otis redding

(9/9/1941 - 12/10/1967) His life was marked by his astounding success and it's very brevity. Otis Redding was one of the great soul icons and he had a great influence on the genre with his emotional hits. Compared to many of his contemporaries, Otis's childhood was relatively hassle-free. He was born in Dawson, Georgia and moved to Macon at the age of five. His father was a baptist minister so began Otis began to sing at a young age in the Vineville Baptist Church chior. He also participated in band at Ballad Hudson High School. He moved on to work with the Upsetters, Little Richard's former band, and developed a style very similar to that his predecessor. Showing his talent at a young age, Otis competed in local talent shows. After winning 15 in a row he wasn't allowed to compete anymore. After years of climbing, his solo career began when in 1962 "These Arms of Mine" became an R&B hit. Over the next few years his popularity grew as he appeared throughout the US, Canada and Europe as a versatile showman. His tours were among the biggest box office successes of any performer of the time. One of his biggest hits came in 1967 with "Tramp" - a duet he sang with fellow Stax Records performer Carla Thomas. Later that year the National Academy of of Recording Arts and Sciences nominated him in three categories. While spending a week on a houseboat Otis played The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album constantly and subsequently came up with his biggest hit: "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." But Otis didn't get to enjoy the results of his number 1 hit single. The song was recorded just three days before he and four members of his back-up band were killed in a plane crash in Wisconsin. "(Sittin' On)The Dock of the Bay" and many of his other recordings were published posthumously. He was more famous after his death than when he was alive. In 1970, Warner Brothers released an album of live recordings from the Monterey International Pop Festival that featured Otis and Jimi Hendrix. The album came to show that white audiences like his just as much as the black audiences that he always performed for. Otis Redding was known for his emotional, gritty vocals and his entertaining showmanship. Millions have loved and been moved by his songs and unfortunately no one knows where he might have gone had it not been for his tragically pre-mature death.