Otis Redding Biography, Photos and Posters

Otis Redding

Biography

Born: September 9, 1941
City and Country of Origin: Dawson, Georgia
Music Training: choir of the Vineville Baptist Church
Awards: 1989 inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Grammy 1968 Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance, Male, "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay;" Best Rhythm & Blues Song, "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay"
Top Recordings: "Mr. Pitiful," "I've Been Loving You Too Long," "Respect," "That's How Strong My Love Is," "I Can't Turn You Loose," "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," "My Lover's Prayer," "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)," "Try a Little Tenderness," "Tramp," "Knock on Wood," "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay," "The Happy Song (Dum-Dum)," "Amen," "I've Got Dreams to Remember," "Merry Christmas, Baby," "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag"
Otis Redding Biography: Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an influential American deep soul singer, best known for his passionate delivery, powerful stage presence and posthumous hit single, "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay." No less authority than the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, on their website, consider Redding's name as "synonymous with the term soul. Music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of funky, secular testifying."

Redding was born in the small town of Dawson, Georgia. Wne he was 5 he moved with his family to Macon, Georgia. There he sang in the choir of the Vineville Baptist Church, and became somewhat of a local celebrity, when as a teenager he won a local Sunday night talent show 15 weeks in a row.

In 1960, he toured the South with Johnny Jenkins and The Pinetoppers. That year he made his first recordings, "She's All Right" and "Shout Bamalama" with this group under the name "Otis and The Shooters."

In 1962, he made his first real mark in the music business during a Johnny Jenkins session when he recorded "These Arms of Mine", a ballad that Redding had written. The song became a minor hit on Volt Records, a subsidiary of the Stax label, based in Memphis, Tennessee. His manager was fellow Maconite Phil Walden (who later founded Capricorn Records). Otis Redding continued to release for Stax/Volt, and built his fanbase by extensively touring a legendarily electrifying live show with support from fellow Stax artists Sam & Dave. Further hits between 1964 and 1966 included "Mr. Pitiful", "I Can't Turn You Loose" (to become The Blues Brothers entrance theme music), "Try a Little Tenderness" (a re-make of the 1930's standard by Harry Woods/Jimmy Campbell/Reg Connelly and was featured in a memorable scene in John Hughes' film "Pretty In Pink"), "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (written by the Rolling Stones), and "Respect" (later a smash hit for Aretha Franklin).

Redding wrote many of his own songs, which was unusual for the time, often with Steve Cropper (of Stax house band Booker T. & the M.G.'s, who usually served as Otis' backing band in the studio). Soul singer Jerry Butler co-wrote another hit "I've Been Loving You Too Long". One of his few songs with a significant mainstream following was "Tramp" (1967) with Carla Thomas. Later that year, Redding played at the massively influential Monterey Pop Festival, which helped him to break into the white pop music scene.

Redding and six others, including four of the six members of Redding's backup band, The Bar-Kays, were killed when the plane on which they were travelling crashed into Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin on December 10, 1967. The two remaining members of The Bar-Kays were Ben Cauley and James Alexander. Cauley was the only person aboard Redding's plane to survive the crash; Alexander was on another plane.

Redding was 26 years old at the time of his death. He was laid to rest in a tomb on his private ranch in Round Oak, Georgia, 23 miles (37 km) north of Macon.

"(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" was recorded only three days prior to Redding's death. It was released the next month and became his first number 1 single and first million-seller. The fact that "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" ultimately became Redding's greatest commercial success was unexpected, not only because its release came after his death, but also because the song is actually a significant stylistic departure from the bulk of his other work.
Born: December 10, 1967

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