Top 40 Singles of 2008: James Otto - "Just Got Started Loving You" (#3)

To be successful in life, most people have to work hard.  Some musicians have to work even harder to succeed, especially when many have deemed them a failure.  Otto overcame those obstacles to score a Grammy nomination with this single, Country's biggest hit of 2008.

From the moment that I heard “The Ball” at Country radio, I knew that James Otto had the chance to be someone special.  His debut album “Days Of Our Lives” showcased a strong vocalist with songs that should’ve been radio hits.  While that album ultimately failed, Otto was broken but wouldn’t be defeated as he rebounded with his Muzik Mafia friends and signed on with Warner Brothers Records.   After a little while at the label, Otto released “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” and the single not only became a Number One Hit but it also gave him the top single in all of Country radioland for 2008. 

While the top radio singles sometimes don’t mesh with critical ‘best of’ lists, there was no denying that this song deserved a place among Roughstock’s “Best Country Singles of 2008” list.  Written with Jim Femino and D. Vincent Williams, “Just Got Started Lovin’ You” is a sultry, R&B-tinged ballad that finds Otto singing lyrics that are wrapped up in fiddles and Hammond B-3 organ.  With his kind of vocal and songwriting talent (he was recently nominated for a Grammy as a co-writer of Jamey Johnson’s breakthrough hit “In Color” in addition to a performance Grammy for this song, not to mention that his talent is now fully realized by radio, the sky is the limit as to how much James can take his career.  

Read the album review here.

Watch The Video here.

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