In the early 1970s finals of a talent contest at Humboldt High came down to the Woodstock Roaches and Nacho and the Imperials.
We won, gushed Otis Crawford, of the Nacho and the Imperials.
Otis played trombone in the high school band, but it was his rich baritone voice he exercised with the group.
That was a lot of fun. We all wore jeans and white T-shirts, kinda like Bowser (of Sha Na Na fame). We sang 50s songs, Teen Angel, Little Darlin and, my favorite, Rock Around the Clock, a flagship tune of Rock n Roll.
The group had some gigs in neighboring towns, but it was another public venue that had Otiss attention.
From a young age I felt the Lord calling me, Otis, 64, said. I ran from the call for a long time.
One Sunday, I couldnt run any more. I stepped out of the choir, walked to the front of the church and said I was being led to preach.
A few Sundays later the 17-year-old had his trial sermon, Light of the World from St. Mathew 5:14-16. I was scared to death, but the verses gave him comfort and courage.
Otis eventually filled the Poplar Grove pulpit full time and would remain there better than 20 years. For the past 20 he has led services at New Hope Baptist Church in Chanute.
YEARS AGO Otis was asked to serve on Humboldt city council, to fill an unexpired term. Re-elected like clockwork, he was a councilman for better than 20 years. He also was the councils adjunct chaplain, opening each session with prayer.
His public service extended to police department reserves and six years driving the local ambulance, when volunteers responded.
Otis has worked at Monarch Cement for 46 years, an anniversary he reached last Tuesday.
Out of high school he had hopes of a college degree from Ozark Bible College, but my money ran out. Joe Heenan, plant manager, seized the opportunity to add a good man like Otis.
Like most new employees of the time, Otis began at the bottom of the ladder on clean-up crew, working his way up before settling in the stores department.
No account of Otiss life is complete without wife Ruby, whom he met at a bowling alley in Leavenworth when attending a youth rally there in 1975.
We just said hi, not much more, Otis said of their first encounter.
