Jake La Botz’s rough and tumble Chicago upbringing led him to learn blues fromthe last of the pre-war era bluesmen. From there, with guitar in tow, he made hisway across the U.S.A. till he hit the end of the line in Hollywood where an improbable acting career began to unfold.
After getting clean from heroin at thirty years old, La Botz became a Buddhistmeditation practitioner and teacher. He also took his bluesy guitar chops to a BlackBaptist church in South Central L.A. where he steeped himself in gospel music.Ever since then La Botz has been putting out his own brand of Gospel-noirAmericana. The eccentric stories, characters, and underlying spiritual messagesheard in his songs come to a head on his latest album Hair on Fire.
Among more than twenty film credits, La Botz has acted inTrue Detective, Rambo and On the Road. His most recent film D.O.A., stars fellow musician John Doefrom the band X.
Beyond music and acting, La Botz is also a writer. A graphic memoir in collaborationwith graphic novelist Nic Breutzman will soon be finished. La Botz’s short fiction canbe found in several literary magazines includingThe Inquisitive Eater, MetonymLiterary Journal, and The Museum of Americana. A book of short stories and anovella are in the works.
The Nuremberg-based Roots/Americana band Smokestack Lightnin' will once again be backing La Botz on his latest European tour.