Today we’ve got another artist spotlight on another Oklahoma-based artist by the name of Kota Lewis. If you aren’t familiar I highly suggest you go check him and his band out. But before you do that, stick around and find out who he is behind the music, because really, who is Kota Lewis?
Kota Lewis is an artist originally from Pittsburg, KS, but the band is based out of Tulsa now. Kota said he “picked up a guitar at 14 but didn’t really start writing till I was 20,” going on to say, “I always had visions of people singing my songs back to me since I first started singing along to the radio.” How would Kota describe his sound to someone who’s never heard his music? He told us, “That’s probably the question I get the most and I never know how to describe it. I’ve thrown around terms like ‘YeeHaw Toxic Rock,’ ‘Yallternative,’ ‘Punk Kuntry.’ It’s just different, but in my experience, we are too Rock for Country and too Country for Rock.”
When asked what inspired him to start making music, Kota said, “I really wanted to be an artist on the radio from a really young age. Artists like George Strait, Toby Keith, and Eric Church really had me interested in singing, but when I found Cody Johnson, Cody Jinks, and Kevin Fowler, I just went all in on Texas Country & Red Dirt artists and got away from Nashville because it felt more related to the life I had growing up and pushed me to writing more.” But what about some artists that have influenced Kota the most? Well, he gave us his top three, saying, “Top three would be Toby Keith, Motley Crue, and Nickelback.”
What’s been Kota’s favorite show and venue to play so far? He said, “Cozy Tavern Bar & Grill in Ness City, KS. I’d replay that show every day for the rest of my life if I could.” But what about his dream venue? Kota said, “The Blue Light Live #1806buddyhollyave.”
Turning points happen in many ways, and they come at different times, and they aren’t always happy. Kota said their turning point was, “Losing my bass player & best friend to a car accident really did a number on us as a group. We push on in his memory and for all the hard work & dedication he gave the dream we all have. Always play every show like it’s your last.”
What’s something about Kota and the band that people might not expect? Well, he said, “We take cheese puffs very seriously.” Now, what does Kota hope when people hear his music? He said, “Relief. I write some fun songs, and I write some painful, dark songs. And I hope when you hear the fun songs that you remember to have a good time. And when you hear the dark, painful songs, you remember you’re not alone and there are people who care.”
What does success look like for Kota in music? He said, “Success would be being able to make my entire living and take care of my family entirely off of my music. Also, headlining Cain’s Ballroom someday wouldn’t be bad either.” How does Kota balance music with the rest of his life? He said, “Music is a big part of my life. My job works amazingly with me on when I need to take off to go do something, whether it be a writers round, a show, or a studio date. My wife pushes me to work hard and chase my dreams because she knows being on stage and making music is what I’ve always wanted to do.”
What’s one piece of advice Kota would give to someone just starting out in music? He said, “Go. Get. Lessons! Whether it’s your voice, guitar, drums, or writing. It can make a HUGE difference once you get even a small basis for technique and a general direction of how-to’s. The only people that care if you’re ‘self-taught’ is you. Also, don’t be a jerk. You don’t have to be the smartest or most well-known, but you should try REALLY hard to be the kindest & most friendly.”
Regarding new music, Kota said, “We had a new single called ‘Cigarette’ that came out 8/15. It’s a sad song and musically something different than what we’ve done before, and I’m really excited to see if people cry. It actually made one of my guitarists cry the first time we went over it in practice.” Kota said you can find him and the band on “Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, Apple, Farmers Only, Plenty of Fish, & OnlyFans… just kidding about those last three… but you can find us anywhere and everywhere. Just search Kota Lewis on socials & Kota Lewis & The Flyers on streaming platforms.” I know someone’s going to check out those last three to see if they are jokes or not.
Thank you for reading this week’s artist spotlight! I hope you enjoyed getting to know who Kota Lewis is behind his music. Go check him out, and go catch him at a show. As always, be good to yourself, stay western, and stay tuned!
Get Western 
Leave a comment