather and hard winters, but Wisconsin’s got main beat by a mile.