Otis Redding – Biography, Songs, Albums, Discography & Facts

Otis Redding Biography

Otis Ray Redding Jr. was a singer, composer, record producer, arranger, and talent scout from the United States. He is regarded as one of the finest singers in American popular music history, as well as a pioneering figure in soul music and rhythm & blues. Redding’s singing technique was influenced by the gospel music that came before the genre. His singing style impacted many other 1960s soul performers. Stax Records, situated in Memphis, Tennessee, recorded his recordings during his lifetime.

Redding was born on September 9, 1941, in Dawson, Georgia, and relocated to Macon, Georgia, when he was two years old. Redding dropped out of school at the age of 15 to support his family by working with Little Richard‘s backing band, the Upsetters, and singing in talent shows at Macon’s historic Douglass Theatre. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins’ band, the Pinetoppers, as a singer and driver, and toured the Southern states with them. Him 1962, an unannounced presence on a Stax recording session resulted in a contract and his first song, “These Arms of Mine.”

Two years later, Stax released Redding’s debut album, Pain in My Heart. Initially popular among African-Americans, Redding eventually gained a wider American pop music audience.

He and his band began by playing tiny concerts in the American South. Later, he appeared at the famed Los Angeles nightclub Whisky a Go Go and toured Europe, appearing in London, Paris, and other major cities. In 1967, he also appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival.

Redding composed and recorded his legendary “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” with Steve Cropper shortly before his death in a plane crash. The song was the first posthumous number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. The Dock of the Bay is the first posthumous album to debut at number one on the UK Albums Chart. Stax was crushed by Redding’s untimely passing. Already on the edge of insolvency, the company quickly discovered that Atlantic Records’ Atco branch possessed the rights to his entire song collection.

Many posthumous honours were bestowed upon Redding, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Among his best-known songs are “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” “Respect,” and “Try a Little Tenderness.”

Redding has been dubbed the “King of Soul,” a title previously bestowed upon Brown and Cooke. He is still one of the genre’s most well-known artists. His sleek and strong technique epitomised the Stax sound; he was dubbed “the heart and soul of Stax,” while performers like Al Jackson, Dunn, and Cropper contributed to its expansion. His open-throated singing, tremolo/vibrato, frenetic, electric stage performances, and apparent honesty were all distinguishing features, as was the usage of interjections (such as “must, gotta, gotta”), some of which were inspired by Cooke. Producer Stewart said the “begging singing” was caused by stress and accentuated by Redding’s shyness.

Redding has been cited as a musical influence by artists of all genres. “Respect,” according to George Harrison, was the basis for “Drive My Car.” The Rolling Stones cited Otis Redding as a key influence as well. Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Doors, and practically every soul and R&B musician from the early years, including Al Green, Etta James, William Bell, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Conley, were all impacted by Redding. According to Sam Andrew, a guitarist in Janis Joplin’s band Big Brother and the Holding Company, his vocal style affected her. After hearing Redding, she remarked that she learnt “to push a song instead of just sliding over it.”

Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees wrote the song “To Love Somebody” for him to record. He adored it and planned to “clip it,” as Barry put it, when he returned from his farewell gig. The song was dedicated to his remembrance.

Otis Redding Discography

King & QueenSpotifyAppleYouTube
Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of SoulSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
The Soul AlbumSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings SoulSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul BalladsSpotifyAppleYouTube
Pain in My HeartSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon

Top Videos

Frequently Asked Questions

What Was Otis Redding Number One Hit?

Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” was his only number-one hit.

What Happened Otis Redding?

Otis Redding was one of the most popular soul musicians in the 1960s, capturing the nation with his stunning vocal range. But his time was tragically cut short when he was killed in a plane crash on December 10th 1967 at the age of just 26-years-old.

How Old Was Otis Redding When He Died?

tis Redding, 26 years old, a former well-driller from Macon, Georgia, died in a plane crash in an icy Wisconsin lake on December 10.

Most Searched For Otis Redding Songs

Sittin On the Dock Of the BaySpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
These Arms of MineSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
I’ve Been Loving You Too LongSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Stand by MeSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Hard to HandleSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Cigarettes and CoffeeSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Try a Little TendernessSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Ive Got Dreams to RememberSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
For Your Precious LoveSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
My GirlSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon