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OTIS GRAND

(Born Fuad Bishti)

14 February 1950—9 June 2023

was a Lebanese born British Blues musician, best
known for his album, “Perfume and Grime”

(1996) and his exciting live performances. He
was honoured with The Presidential Medal for
Arts for The Republic of Lebanon in 2009.

Otis Grand spent much of his life in the

United States. He played with local blues
musicians at Eli's Mile High Club in
Oakland, California and made contacts that
would later prove useful; such as Joe
Louis Walker who produced his

debut album, “Always Hot” (1988).
He later cited his early influences as
B.B. King, Otis Rush, Johnny Otis and
T-Bone Walker. By the late 1980s,
Grand was based in the UK where he

and his Dance Kings became a
popular nightclub act. He was voted
'Best UK Blues Guitarist' seven years
running (1990–1996) by the British
Blues Connection magazine.

Sometimes called the Gentle Giant of
the Blues, he absorbed a wide
spectrum of Blues styles and led one
of the the hottest Blues and R & B

bands around.

Otis Grand has pioneered the big
band blues sound over the last few

years, starting with a West Coast
R&B band and moving into his
guitar led Big City style Blues.

In the past ten years Otis has received a number of Awards including UK Blues Guitarist

of the Year ( 1990- 96), Best Blues Albums, Best Band, and nominations for the
prestigious W.C Handy Blues Awards in Memphis, Tenn .

Otis was 73 years old and currently the cause of his death has not been made public.