Otis Redding facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Otis Redding
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Redding in 1967
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Otis Ray Redding Jr. |
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| Born | September 9, 1941 Dawson, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | December 10, 1967 (aged 26) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1958–1967 |
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Otis Ray Redding Jr. (born September 9, 1941 – died December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. Many people consider him one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music. He was a very important artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. People called him the "King of Soul" because his singing style was inspired by gospel music. His unique voice influenced many other soul artists in the 1960s.
Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia. When he was two years old, his family moved to Macon. He left school at age 15 to help his family. He worked with Little Richard's band, the Upsetters, and performed in talent shows. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, as a singer and driver.
A surprise chance to sing at a Stax recording session led to a record deal. His first hit song was "These Arms of Mine" in 1962. Stax released his first album, Pain in My Heart, two years later. At first, he was mostly popular with African-American audiences. But soon, more and more people across America started to love his music.
Otis Redding and his band first played small shows in the Southern United States. Later, he performed at the famous Whisky a Go Go club in Los Angeles. He also toured Europe, playing in big cities like London and Paris. In 1967, he performed at the Monterey Pop Festival, which was a huge event.
Sadly, Otis Redding died in a plane crash shortly after writing and recording his famous song "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. This song became the first number-one hit after an artist's death on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. His album The Dock of the Bay was also the first album released after an artist's death to reach number one in the UK.
Otis Redding received many awards after he passed away. These include two Grammy Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and being put into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Besides "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", his songs "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are also very well-known.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Otis Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia. He was the fourth of six children. His father, Otis Redding Sr., worked on farms and later at Robins Air Force Base. He also sometimes preached in churches. When Otis was three, his family moved to a public housing area in Macon called Tindall Heights.
From a young age, Otis loved music. He sang in the Vineville Baptist Church choir and learned to play guitar and piano. When he was 10, he started taking drum and singing lessons. In high school, he sang in the school band. Every Sunday, he earned $6 by singing gospel songs for a local radio station, WIBB. He also won a talent show for 15 weeks in a row, earning $5 each time.
His biggest passion was singing. He often said that Little Richard and Sam Cooke were his inspirations. Otis said he "would not be here" without Little Richard, calling him his "inspiration."
When he was 15, Otis left school to help his family. His father got sick and was often in the hospital, so his mother became the main person earning money. Otis worked different jobs, like digging wells and working at a gas station. He also played music sometimes.
A local musician named Gladys Williams often performed at the Hillview Springs Social Club. Otis sometimes played piano with her band. She also hosted Sunday talent shows, which Otis attended.
How Otis Became Famous
Otis Redding got his big break in 1958 at a talent contest called "The Teenage Party." Johnny Jenkins, a well-known guitarist, was in the audience. He noticed that Otis's band wasn't very good, so he offered to play with him. Otis sang Little Richard's "Heebie Jeebies." With Jenkins's help, Otis won the talent contest for fifteen weeks in a row!
Jenkins later played guitar with Otis at many shows. Otis was soon asked to be the lead singer for Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers. Then, he joined the Upsetters when Little Richard decided to sing gospel music instead of rock and roll. Otis was paid well, about $25 per show, but he didn't stay with them for long.
In 1960, Otis moved to Los Angeles with his sister, Deborah. His wife, Zelma, and their children stayed in Macon, Georgia. In Los Angeles, Otis recorded his first songs, including "Tuff Enuff" and "Shout Bamalama."
Touring and First Hit Song
As a member of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, Otis Redding toured the Southern United States. They played on the Chitlin' Circuit, which was a group of places that welcomed African-American performers during a time of racial segregation.
Around this time, Otis met Phil Walden, who would later start a record company. He also met Bobby Smith, who ran a small record label called Confederate Records. Otis signed with Confederate and recorded a single called "Shout Bamalama."
In 1962, Phil Walden tried to get a record deal for Johnny Jenkins. A representative from Atlantic Records, Joe Galkin, was interested. He sent Jenkins to the Stax studio in Memphis. Otis drove Jenkins to the session because Jenkins didn't have a driver's license.
Jenkins's recording session didn't go well and ended early. So, Otis was allowed to sing two songs. The first was "Hey Hey Baby," which the studio boss, Jim Stewart, thought sounded too much like Little Richard. The second song was "These Arms of Mine," with Jenkins on guitar and Steve Cropper on piano.
Stewart was very impressed with Otis's performance. He said, "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 signed Otis Redding, and "These Arms of Mine" was released in October 1962. It became a big hit, selling over 800,000 copies.
Growing Popularity
"These Arms of Mine" and other songs from 1962–1963 were put on Otis Redding's first album, Pain in My Heart. This album was released in March 1964. The single reached number 11 on the R&B chart and number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In November 1963, Otis traveled to New York to perform at the Apollo Theater. This was for a live album being recorded by Atlantic Records. Otis and his band were paid $400 per week. They even met famous people like Muhammad Ali there.
Many of Otis's early songs were slow. A disc jockey even called him "Mr. Pitiful." So, Otis and Steve Cropper wrote a song called "Mr. Pitiful" about it. Other popular songs like "Chained and Bound" and "That's How Strong My Love Is" were on his second album, The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads, released in March 1965.
Around 1965, Otis co-wrote "I've Been Loving You Too Long" with Jerry Butler. That summer, Otis and the studio team worked on new songs for his next album. Ten of the eleven songs were recorded in just 24 hours! The album, called Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, came out in September 1965. This album also included his popular cover of "A Change Is Gonna Come."
Performing for New Audiences
Otis Redding's success allowed him to buy a 300-acre ranch in Georgia, which he called the "Big O Ranch." Stax Records was also doing very well.
Otis chose to perform at the Whisky a Go Go club in Los Angeles. He was one of the first soul artists to perform for rock audiences in the western United States. His shows there were highly praised, even getting good reviews in the Los Angeles Times. This helped him become popular with more people. Bob Dylan even saw him perform and offered Otis a different version of one of his songs, "Just Like a Woman."
In late 1966, Otis recorded "Try a Little Tenderness" at the Stax studio. This song was originally written in 1932 and had been sung by artists like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. Today, many people think of it as his most famous song. Jim Stewart, the studio chief, said, "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'." This song and his album Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul were very successful.
In March 1967, Stax released King & Queen, an album of duets between Otis and Carla Thomas. This album sold very well. Three songs from the album, "Tramp", "Knock on Wood", and "Lovey Dovey", became popular singles.
Otis also returned to Europe to perform at the Paris Olympia. A live album called Otis Redding: Live in Europe was released later, featuring his performances in London, Paris, and Stockholm.
Monterey Pop Festival
In 1967, Otis Redding performed at the very important Monterey Pop Festival. He was the last act on Saturday night, the second day of the festival. Before this, Otis mostly performed for black audiences. But his performance at Monterey Pop was amazing and helped him become famous with a wider audience. It was a big turning point in his career.
His show included his own song "Respect" and a version of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction". Otis and his band opened with Sam Cooke's "Shake." Then, he gave a short speech, asking the audience if they were the "love crowd." The ballad "I've Been Loving You" followed. His last song was "Try a Little Tenderness."
According to Booker T. Jones, a member of his band, "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. That we were there? With those people? 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." Musicians like Brian Jones and Jimi Hendrix were amazed by his performance.
Before Monterey, Otis wanted to record with Arthur Conley. The two moved from Memphis to Macon to write songs. They created "Sweet Soul Music", which became a big hit. Around this time, Otis developed polyps on his voice box, which are small growths. He had surgery in September 1967 to treat them.
"Dock of the Bay"
In early December 1967, Otis Redding recorded new songs at Stax. One of these was "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", which he wrote with Steve Cropper. Otis was inspired by The Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and wanted to create a similar sound. His wife, Zelma, didn't like the song's different melody. The Stax team also weren't sure about the new sound. But Otis believed it was his best song and thought it would be a number one hit, which he was right about. He whistled at the end of the song.
Personal Life
Otis Redding was a tall and strong family man who loved football and hunting. People described him as energetic, trustworthy, fun, and a successful businessman. He also cared about helping others. He planned to create a summer camp for children who needed help.
Family Life
When he was 18, Otis met 17-year-old Zelma Atwood. About a year later, their son Dexter was born in 1960. Otis and Zelma got married in August 1961.
Otis and Zelma had four children: Dexter, Demetria, Karla, and Otis III. Otis III, Dexter, and their cousin Mark Lockett later formed a band called the Reddings. Zelma managed their band.
Wealth and Success
Otis Redding's music made him very wealthy. He owned many suits and shoes. He earned about $35,000 per week from his concerts. He spent about $125,000 on his "Big O Ranch." As the owner of Otis Redding Enterprises, his performances, music publishing, and record sales earned him over a million dollars in 1967 alone. That year, one writer said he "sold more records than Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin combined."
Death
By 1967, Otis Redding and his band were traveling to shows in his own airplane. On December 9, they performed on a TV show in Cleveland. They played three concerts in two nights at a club. After talking to his wife and children on the phone, Otis's next stop was Madison, Wisconsin. The next day, December 10, they were supposed to play at a nightclub.
Even though the weather was bad with heavy rain and fog, the plane took off. About 4 miles from their destination, the pilot radioed for permission to land. Shortly after, the plane crashed into Lake Monona.
Bar-Kays member Ben Cauley was the only person to survive the crash. He woke up just before the plane hit the water and saw his bandmate Phalon Jones look out a window and say, "Oh, no!" Cauley remembered unbuckling his seat belt. He then found himself in the freezing water, holding onto a seat cushion to stay afloat. He couldn't swim, so he couldn't save the others. The reason for the crash was never found.
Besides Otis Redding, four members of the Bar-Kays died: guitarist Jimmy King, saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell, and drummer Carl Cunningham. Their valet, Matthew Kelly, and the pilot, Richard Fraser, also died.
Otis Redding's body was found the next day. His funeral was held on December 18 in Macon. More than 4,500 people came to the funeral, filling the 3,000-seat hall. Otis Redding was buried at his ranch in Round Oak. Jerry Wexler gave a speech at the funeral. Otis 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. On November 8, 1987, a memorial plaque was placed on the lakeside deck of the Madison convention center, Monona Terrace.
Songs Released After His Death
"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was released in January 1968. It became Otis Redding's only song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also the first number-one song in U.S. chart history to be released after an artist's death. It sold about four million copies worldwide. The album The Dock of the Bay was also the first album released after an artist's death to reach the top spot on the UK Albums Chart.
After Otis's death, Atlantic Records, which distributed Stax/Volt releases, was bought by Warner Bros.. Stax found out that Atlantic actually owned the rights to all of Stax/Volt's music. Atlantic also had the rights to all of Otis Redding's unreleased songs. They had enough material for three more albums: The Immortal Otis Redding (1968), Love Man (1969), and Tell the Truth (1970). Many successful songs came from these albums, like "Amen" and "Hard to Handle."
In September 2007, the first official DVD of Otis Redding's live performances was released. It was called Dreams to Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding. In May 2010, Stax Records released a two-disc recording of three complete shows from his Whisky a Go Go performances in April 1966. All seven shows from his three-day stay at the venue were released in 2016 as Live at the Whisky a Go Go: The Complete Recordings, which won a Grammy Award for Best Album Notes.
In 2011, Kanye West and Jay-Z released a song called "Otis" on their album Watch the Throne. Otis Redding was given credit on the song because it used a sample from his version of "Try a Little Tenderness".
His Musical Style
How Otis Sang and Performed
When he first started, Otis Redding copied the rock and soul style of his hero, Little Richard. He was also influenced by soul musicians like Sam Cooke. But later, he explored other types of music. He studied the songs of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. His song "Hard to Handle" even has parts of rock and roll, showing influences from Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Most of his songs are known as Southern soul and Memphis soul.
His singing was known for its raw voice and his ability to show strong feelings. One music critic described his "hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, an emotional way with both party tunes and aching ballads." Another said his singing was like a "fervent black preacher," full of emotion. Booker T. Jones said Otis's singing was energetic and emotional, even though his vocal range wasn't very wide.
Otis Redding received advice about his stage presence. At first, he stood still and only moved his upper body. But audiences still loved him because of the strong message in his songs.
How Otis Wrote Songs
In his early career, Otis mostly sang cover songs by popular artists like Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and Solomon Burke. Around the mid-1960s, he started writing his own songs. He always carried his cheap red acoustic guitar with him. He often worked on lyrics with other musicians. While recovering from his throat surgery, Otis wrote about 30 songs in just two weeks.
In "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," he sang about sad, thoughtful feelings instead of his usual romantic themes. The Songwriters Hall of Fame website noted that this song was "a kind of brooding, dark voicing of despair." However, his music, in general, was often "exultant and joyful."
Otis liked short and simple lyrics. When asked if he would cover Bob Dylan's "Just Like a Woman," he said the lyrics had "too much text."
Otis also created the horn arrangements for his songs. He would hum to show the musicians what he wanted them to play. The recording of "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" even captures him humming along with the horn section.
Otis Redding's Legacy
Otis Redding has been called the "King of Soul." He is still one of the most famous soul artists. His powerful style helped define the Stax sound. People said he was "the heart and soul of Stax." His open-throated singing, his shaking voice, his exciting live shows, and his honest feelings were all special parts of his style.
Besides soul and R&B, Otis Redding's impact on rock music is also important. Many artists from different music styles have said Otis Redding influenced them. George Harrison of The Beatles said "Respect" inspired his song "Drive My Car." The Rolling Stones also said Otis was a big influence. Other artists influenced by Otis include Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Doors, and almost every soul and R&B musician from that time, like Al Green, Etta James, and Aretha Franklin. Janis Joplin was influenced by his singing style, saying she learned "to push a song instead of just sliding over it" after hearing him.
The Bee Gees' Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb wrote the song "To Love Somebody" for Otis Redding to record. He loved it and planned to record it when he returned from his last concert. They dedicated the song to his memory.
Awards and Honors
After Otis Redding's death, the Académie du Jazz in France created an award named after him. The Prix Otis Redding is given to the best R&B record. Otis Redding was the first to receive this award.
Readers of the British music newspaper Melody Maker voted Otis Redding the top vocalist of 1967. He even beat Elvis Presley, who had been number one for the previous 10 years.
Otis Redding won two Grammy Awards for "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" in 1969. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him in 1989. In 1988, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. Five years later, the United States Post Office released a postage stamp in his honor. Otis was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994. In 1999, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included three of his songs, "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."
The American music magazine Rolling Stone ranked Otis Redding at number 21 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time." They also ranked him eighth on their list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time."
Five of his albums were ranked by Rolling Stone on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. These include Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul and The Dock of the Bay.
In 2002, the city of Macon honored Otis Redding by putting up a statue of him in Gateway Park. The park is next to the Otis Redding Memorial Bridge. In 2007, Otis Redding's wife started the Otis Redding Foundation to honor him. The Foundation still offers music and arts education programs in Macon.
On August 17, 2013, in Cleveland, Ohio, Otis Redding was inducted into the first class of the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame.
Discography
Studio albums
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Posthumous studio albums
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Images for kids
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Redding in 1967
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"Otis Redding Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay", statue in Gateway Park by Bradley Cooley and Bradley Cooley, Jr of Bronze By Cooley, 2003
