Otis Clay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Otis Clay
Clay in 1997.
Background information
Birth name	Otis Lee Clay
Born	(1942-02-11)February 11, 1942 Waxhaw, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	January 8, 2016(2016-01-08) (aged 73) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	R&B, soul, blues, soul blues, gospel
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1957–2016
Labels	One-derful, Cotillion, Hi, Bullseye Blues, Blind Pig, Echo Records
Associated acts	Gene Chandler

Otis Lee Clay (born February 11, 1942 – died January 8, 2016) was an American singer. He was famous for his R&B and soul songs. He actually started his music career singing gospel music. In 2013, Otis Clay was added to the Blues Hall of Fame, which is a big honor for blues musicians.

Early Life and Gospel Music

Otis Clay was born on February 11, 1942, in Waxhaw, Mississippi. He came from a family who loved music. In 1953, his family moved to Muncie, Indiana.

Otis started singing with a local gospel group called the Voices of Hope. Later, he went back to Mississippi and sang with the Christian Travelers. In 1957, he moved to Chicago. There, he joined many gospel singing groups. Some of these groups included the Golden Jubilaires and the Pilgrim Harmonizers.

In 1962, Otis made his first solo recordings, but they were not released. He then joined the Gospel Songbirds, who recorded music in Nashville in 1964.

Music Career Highlights

Starting in Soul Music

In 1965, Otis Clay signed with One-derful! Records in Chicago. This was when he started making secular (non-religious) recordings. His first big hit came in 1967 with the song "That's How It Is (When You're In Love)." This song reached number 34 on the US Billboard R&B chart. Another song, "A Lasting Love," also did well.

In 1968, One-derful Records closed. Atlantic Records bought Otis's contract. They started a new record label called Cotillion with Otis's song "She's About A Mover." This song became his biggest pop hit.

Success with Hi Records

Otis Clay moved to Willie Mitchell's Hi Records in 1971. Here, he made many of his most famous soul blues songs. His biggest hit for this label was "Trying To Live My Life Without You" in 1972. This song was very popular and later covered by Bob Seger. Bob Seger's version became a top 5 pop hit in 1981.

Otis continued to release more singles and an album called I Can't Take It. He later recorded for other labels and even his own, Echo Records. In 1980, he recorded the original version of "The Only Way Is Up."

Later Career and Awards

Otis Clay remained a popular live performer in Europe, Japan, and the US. He recorded three live albums, showing his strong stage presence. In the 1990s, he recorded two soul albums.

In 2007, he released a gospel album called Walk a Mile in My Shoes. This album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.

In 2010, Otis Clay was honored with a special marker on the Mississippi Blues Trail in his hometown of Waxhaw. This trail celebrates important blues musicians.

Otis was also very involved in his community in Chicago. He helped with projects like The Harold Washington Cultural Center. In 2013, Otis Clay was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, which is a huge honor for blues artists.

In 2015, Otis Clay released the album This Time For Real with Billy Price. He also won the Blues Blast Award for Soul Album of the Year for his album Soul Brothers with Johnny Rawls. This album was also nominated for other major blues awards.

Death

Otis Clay passed away on January 8, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 73. He died from a heart attack. His funeral was held on January 16, 2016, in Chicago, and he was buried at the Oak Woods Cemetery.

Discography

Albums

• Trying to Live My Life Without You (1972)
• I Can't Take It (1977)
• Live! (1978)
• The Only Way Is Up (1982)
• Live Again! (1984)
• Soul Man - Live in Japan (1985)
• Watch Me Now (1989)
• I'll Treat You Right (1992)
• On My Way Home (1993)
• The Gospel Truth (1993)
• You Are My Life (1995)
• This Time Around (1998)
• Testify! (2003)
• In The House (2005)
• Walk a Mile in My Shoes (2007)
• Truth Is (2013)
• Soul Brothers (2014) Otis Clay & Johnny Rawls - Catfood Records
• This Time for Real (2015) Billy Price & Otis Clay

Singles