Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an America… Read Full Bio ↴Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, and talent scout. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. Redding's style of singing gained inspiration from the gospel music that preceded the genre. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the 1960s. During his lifetime, his recordings were produced by Stax Records, based in Memphis, Tennessee.
Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia, and at the age of 2, moved to Macon, Georgia. Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and by performing in talent shows at the historic Douglass Theatre in Macon. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, with whom he toured the Southern states as a singer and driver. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first single, "These Arms of Mine", in 1962.
Stax released Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart, two years later. Initially popular mainly with African-Americans, Redding later reached a wider American pop music audience. Along with his group, he first played small gigs in the American South. He later performed at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Go and toured Europe, performing in London, Paris and other major cities. He also performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
Shortly before his death in a plane crash, Redding wrote and recorded his iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. Redding's premature death devastated Stax. Already on the verge of bankruptcy, the label soon discovered that the Atco division of Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire song catalog.
Redding received many posthumous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition to "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are among his best-known songs.
Redding has been called the "King of Soul", an honorific also given to Brown and Cooke. He remains one of the genre's most recognized artists. His lean and powerful style exemplified the Stax sound; he was said to be "the heart and soul of Stax", while artists such as Al Jackson, Dunn and Cropper helped to expand its structure. His open-throated singing, the tremolo/vibrato, the manic, electrifying stage performances and perceived honesty were particular hallmarks, along with the use of interjections (such as "gotta, gotta, gotta"), some of which came from Cooke. Producer Stewart thought the "begging singing" was stress-induced and enhanced by Redding's shyness.
Artists from many genres have named Redding as a musical influence. George Harrison called "Respect" an inspiration for "Drive My Car". The Rolling Stones also mentioned Redding as a major influence. Other artists influenced by Redding include Led Zeppelin, 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 Conley. Janis Joplin was influenced by his singing style, according to Sam Andrew, a guitarist in her band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She 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 wrote the song "To Love Somebody" for him to record. He loved it, and he was going to "cut it", as Barry put it, on his return from his final concert. They dedicated the song to his memory.
Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia, and at the age of 2, moved to Macon, Georgia. Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and by performing in talent shows at the historic Douglass Theatre in Macon. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, with whom he toured the Southern states as a singer and driver. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first single, "These Arms of Mine", in 1962.
Stax released Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart, two years later. Initially popular mainly with African-Americans, Redding later reached a wider American pop music audience. Along with his group, he first played small gigs in the American South. He later performed at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Go and toured Europe, performing in London, Paris and other major cities. He also performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
Shortly before his death in a plane crash, Redding wrote and recorded his iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. Redding's premature death devastated Stax. Already on the verge of bankruptcy, the label soon discovered that the Atco division of Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire song catalog.
Redding received many posthumous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition to "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are among his best-known songs.
Redding has been called the "King of Soul", an honorific also given to Brown and Cooke. He remains one of the genre's most recognized artists. His lean and powerful style exemplified the Stax sound; he was said to be "the heart and soul of Stax", while artists such as Al Jackson, Dunn and Cropper helped to expand its structure. His open-throated singing, the tremolo/vibrato, the manic, electrifying stage performances and perceived honesty were particular hallmarks, along with the use of interjections (such as "gotta, gotta, gotta"), some of which came from Cooke. Producer Stewart thought the "begging singing" was stress-induced and enhanced by Redding's shyness.
Artists from many genres have named Redding as a musical influence. George Harrison called "Respect" an inspiration for "Drive My Car". The Rolling Stones also mentioned Redding as a major influence. Other artists influenced by Redding include Led Zeppelin, 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 Conley. Janis Joplin was influenced by his singing style, according to Sam Andrew, a guitarist in her band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She 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 wrote the song "To Love Somebody" for him to record. He loved it, and he was going to "cut it", as Barry put it, on his return from his final concert. They dedicated the song to his memory.
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Pure Southern Soul
Otis Redding Lyrics
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction I can't get no satisfaction I can't get no satisfaction I ha…
(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay Sittin' in the morning sun I'll be sittin' when the evening…
A Change Is Gonna Come I was born by a river in this little old…
A Little Time If you don't think I'm loving you enough Oh, you got…
Amen Amen, uh, A-Amen, uh A-Amen, Amen, Amen, with the horns, now…
Chain Gang That's the sound of the men They are working on the…
Chained And Bound Darling you made me change my mind Can go no further,…
Cigarettes and Coffee It's early in the morning About a quarter 'til three I'm sit…
Come to Me Come to me for I'm lonely Come to me for…
Day Tripper She was a day tripper girl, now She give me a…
Direct Me I done cried a river of tears This you may not…
Don't Leave Me This Way Um-hm-hm aah ah ah Don't leave me this way I can't survive,…
Down In The Valley Down in the valley, ha In the valley so low, Hang your…
Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa I keep s…
For Your Precious Love For your precious love means more to me Than any…
Free Me Turn me loose There ain't no use Free me darling Don't hang …
Good to Me I don't know what you got baby But you're so good…
Hard to Handle Baby Here I am I'm the man on the scene I can give…
Home In Your Heart Don't you know I got to find me a home Right…
I Can't Turn You Loose Huh, I can't turn you loose now If I do, I'm…
I Love You More Than Words Can Say Please, let me sit down beside you I've got something to…
I'm a Changed Man Learn how to love Learn how to walk Learn how to talk Like…
I'm Depending On You I'm depending on you Everything that you do I'm depending on…
I'm Sick Y'All Standin' outside, y'all It's raining, children Gettin' soaki…
I've Been Loving You Too Long I've been loving you too long to stop now You were…
I've Got Dreams To Remember I've got dreams, dreams to remember I've got dreams, dreams …
It's Growing Like a snowball rolling down that side Of that snow covered…
Johnny's Heartbreak Do you remember when we were cold? Do you remember when…
Just One More Day I've been missing you for so many days I keep wanting…
Knock on Wood I don't want to lose you, this good thing That I…
Let Me Come on Home Oh, baby?I want to come home to you Baby?I got to…
Look at That Girl I saw her dancing, dancing In some old smokey place I bet…
Love Man I'm a Love Man Call me the Love Man Oooh, baby I'm…
Lovey Dovey I said you're the cutest thing that I've ever seen I…
Mary's Little Lamb Mary had a little lamb His bleeks was white as snow everywhe…
Merry Christmas Baby Merry Christmas, baby Sure did treat me nice Merry Christmas…
Mr. Pitiful Call me Mr. Pitiful Baby, that's my name now, oh Call me…
My Lover's Prayer This is my lover's prayer I hope it'll reach out to…
New Year's Resolution I hope it's not too late Just to say that I'm…
Ole Man Trouble Ole man trouble leave me alone Go find you someone else…
Open The Door I've been so wrong, so many times. Now you know…
Pain In My Heart Pain in my heart Is treating me cold Where can my baby…
Respect What you want, honey, you got it And what you need,…
Security I want security, yeah Without it I had a great loss,…
Shake You listen while I'm talkin' to you, now Tell you what…
Slippin' and Slidin' Slippin' and a-slidin', peepin' and a-hidin' Been told a lon…
Sweet Lorene Hey Lorene girl, huh Bring yourself home to me You've got my…
Tell the Truth Tell the truth Tell the truth, girl, now You know you got…
That's How Strong My Love Is If I was the sun way up there I'd go with…
That's What My Heart Needs You left me, for another You told me, he was your…
The Glory of Love You've got to give a little, take a little, And let…
The Happy Song (Dum-dum) Gonna sing this song y'all Singin' it for my baby She's the…
The Huckle-Buck There's a dance you should know When the lights are down…
The Match Game Come on honey let's play the match game You strike me…
These Arms of Mine These arms of mine, they are lonely Lonely and feeling blue …
Tramp (Tramp!) What you call me? (tramp!) No you didn't! (you don'…
Try a Little Tenderness Oh she may be weary Them young girls they do get…
White Christmas I, I'm dreaming, dreaming of a white, white Christmas, y'all…
You Don't Miss Your Water In the beginning You really loved me, oh I was too blind I…
Your One And Only Man If I can only, make you see That you were only,…