Musician and event producer Johnny Schott dies | Arts & Culture

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - Johnny Schott, a musician and concert/event producer whose Cincinnati career dated from before a stint with Cincinnati band the Heywoods, died Wednesday at his home in Tennessee. 

Musician and friend Leroy Ellington says Schott woke up Wednesday morning, said good morning to his wife, and collapsed to the floor a few minutes later.

Schott was highly visible on the Cincinnati music scene in the late 60's and early 70's, including a some time with the Heywoods before they had their biggest hit; he was the co-writer of one of their songs called "The Watcher".  Brian O'Donnell of WVXU interviewed Schott about his early career and the interview in two parts can be heard here and here (2nd guest) on wvxu.org.

While continuing to play music, Schott made a career of promoting it.  In recent years he was the person who hired the musical acts for many of the large suburban and riverfront festivals in the area, bringing in local bands and rock bands like the Gin Blossoms, Eddie Money, and Starship for the Cincinnati Parks, the cities of Amelia, Bellevue, Deer Park and Wyoming, along with Miami, Union and Pierce Townships in Clermont County, as well as Springfield and Sycamore Townships, and private venues like Hollywood and Belterra Casino and the Beach Water Park.  He also was involved in Balluminaria in Eden Park and Glier's Goettafest in Newport.

Schott had lived in Northside and Dearborn County in recent years before moving to northeast Tennessee.  He was commuting from his rural home in eastern Tennessee to continue producing here.

Funeral arrangements haven't been determined yet.  Johnny Schott leaves his wife, musician Rachel Sams Schott.

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