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Otis Redding

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Otis Redding

Otis Ray Redding, Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an influential American deep soul singer, best known for his passionate delivery and posthumous hit single, "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay." According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (where he was inducted in 1989) website, Redding's name is "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."[1]

Biography

Early life

Redding was born in the small town of Dawson, Georgia. At the age of 5, he moved with his family to Macon, Georgia. He sang in the choir of the Vineville Baptist Church, and became somewhat of a local celebrity as a teenager after winning a local Sunday night talent show 15 weeks in a row.[2]

Career

In 1960, Redding began touring the South with Johnny Jenkins and The Pinetoppers. That same 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, Redding made his first real mark in the music business during a Johnny Jenkins session when, during studio time left over, he recorded "These Arms of Mine", a ballad that he had written. The song became a minor hit on Volt Records, a subsidiary of renowned Southern soul label Stax, 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 fan base 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" (which was to become The Blues Brothers entrance theme music), "Try a Little Tenderness" (a remake of the 1930s standard by Harry Woods, Jimmy Campbell, and Reg Connelly that was featured in a memorable scene in John Hughes' film Pretty in Pink), "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of 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's backing band in the studio). Soul singer Jerry Butler cowrote 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.

Death

Redding, his manager, the pilot, and four members of his backup band, The Bar-Kays, were killed when his chartered plane crashed into Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 10, 1967. The two remaining 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, since there were eight members in Redding's party and the chartered plane could only hold seven, and it was Alexander's turn in the rotation to take a commercial flight.

Cauley reported that he had been asleep until just seconds before impact, and recalled that upon waking he saw bandmate Phalon Jones look out a window and say, "Oh, no!" Cauley said the last thing he remembered prior to crashing was unbuckling his seatbelt. He then found himself in the frigid waters of the lake, grasping a seat cushion to keep afloat[3].

Redding's body was recovered the next day when the lake bed was searched. The cause of the crash was never precisely determined.

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

Posthumous releases and recognition

  • "(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 #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. [4]
  • A few singles were posthumously released, including "Hard to Handle" (1968).
File:Otis redding stamp.png
US Postage Stamp 1993
  • The Doors, fans of Redding, added this verse before "Runnin' Blue": "Poor Otis dead and gone, left me here to sing his song. Pretty little girl with the red dress on, Poor Otis dead and gone." Singer Jim Morrison had been singing those lines on their tour the year before.
  • The Righteous Brothers song "Rock and Roll Heaven" features the verse: "Otis brought us to the dock of the bay", a tribute to Redding and his song "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay".
  • A likeness of Redding appears as an evil version of himself in Nightmares & Dreamscapes, adapted from Stephen King's short story You Know They Got a Hell of a Band. Redding is portrayed as a police officer in the town of Rock N Roll Heaven, which is populated by late rock and roll legends.
  • The band Okkervil River wrote a song called "Listening to Otis Redding at Home during Christmas" on their album Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See.
  • Redding's sons Dexter and Otis III, together with cousin Mark Locket, founded the funk/disco-band The Reddings in 1978.
  • The song "Hard to Handle" was covered by The Black Crowes on their 1990 debut album Shake Your Money Maker.
  • Redding's music was heavily featured in the 1991 film The Commitments, including "Mr Pitiful", "Try a Little Tenderness" and "Hard to Handle".
  • In 1997, on their album Midwestern Songs of the Americas the Minneapolis Punk Quartet Dillinger four paid tribute to Otis Redding in the song "Doublewhiskeycokenoice" with these lyrics: "God save Otis Redding because I know he's never gone". This song also contains a sample from the song "Stay in School", in which Redding speaks: "Hi, this is the big O. I was just standing here thinking about you, thought I'd write a song about you, and dedicate it to you. Take a listen."
  • The 2000 Everclear album, Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile, features a song titled "Otis Redding", which contains the lyric, "I wish I could sing like Otis Redding, I wish I could play this guitar in tune."
  • In 2005, a sample from "It's Too Late" appeared on the track "Gone" from Kanye West.

Discography

Albums

Year Title U.S. Billboard 200 U.K. Albums Chart
1964 Pain in My Heart (Atco Records) 103 28
1965 The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads (Volt Records) 75 30
Otis Blue 75 6
1966 The Soul Album 54 22
Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul 73 23
1967 King & Queen with Carla Thomas (Stax Records) 36 18
Live in Europe 32 14

Albums released posthumously

Year Title U.S. Billboard 200 U.K. Albums Chart
1968 The Dock of the Bay 4 1
History of Otis Redding 9 2
The Immortal Otis Redding (Atco) 58 19
In Person at the Whiskey a Go Go 82 -
1969 Love Man 46 -
1970 Tell the Truth 200 -

Other albums

Singles

Year Title U.S. R&B Singles U.S. Pop Singles U.K. Singles
1961 "Shout Bamalama" - - -
"Gettin' Hip" (Alshire Records) - - -
1962 "These Arms of Mine" (Volt) 20 85 -
1963 "That's What My Heart Needs" 27 - -
"Pain in My Heart" - 61 -
1964 "Come to Me" - 69 -
"Security" - 97 -
"Chained and Bound" - 70 -
"Mr. Pitiful" 10 41 -
"Stand by Me" - - -
"Things Go Better With Coke..."
(A Man And A Woman) [1964 Commercial] 		- - -
1965 "I've Been Loving You Too Long" 2 21 -
"Just One More Day" (b-side of "I've Been Loving You Too Long") 15 85 -
"Respect" 4 35 -
"That's How Strong My Love Is" 18 74 -
"I Can't Turn You Loose" 11 - 29
"My Girl" - - 11
"A Change Is Gonna Come" - - -
1966 "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 4 31 33
"My Lover's Prayer" 10 61 37
"Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" 12 29 23
1967 "Try a Little Tenderness" 4 25 46
"Day Tripper" - - 43
"Let Me Come On Home" - - 48
"I Love You More Than Words Can Say" 30 78 -
"Shake" 16 47 28
"Glory of Love" 19 60 -
"Tramp" with Carla Thomas (Stax) 2 26 18
"Knock on Wood" with Carla Thomas 8 30 35

Singles released posthumously

Year Title U.S. R&B Singles U.S. Pop Singles U.K. Singles
1968 "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay" (Volt) 1 1 3
"The Happy Song (Dum-Dum)" 10 25 24
"Amen" (Atco) 15 36 -
"Hard to Handle" (b-side of "Amen") 38 51 15
"I've Got Dreams to Remember" 6 41 -
"Lovey Dovey" with Carla Thomas (Stax) 21 60 -
"White Christmas" (Atco) - - -
"Merry Christmas, Baby" (b-side of White Christmas) - 9 -
"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" 10 21 -
1969 "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby" with Carla Thomas - - -
"A Lover's Question" 20 48 -
"Love Man" 17 72 43
"Free Me" 30 - -
"Look at That Girl" - - -
"Demonstration" - - -
1970 "Give Away None of My Love" - - -
1971 "I've Been Loving You Too Long (Live)" - - -

References

  1. ^ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees
  2. ^ "Otis Redding biography". Redding Family Properties. Retrieved 2007-02-24.
  3. ^ "Eyewitness Tells of Otis Redding's Violent Death", Jet, December 28, 1967
  4. ^ Rolling Stone review for Otis Redding: The Dock of the Bay
  5. ^ 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll
  6. ^ "The Immortals: The First Fifty". Rolling Stone Issue 946. Rolling Stone.
  7. ^ "Dreams to Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding' DVD to be Released September 18". Retrieved 2007-10-24.
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