About

Striding confidently onto the 2017 Nashville music scene, Joe Hott is poised to become the next new “must
see/must hear” artist in Music City. A unique blend of retro-bluegrass, traditional country, gospel and original
Appalachian mountain music provides the mixture needed to make the Virginia native a rare treasure on today’s
music scene.
Recently named a 2017 National Brand Ambassador for top boot retailer Durango Boots, the 22-year-old artist
is, in a word: authentic. His 6-foot-4-inch, lanky frame and handsome boyish resemblance to Hank Williams, Sr.
were God’s gift to Joe Hott. Joe’s gift to God is his music.
“I really cherish the family and spiritual values I grew up with,” notes the minister’s son whom, at an early age,
found a fascination with the tradition-steeped sounds native to his birthplace in Winchester, Virginia. When Joe
was a child he moved to West Virginia and readily picked up a love for music from both his father and two uncles
who played and sang traditional music.
Joe’s youthful fascination with the blended soundtracks of Dr. Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and
Hank Williams, Sr. spun the fabric of his creative inspiration, formed his vocal and musical interpretations and
set the foundation for his songwriting.
In 2012, Joe formed the “Short Mountain Brothers” trio—the group’s name a tribute to Short Mountain that sits
just behind Joe’s boyhood home. The house itself is, in fact, the same home that his great-grandfather lived in
when he moved to West Virginia back in the 1920’s. Joe’s childhood surroundings richly contributed to his love
of history, deep family heritage and the sounds that built American culture.
With the addition of a fourth musician, Joe now tours with his renamed “Short Mountain Boys,” featuring
guitar, banjo, bass and mandolin. They have shared the stage with artists such as Rhonda Vincent and Vince Gill,
connecting with new fans at each concert.
Aware of today’s music and the maze of radio programmers and charts needed to reach an audience, Joe and
his creative team are confident he has the originality and authenticity to reach both old and young with his
presentation of the traditional.
With support from WSM Radio, Durango Boots and a nationwide fanbase, Joe is gearing up to hit the road and
share is music with the world. His latest release, The Last Thing On My Mind, leaves little doubt that all
things old are new again. Featuring 11 songs, a selection of both self-penned tracks and traditional favorites, the
album showcases Joe’s genuine authenticity and commitment to being true to both himself and his influences.
“People like what’s real—and that defines my music,” he notes