Miss Amy


Amy Otey,Miss Amy#cite note-nyt-1| known as Miss AmyMiss Amy#cite note-trade-2| is an American musical fitness entertainer, singer-songwriter, and author focusing on the themes of health and activity for children, though her genres also range to country, folk-rock and pop.Miss Amy#cite note-nyt-1|Miss Amy#cite note-trenton-3|Miss Amy#cite note-pen-4| With her  husband, award-winning vocalist/multi-instrumental musician & producer Alex Otey, she has released 5 children’s albums,Miss Amy#cite note-allm-5| the fifth of which, Fitness Rock & Roll, was nominated in the 54th Grammy Awards. Miss Amy also appears on the 53rd Grammy nominated album Healthy Food For Thought: Good Enough To Eat, and the 54th Grammy winning album, All About Bullies... Big And Small.Miss Amy#cite note-ttt-6| Her book, Keep Kids Fit! Classroom Activity Breaks was released in 2013 by Open Door Publications.Miss Amy#cite note-book-7| Amy co-owns WinterCat Records, LLC with her husband Alex. In addition Amy is the Senior Writer for WinterCatCreative producing award-winning scripts for film and television.

Early life, education

Amy was raised in suburban Kansas City.Miss Amy#cite note-guru-8| After she met her husband, music producer Alex Otey, they began playing in jazz, folk and rock bands together.Miss Amy#cite note-guru-8|
She earned her BBAMiss Amy#cite note-guru-8| in Strategic Management at the University of North Texas, her Certificate of Gerontology at Rutgers UniversityMiss Amy#cite note-ak-9|, and in 2023 her Film and Television Essentials Certificate in partnership with TISCH/NYU through Yellowbrick.
As a fitness instructor since her 20’s, she has been accredited for Kids & Teen Fitness, Yoga I & II, Pilates, Tai-Chi, Strength Training, Primary Aerobics and Pre/Post Natal Fitness. She is also a certified Youth/Adolescent Fitness TrainerMiss Amy#cite note-ak-9| and a specialist in older adult fitness and currently teaches that population.

Music career

Early years

"I realized early on that children are kinesthetic beings. They can't help but express themselves through movement. What I do is to give direction in a musical context, so they can not only better express themselves, but learn foundational fitness at the same time."
— Miss Amy

Amy’s career in children's music began in the mid-1990s in New JerseyMiss Amy#cite note-guru-8|, when her first son was born prematurely. She made up songs to sing for him while he was in the hospital's neonatal, something she continued doing in his early years. She has stated that "Having a child with severe health needs really changed our family situation and my musical focus. It became all about raising a healthy child."Miss Amy#cite note-about-10|
After her first son began thriving, she became active in a local mom's group singing with moms and their children at gatherings. She was soon asked to provide entertainment at libraries, holiday events and birthday parties.Miss Amy#cite note-about-10| She then trained as a children's music instructor, and began to develop her interactive program. She also continued training in Kids & Teen Fitness, Primary Aerobics, Yoga and Tai-Chi.Miss Amy#cite note-about-10|
Miss Amy was the moniker given to her by students when she first started teaching.Miss Amy#cite note-guru-8| Her programs focus on the ABC's of fitness skills; agility, balance, and coordination.Miss Amy#cite note-guru-8|
After becoming a President's Challenge Advocate in 2007,Miss Amy#cite note-pctwo-11| she was named President's Challenge All-American for September 2010 by the President's Challenge Program.Miss Amy#cite note-pctwo-11|Miss Amy#cite note-pc-12|

Miss Amy and Her Big Kids' Band

Miss Amy frequently plays live with Miss Amy & Her Big Kids' Band. The members have each earned their President's Active Life Style Awards and are experienced musicians who have performed rock, jazz, funk and classical music.
;Current members
  • Miss Amy – vocals, guitar
  • Alex Otey – trumpet, keyboard, vocals
  • Ryan Ross – percussion
  • Chris Clark – double bass, etc.
  • James Popik – electric guitar, etc.

Solo releases

As a singer-songwriter Miss Amy released 5 LPs, starting with Underwater in 2004.Miss Amy#cite note-allm-5| She typically writes both words and music, then arranges and adds instruments with her husband producer/musician Alex Otey.Miss Amy#cite note-guru-8| Her albums have been nominated for several Grammy awards. In late 2010 Healthy Food For Thought, which features her two spoken word pieces, "Bananas" and "Imagine a Garden,"Miss Amy#cite note-nbc-13| was nominated for a 53rd Grammy Award in the "Children's Best Spoken Word" category.Miss Amy#cite note-tt-14|
Miss Amy performed as part of the White House 2010 Egg Roll event on April 5, 2010, where the theme was based on the Let's Move! initiative of First Lady Michelle Obama.Miss Amy#cite note-pd-15| Other performers at the 2010 White House Egg Roll event included Justin Bieber,Miss Amy#cite note-pen-4| J.K. Rowling, and the cast from Glee.Miss Amy#cite note-pd-15| Miss Amy also headlined Kidstock 2010.Miss Amy#cite note-trenton-3|
2011's Miss Amy's Fitness Rock & Roll was produced by Otey's husband and co-creator, Alex, and released on his label, Ionian Productions. The album features James Popik on guitar and vocals, Chris Clark on bass, Andy Janowiak and Rick Vinet on percussion, saxophonists Richie Cole and Tom Verde, and brass player Lars Wendt.Miss Amy#cite note-ttt-6|
In November 2011 Fitness Rock & Roll was nominated for a 54th Grammy Award in the category of "Best Children's Album." That year Miss Amy also appeared on the Grammy-winning album All About Bullies... Big And Small.Miss Amy#cite note-ttt-6| By December 2011 she had won The Lehigh Valley Music Award's "Best Children's Performer."Miss Amy#cite note-ttt-6| She has appeared on television spots such as NBC 10!,Miss Amy#cite note-nbc-13| and in March 2013 Shine On Hollywood Magazine presented her as one of the "Top Women Entertainment Industry Professionals."Miss Amy#cite note-guru-8| She and her husband Alex appeared together as a power couple in music in Origin Magazine in 2013.

Off The Map

In 2013 she released Angels Riding Shotgun, the debut album of the Americana rock band Off the Map With Miss Amy.Miss Amy#cite note-lr-16|  Amy remains an active member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.

Personal life

Miss Amy continues to live in New Jersey, with her family.Miss Amy#cite note-pen-4|Miss Amy#cite note-otey-17|

Discography

Miss Amy and Her Big Kids Band

  • Underwater
  • Wide Wide World
  • My Precious One
  • I Wanna Know How It Works!
  • ''Fitness Rock & Roll''

Off the Map with Miss Amy

  • ''Angels Riding Shotgun''

Compilations

  • WXPN's Kids' Corner 20th Anniversary Compilation
  • Wildflower Compilation
  • Healthy Food For Thought, Good Enough to Eat
  • All About Bullies... Big And Small Compilation
  • ''Move This World''

DVDs

  • International Baby 101 DVD

Co-Producer/Background Vocals

Co-Producer for Artist Alex Otey on the WinterCat Records, LLC LabelWhen I See Your Face, Alex Otey Trio Love Matters Now, Alex Otey Trio Love Matters More, Alex Otey Trio Signs, Alex Otey ''See the Light, Alex Otey Trio Define Yourself, Alex Otey ''Humanity Theory, Alex Otey
  • ''Darwin AI: Survivor Choice, Alex Otey''

Publishing history

  • ''Keep Kids Fit! Classroom Activity Breaks Volume 1 Fitness Rock & Roll Miss Amy#cite note-book-7|''