Otis Redding

2.1. Early Life and Education

Otis Ray Redding Jr. was born on September 9, 1941, in Dawson, Georgia, as the fourth of six children and the first son of Otis Redding Sr. and Fannie Roseman. His father initially worked as a sharecropper before taking a job at Robins Air Force Base near Macon, and occasionally preached in local churches. When Redding was three years old, his family moved to Tindall Heights, a predominantly African-American public housing project in Macon.

From a very young age, Redding displayed a strong affinity for music. He sang in the Vineville Baptist Church choir and taught himself to play both the guitar and piano. By the age of 10, he began taking formal drum and singing lessons. During his time at Ballard-Hudson High School, he was an active member of the school band. Each Sunday, he earned 6 USD by performing gospel songs for Macon radio station WIBB. He also consistently won the 5 USD prize in a local teen talent show for 15 consecutive weeks.

Redding's passion for singing was evident, and he frequently cited Little Richard and Sam Cooke as his primary musical influences. He stated that he "would not be here" without Little Richard, calling him his inspiration and noting that he "entered the music business because of Richard - he is my inspiration. I used to sing like Little Richard, his rock 'n' roll stuff ... My present music has a lot of him in it."

At the age of 15, Redding made the decision to leave school to help financially support his family, as his father had contracted tuberculosis and was frequently hospitalized, making his mother the primary income earner. He took on various jobs, including working as a well digger and a gasoline station attendant, while also pursuing his musical aspirations. He occasionally performed as a musician, often playing piano with Gladys Williams, a well-known local musician in Macon, at the Hillview Springs Social Club. Williams hosted Sunday talent shows, which Redding attended with his friends, singers Little Willie Jones and Eddie Ross.

Redding's breakthrough came in 1958 at disc jockey Hamp Swain's "The Teenage Party," a talent contest held at the local Roxy and Douglass Theatres. Johnny Jenkins, a prominent local guitarist, was in the audience and, noticing the shortcomings of Redding's backing band, offered to accompany him. Redding performed Little Richard's "Heebie Jeebies," and their collaboration led Redding to win Swain's talent contest for fifteen consecutive weeks. Jenkins later continued to work as lead guitarist and played with Redding on several subsequent gigs. Redding was soon invited to replace Willie Jones as the frontman of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, which also featured Johnny Jenkins. He was later hired by the Upsetters, Little Richard's backing band, after Richard decided to leave rock and roll for gospel music. Although he was well paid, earning about 25 USD per gig, Redding's tenure with the Upsetters was brief.

In mid-1960, Otis moved to Los Angeles with his sister, Deborah, while his wife, Zelma, and their children remained in Macon, Georgia. In Los Angeles, Redding recorded his first songs, including "Tuff Enuff" (written by James McEachin), "She's All Right" (co-written with McEachin), and two solo compositions, "I'm Gettin' Hip" and "Gamma Lamma," which he released as a single in 1961 under the title "Shout Bamalama."

2.2. Early Career

As a member of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, Redding toured the southern United States on the Chitlin' Circuit, a network of venues that provided performance opportunities for African-American entertainers during the era of racial segregation in the early 1960s. During this period, Johnny Jenkins left the band to become the featured artist with the Pinetoppers.

Around this time, Redding met Phil Walden, who would later found the recording company Phil Walden and Associates, and Bobby Smith, who managed the small label Confederate Records. Redding signed with Confederate Records and recorded the single "Shout Bamalama" (a revised version of "Gamma Lamma") and "Fat Girl" with his band, Otis and the Shooters. Wayne Cochran, the only solo artist signed to Confederate, later joined the Pinetoppers as their bassist.

Walden began seeking a record label for Jenkins, and Atlantic Records representative Joe Galkin expressed interest, sending him to the Stax studio in Memphis around 1962. Redding drove Jenkins to the session because Jenkins did not have a driver's license. The recording session with Jenkins, backed by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, proved unproductive and concluded early. However, Redding was given the opportunity to perform two songs. The first, "Hey Hey Baby," was deemed by studio chief Jim Stewart to sound too similar to Little Richard. The second was "These Arms of Mine," featuring Jenkins on guitar and Steve Cropper on piano. Stewart was highly impressed by Redding's performance, remarking, "Everybody was fixin' to go home, but Joe Galkin insisted we give Otis a listen. There was something different about [the ballad]. He really poured his soul into it."

Stewart promptly signed Redding, and "These Arms of Mine," with "Hey Hey Baby" as its B-side, was released by Volt Records in October 1962, charting in March of the following year. It became one of his most successful early songs, selling over 800,000 copies and peaking at number 20 on the R&B chart and number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100.

3.1. Stax Records and Early Success

"These Arms of Mine" and other tracks recorded during the 1962-1963 sessions were compiled for Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart. Among these were "That's What My Heart Needs" and "Mary's Little Lamb," recorded in June 1963. "Mary's Little Lamb" stands out as Redding's only track featuring both background vocals and brass instrumentation, though it became his worst-selling single. The album's title track, recorded in September 1963, led to copyright disputes due to its resemblance to Irma Thomas's "Ruler of My Heart." Despite this, Pain in My Heart was released in March 1964. The single peaked at number 11 on the R&B chart and number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album reached number 103 on the Billboard 200.

In November 1963, Redding, accompanied by his brother Rodgers and childhood friend Sylvester Huckaby, traveled to New York City to perform at the Apollo Theater for a live album recording for Atlantic Records. Redding and his band were paid 400 USD per week, but faced financial difficulties as they had to pay 450 USD for sheet music for the house band, led by King Curtis. Recognizing their plight, Ben E. King, the headliner at the Apollo during Redding's performance, generously gave him 100 USD. The resulting album featured performances by King, the Coasters, Doris Troy, Rufus Thomas, the Falcons, and Redding. During this period, Walden and Rodgers were drafted into the army, leading to Walden's younger brother Alan joining Redding on tour, and Earl "Speedo" Simms replacing Rodgers as Redding's road manager.

3.2. "Mr. Pitiful" and "Otis Blue"

Following the release of his first album, most of Redding's songs after "Security" were characterized by a slow tempo. This led disc jockey A. C. Moohah Williams to affectionately label him "Mr. Pitiful." In response, Steve Cropper and Redding collaborated to write the eponymous song. This track, along with other top 100 singles like "Chained and Bound," "Come to Me," and "That's How Strong My Love Is," were featured on Redding's second studio album, The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads, released in March 1965. "Mr. Pitiful" became a significant hit, reaching number 10 on the R&B singles chart and number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Around 1965, Redding co-wrote "I've Been Loving You Too Long" with Jerry Butler, the former lead singer of the Impressions. This song, which reached number 2 on the R&B singles chart, became one of the most highly acclaimed works of his career. That summer, Redding and the studio crew began arranging new material for his next album. Ten of the eleven songs were remarkably recorded within a 24-hour period on July 9 and 10 in Memphis. Two songs, "Ole Man Trouble" and "Respect", had been completed earlier during the sessions for what would become Otis Blue. "Respect" and "I've Been Loving You" were later re-recorded in stereo. The album, titled Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, was released in September 1965 and also included Redding's beloved cover of "A Change Is Gonna Come." "Respect" later gained even wider recognition through Aretha Franklin's iconic cover, but Redding's original reached number 4 on the R&B chart.

3.3. Whisky a Go Go and European Tour

Redding's growing success enabled him to purchase a 300 acre ^{(300 acre)} ranch in Georgia, which he named the "Big O Ranch." Stax Records was also thriving during this period. Phil Walden expanded his roster by signing additional musicians, including Percy Sledge, Johnnie Taylor, Clarence Carter, and Eddie Floyd. Together with Redding, they established two production companies: "Jotis Records" (a portmanteau of Joe Galkin and Otis) and Redwal Music (derived from Redding and Walden). Jotis Records released four recordings, including two by Arthur Conley and one each by Billy Young and Loretta Williams. Redwal Music, however, was dissolved shortly after its formation.

Recognizing that African-Americans still constituted the majority of his fan base, Redding made a strategic decision to perform at the Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. This made him one of the first soul artists to perform for rock audiences in the western United States. His performances at the Whisky a Go Go garnered significant critical acclaim, including positive coverage in the Los Angeles Times, and marked his successful penetration into mainstream popular culture. Notably, Bob Dylan attended one of these performances and offered Redding an adapted version of his song, "Just Like a Woman."

In late 1966, Redding returned to the Stax studio to record several new tracks, including his rendition of "Try a Little Tenderness." This song, originally written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods in 1932, had previously been recorded by artists such as Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. The publishers unsuccessfully attempted to prevent Redding from recording the song from a "negro perspective." Today, Redding's version is often considered his signature song. Jim Stewart, the Stax studio chief, remarked, "If there's one song, one performance that really sort of sums up Otis and what he's about, it's 'Try a Little Tenderness.' That one performance is so special and so unique that it expresses who he is." For this recording, Redding was backed by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, with staff producer Isaac Hayes contributing to the arrangement. "Try a Little Tenderness" was included on Redding's subsequent album, Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul. Both the song and the album achieved critical and commercial success, with the single peaking at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 4 on the R&B chart.

The spring of 1966 marked a new era for Stax as the label began actively booking concerts for its artists. The majority of Redding's group arrived in London on March 13, though Redding himself had flown in days earlier for interviews, including an appearance on The Eamonn Andrews Show. Upon their arrival in London, the Beatles sent a limousine to pick them up, highlighting their growing international recognition. Later in 1966, booking agent Bill Graham arranged for Redding to play at the Fillmore Auditorium. This engagement was both commercially and critically successful, earning Redding between 800 USD and 1.00 K USD per night. Graham later declared it "the best gig I ever put on in my entire life." Redding embarked on a European tour six months later, further expanding his global reach.

In March 1967, Stax released King & Queen, an album of duets between Redding and Carla Thomas, which quickly became a certified gold record. The idea for a duet album originated from Jim Stewart, who anticipated that Redding's "rawness and [Thomas's] sophistication would work well together." The album was recorded in January 1967, while Thomas was pursuing her M.A. in English at Howard University. Six of the ten songs were recorded during their joint session, with Redding overdubbing the remaining tracks in the following days due to his concert commitments. Three singles were released from the album: "Tramp" in April, followed by "Knock on Wood" and "Lovey Dovey." All three singles reached at least the top 60 on both the R&B and Pop charts. The album itself charted at number 5 on the Billboard Pop chart and number 36 on the R&B chart.

Redding returned to Europe to perform at the Paris Olympia. The live album Otis Redding: Live in Europe was released three months later, featuring performances from this concert as well as other live shows in London and Stockholm, Sweden. His decision to bring his protégé, Arthur Conley (whom Redding and Walden had directly contracted to Atco/Atlantic Records rather than Stax/Volt), on the tour instead of more established Stax/Volt artists like Rufus Thomas and William Bell, generated some negative reactions within the Stax community.

3.4. Monterey Pop Festival

In 1967, Otis Redding delivered a profound performance at the influential Monterey Pop Festival, serving as the closing act on Saturday night, the second day of the festival. His invitation to perform was largely due to the efforts of promoter Jerry Wexler. Leading up to this event, Redding had primarily performed for black audiences and had not yet been widely recognized as a commercially viable artist in the mainstream white American market.

Despite initial skepticism from some who doubted a black soul musician's reception at a predominantly white rock festival, Redding's performance was nothing short of electric. He captivated the massive audience, demonstrating that music could transcend racial barriers. His act included his own song "Respect" and a powerful rendition of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction." Redding and his backing band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s with the Mar-Keys horn section, opened with Sam Cooke's "Shake." Following this, Redding delivered an impromptu speech, asking the audience if they were the "love crowd" and seeking a strong call and response. The ballad "I've Been Loving You" followed, and his set concluded with "Try a Little Tenderness," featuring an additional chorus. Redding famously concluded his last major concert by saying, "I got to go, y'all, I don't wanna go."

Booker T. Jones reflected on the performance, stating, "I think we did one of our best shows, Otis and the MG's. That we were included in that was also something of a phenomenon. ... They were accepting us and that was one of the things that really moved Otis. He was happy to be included and it brought him a new audience. It was greatly expanded in Monterey." Musicians such as Brian Jones and Jimi Hendrix were reportedly captivated by his performance. Critic Robert Christgau wrote in Esquire that "The Love Crowd screamed one's mind to the heavens." Redding's performance at Monterey Pop was a decisive turning point in his career, propelling him from local to national acclaim and significantly broadening his audience.

3.5. "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"

Prior to his performance at Monterey, Redding had expressed a desire to record with Arthur Conley, but Stax Records was initially against the idea. The two moved from Memphis to Macon to continue their songwriting efforts, which resulted in "Sweet Soul Music" (based on Cooke's "Yeah Man"). This song, released by Conley, peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Around this time, Redding developed polyps on his larynx, which he attempted to treat with tea, lemon, or honey. In September 1967, he was hospitalized at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York for surgery to address the condition.

In early December 1967, Redding returned to the Stax studio to record new material. Among these recordings was "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", co-written with Steve Cropper. Redding was notably inspired by the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and sought to create a similar innovative sound, even against the label's initial preferences. His wife, Zelma, found its atypical melody unappealing. The Stax crew also expressed dissatisfaction with the new sound; Stewart felt it deviated too much from traditional R&B, while bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn worried it might harm Stax's reputation. However, Redding was determined to expand his musical style and firmly believed it was his best song, correctly predicting it would top the charts. He famously whistled at the end of the song, either forgetting Cropper's intended "fadeout rap" or intentionally paraphrasing it.

This iconic song was recorded just three days before his tragic death. It was released posthumously in January 1968 and became Redding's only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the first posthumous number-one single in U.S. chart history. It sold approximately four million copies worldwide and garnered over eight million airplays.

4.1. Vocal Style and Influence

Early in his career, Redding emulated the rock and soul style of his idol, Little Richard. He was also significantly influenced by soul musicians such as Sam Cooke, particularly Cooke's live album Sam Cooke at the Copa. As his career progressed, Redding explored other popular genres, studying the recordings of the Beatles and Bob Dylan. His song "Hard to Handle" notably incorporates elements of rock and roll, showing influences from artists like Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Most of Redding's music is categorized as Southern soul and Memphis soul.

His signature vocal style was defined by its raw power and his remarkable ability to convey intense emotion. Richie Unterberger of AllMusic described his sound as "hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, an emotional way with both party tunes and aching ballads." In their book Rock and Roll: An Introduction, authors Michael Campbell and James Brody suggested that "Redding's singing calls to mind a fervent black preacher. Especially in up-tempo numbers, his singing is more than impassioned speech but less than singing with precise pitch." They further noted that in songs like "I Can't Turn You Loose," "Redding finds a rough midpoint between impassioned oratory and conventional singing. His delivery overflows with emotion." While Booker T. Jones acknowledged Redding's energetic and emotional singing, he also observed that his vocal range was somewhat limited, not reaching exceptionally low or high notes. Peter Buckley, in The Rough Guide to Rock, characterized Redding's "gruff voice, which combined Sam Cooke's phrasing with a brawnier delivery," adding that he "could testify like a hell-bent preacher, croon like a tender lover or get down and dirty with a bluesy yawp."

Redding received advice from Rufus Thomas regarding his somewhat clumsy stage presence. Jerry Wexler noted that Redding "didn't know how to move" and tended to stand still, moving only his upper body. Despite this, Redding was highly regarded by audiences for the powerful message conveyed through his music. Peter Guralnick, in Sweet Soul Music, described Redding's "painful vulnerability" as an attractive quality for audiences, though perhaps less so for his friends and partners. His early shyness was also a well-known aspect of his personality.

4.2. Songwriting Process and Characteristics

In the early stages of his career, Redding primarily performed cover versions of songs by popular artists such as Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and Solomon Burke. However, around the mid-1960s, he began to write his own original material, always keeping his inexpensive red acoustic guitar close at hand. He often sought the opinions of Stax members on his lyrics. Redding frequently collaborated on lyrics with other musicians and associates, including Earl "Speedo" Simms, Rodgers Redding, Sylvester Huckaby, Phil Walden, and Steve Cropper. During his recovery from throat surgery, Redding remarkably wrote approximately 30 songs in just two weeks. He maintained sole copyright ownership of all his compositions.

In "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," Redding departed from his familiar romantic themes, opting instead for "sad, wistful introspections, amplified by unforgettable descending guitar riffs by Cropper." The Songwriters Hall of Fame website noted that the song "was a kind of brooding, dark voicing of despair, ('I've got nothin' to live for/Look like nothin's gonna come my way')" while acknowledging that "his music, in general, was exultant and joyful." According to journalist Ruth Robinson, who authored the liner notes for the 1993 box set, "It is currently a revisionist theory to equate soul with the darker side of man's musical expression, blues. That fanner of the flame of 'Trouble's got a hold on me' music, might well be the father of the form if it is, the glorified exaltation found in church on any Sunday morning is its mother." The Songwriters Hall of Fame further added that "glorified exaltation indeed was an apt description of Otis Redding's songwriting and singing style." Booker T. Jones drew a comparison between Redding and Leonard Bernstein, stating, "He was the same type person. He was a leader. He'd just lead with his arms and his body and his fingers."

Redding favored short and simple lyrics; when asked whether he intended to cover Dylan's "Just Like a Woman", he responded that the lyrics contained "too much text". Furthermore, he stated in an interview: "Basically, I like any music that remains simple and I feel this is the formula that makes "soul music" successful. When any music form becomes cluttered and/or complicated you lose the average listener's ear. There is nothing more beautiful than a simple blues tune. There is beauty in simplicity whether you are talking about architecture, art or music."
Redding also crafted the horn arrangements for his recordings, often humming melodies to guide the musicians. The recording of "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" notably captures his habit of humming along with the horn section.

5.1. Marriage and Children

At the age of 18, Otis Redding met 17-year-old Zelma Atwood at "The Teenage Party," a local talent contest. Approximately one year later, in the summer of 1960, Zelma gave birth to their son, Dexter. Otis and Zelma were married in August 1961. In mid-1960, Otis relocated to Los Angeles with his sister, Deborah, while Zelma and their children remained in Macon, Georgia.

Otis and Zelma Redding had four children: Dexter, Demetria, Karla, and Otis III, who was born on December 17, 1964, and passed away on April 18, 2023. Later, Otis III, Dexter, and their cousin Mark Lockett formed a band called the Reddings, which was managed by Zelma. In addition to managing the band, Zelma also maintained or worked at a janitorial service called Maids Over Macon, several nightclubs, and various booking agencies.

5.2. Wealth and Lifestyle

Redding's successful music career brought him considerable wealth. According to various advertisements, he owned an extensive wardrobe, including around 200 suits and 400 pairs of shoes. His concert earnings were substantial, reportedly bringing in about 35.00 K USD per week. He invested approximately 125.00 K USD in his Georgia ranch, which he affectionately called the "Big O Ranch." As the owner of Otis Redding Enterprises, his income from performances, music publishing ventures, and royalties from record sales exceeded 1.00 M USD in 1967 alone. That same year, one columnist noted that "he sold more records than Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin combined." Following the release of Otis Blue, Redding became known as a "catalogue" artist, meaning his albums did not necessarily achieve immediate blockbuster sales but rather sold consistently over an extended period.

Beyond his personal success, Redding was actively involved in philanthropic projects. He held a strong interest in supporting Black youth and, at the time of his death, had plans to establish a summer camp specifically for disadvantaged children.

6.1. Plane Crash

By 1967, Otis Redding and his band were frequently traveling to performances in Redding's private Beechcraft H18 airplane. On December 9, they appeared on the Upbeat television show, produced in Cleveland, Ohio. Following this, they played three concerts over two nights at a club called Leo's Casino in Cleveland. After a phone call with his wife and children, Redding's next destination was Madison, Wisconsin. The following day, Sunday, December 10, they were scheduled to perform at the Factory nightclub, located near the University of Wisconsin.

Despite adverse weather conditions, including heavy rain and fog, and against warnings, the plane took off. Approximately 4 mile from their destination at Truax Field in Madison, pilot Richard Fraser radioed for permission to land. Shortly thereafter, the plane tragically crashed into Lake Monona. Ben Cauley, a member of the Bar-Kays and the sole survivor of the accident, was asleep just moments before the impact. He awoke to see his bandmate Phalon Jones looking out a window and exclaiming, "Oh, no!" Cauley recalled that the last thing he remembered before the crash was unbuckling his seat belt. He then found himself in the frigid water, clinging to a seat cushion to stay afloat. As he was not a swimmer, he was unable to rescue the others. The precise cause of the crash was never definitively determined.

In addition to Redding, the other victims of the crash included four members of the Bar-Kays: guitarist Jimmy King, tenor saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell, and drummer Carl Cunningham; their valet, Matthew Kelly; and the pilot, Richard Fraser.

Redding's body was recovered the following day during a search of the lake. His family postponed the funeral from December 15 to December 18 to allow more people to attend. The service was held at the City Auditorium in Macon, where over 4,500 people gathered, overflowing the 3,000-seat hall. Redding was entombed at his ranch in Round Oak, located about 20 mile north of Macon. Jerry Wexler delivered the eulogy. Redding died just three days after re-recording "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." He was survived by his wife, Zelma, and their four children: Otis III, Dexter, Demetria, and Karla. In August 1997, a memorial plaque was placed on the lakeside deck of the Madison convention center, Monona Terrace, commemorating the tragic event.

7.1. Posthumous Releases of Albums and Singles

"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was released in January 1968, becoming Redding's only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the first posthumous number-one single in U.S. chart history. It sold approximately four million copies worldwide and received more than eight million airplays. The accompanying album, The Dock of the Bay, was the first posthumous album to reach the top spot on the UK Albums Chart.

Shortly after Redding's death, Atlantic Records, the distributor for Stax/Volt releases, was acquired by Warner Bros.. Stax was then required to renegotiate its distribution deal and was surprised to discover that Atlantic actually owned the entire Stax/Volt catalog. Stax was unable to regain the rights to its recordings and subsequently severed its relationship with Atlantic. Atlantic, however, retained the rights to all unreleased Otis Redding masters. This material was sufficient for three additional studio albums: The Immortal Otis Redding (1968), Love Man (1969), and Tell the Truth (1970), all issued on Atlantic's Atco Records label. A number of successful singles emerged from these LPs, including "Amen" (1968), "Hard to Handle" (1968), "I've Got Dreams to Remember" (1968), "Love Man" (1969), and "Look at That Girl" (1969). Singles were also released from two live Atlantic-issued Redding albums: In Person at the Whisky a Go Go, recorded in 1966 and issued in 1968 on Atco, and Historic Performances Recorded at the Monterey International Pop Festival, a Reprise Records release featuring performances by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on one side and Redding on the other.

Redding had at least two television appearances booked for 1968, one on The Ed Sullivan Show and another on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, which were naturally canceled due to his death.

In September 2007, the first official DVD anthology of Redding's live performances, Dreams to Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding, was released by Concord Music Group, the then-owners of the Stax catalog. It featured 16 full-length performances and 40 minutes of new interviews documenting his life and career. On May 18, 2010, Stax Records released a two-disc recording of three complete sets from his Whisky a Go Go engagement in April 1966. All seven sets from his three-day residency at the venue were later released as Live at the Whisky a Go Go: The Complete Recordings in 2016, a 6-CD box set that earned a Grammy Award for Best Album Notes.

Carla Thomas claimed that she and Redding had planned to record another duet album in December of the same year, though Phil Walden denied this. Redding had also proposed recording an album featuring cut and rearranged songs in different tempos, for example, transforming ballads into uptempo tracks and vice versa. Another suggestion was to record an entire album consisting solely of country standards.

In 2011, Kanye West and Jay-Z released "Otis" as a single from their collaborative album, Watch the Throne. Redding was credited as a feature on the song, which was produced by West and built around a sample of Redding's version of "Try a Little Tenderness". In the late 1970s, Redding's sons, Dexter and Otis II, along with their cousin Mark Lockett, formed the The Reddings, a funk and disco band.

7.2. Musical Influence

Otis Redding is widely referred to as the "King of Soul," an honorific also bestowed upon James Brown and Sam Cooke. He remains one of the most recognized and revered artists in the genre. His lean and powerful vocal style exemplified the distinct "Stax sound," and he was often described as "the heart and soul of Stax." Artists such as Al Jackson, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and Steve Cropper played crucial roles in expanding the label's musical structure alongside him.

Redding's open-throated singing, characterized by its tremolo and vibrato, his manic and electrifying stage performances, and his perceived honesty were particular hallmarks of his artistry. He also frequently incorporated interjections, such as "gotta, gotta, gotta," some of which were influenced by Sam Cooke. Producer Stewart believed that Redding's "begging singing" style was stress-induced and enhanced by his inherent shyness.

Music critic Robert Christgau recognized Redding as "one of soul's few reliable long-form artists," considering Otis Blue his "first great album." Christgau also noted that Redding's "original LPs were among the most intelligently conceived black albums of the '60s." Mat Snow regarded Otis Blue as an early indicator of the album era, where the full-length album would surpass singles in commercial and artistic importance.

Redding's contributions to rock music have also been widely acknowledged by music scholars, particularly his impact on "black rock" performed by his contemporaries like Wilson Pickett and Sly and the Family Stone. Biographer Mark Ribowsky described Redding's "musical palette" as "a cosmic alloy of gospel and blues, hammered into a gritty but elegant template by both black and white musicians, remodeled soul and rock and anchored the most infectious native music America had heard since the big bands."

Artists from a diverse range of genres have cited Redding as a significant musical influence. George Harrison named "Respect" as an inspiration for the Beatles' "Drive My Car," and the Rolling Stones also acknowledged Redding as a major influence. Other artists who drew inspiration from Redding include Led Zeppelin, the Grateful Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Doors, and virtually every soul and R&B musician from the early years, such as Al Green, Etta James, William Bell, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Arthur Conley. Janis Joplin was notably influenced by his singing style; according to Sam Andrew, a guitarist in her band Big Brother and the Holding Company, Joplin stated that she learned "to push a song instead of just sliding over it" after hearing Redding.

The Bee Gees' Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb originally wrote the song "To Love Somebody" for Redding to record. He reportedly loved the song and intended to "cut it" upon his return from his final concert. Following his death, they dedicated the song to his memory.

7.3. Awards and Honors

After Otis Redding's death, the Académie du Jazz in France established an award in his honor, the Prix Otis Redding, presented to the best R&B record release. Redding was the inaugural recipient of this award for The Otis Redding Story on Stax. Subsequent winners have included Aretha Franklin, Ike & Tina Turner, and Curtis Mayfield. In 1968, the National Association of Television and Radio Announcers (NATRA) also created the Otis Redding Award in his honor.

Readers of the British music newspaper Melody Maker voted Redding the top vocalist of 1967, surpassing Elvis Presley, who had held that distinction for the preceding 10 years.

Redding posthumously received two Grammy Awards for "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" at the 11th Annual Grammy Awards in 1969. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, which declared his name to be "synonymous with the term soul music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm and blues into a form of funky, secular testifying." He was also inducted into the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 1988, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Five years later, the United States Post Office issued a 29-cent commemorative postage stamp in his honor. Redding was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994, and in 1999, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included three of Redding's recordings-"Shake," "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," and "Try a Little Tenderness"-on its list of "The 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll."

American music magazine Rolling Stone ranked Redding at number 21 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" and eighth on their list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time." Q magazine ranked Redding fourth among their "100 Greatest Singers," placing him only behind Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Elvis Presley.

Five of his albums-Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology, The Dock of the Bay, Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul, and Live in Europe-were ranked by Rolling Stone on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The first album was singled out for praise by music critics; apart from the Rolling Stone listing at number 74, NME ranked it 35th on their list of the "Greatest Albums of All Time." Music critic Robert Christgau stated that Otis Blue was "the first great album by one of soul's few reliable long-form artists," and that Redding's "original LPs were among the most intelligently conceived black albums of the '60s."

In 2002, the city of Macon honored its native son by unveiling a memorial statue in the city's Gateway Park. The park is situated next to the Otis Redding Memorial Bridge, which spans the Ocmulgee River. The Rhythm and Blues Foundation named Redding as the recipient of its 2006 Pioneer Award. Billboard also awarded Redding the "Otis Redding Excellence Award" in the same year. A year later, he was inducted into Hollywood's Rockwalk in California.

In 2007, Redding's widow, Zelma, founded the Otis Redding Foundation in her husband's honor. The foundation continues to offer music and arts education programs in Macon. On August 17, 2013, in Cleveland, Ohio, the city where he performed his last show at Leo's Casino, Redding was inducted into the inaugural class of the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame at Cleveland State University.

8.1. Studio Albums

• Pain in My Heart (1964)
• The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads (1965)
• Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965)
• The Soul Album (1966)
• Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul (1966)
• King & Queen (with Carla Thomas) (1967)

8.2. Live Albums

• Live in Europe (1967)
• In Person at the Whisky a Go Go (1968)

8.3. Posthumous Studio Albums

• The Dock of the Bay (1968)
• The Immortal Otis Redding (1968)
• Love Man (1969)
• Tell the Truth (1970)