[8] His passion was singing, and he often cited Little Richard and Sam Cooke as influences. Disc jockey A. C. Moohah Williams accordingly labeled him "Mr. Pitiful",[34] and subsequently, Cropper and Redding wrote the eponymous song. From the archive: Otis Redding's last flight - Channel3000 "[57] His act included his own song "Respect" and a version of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction". The crash killed six others, everyone on board except for trumpeter Ben Cauley (bassist James Alexander had luckily avoided the flight altogether). Stax was unable to regain the rights to its recordings and severed its Atlantic relationship. [39], Redding's success allowed him to buy a 300-acre (1.2km2) ranch in Georgia, which he called the "Big O Ranch". The heading reads, "Otis Redding, The King Of The Soul Singers 1941-1967." In the late 1950s, Redding joined the Upsetters, the band that had formerly backed Little Richard. He was active in philanthropic projects. Also Known As: Otis Ray Redding Jr., Otis Ray Redding. 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. On June 17, 1967, Redding performed at the Monterey International Pop Festival, where he was enthusiastically received. [148] Redding was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994,[116] and in 1999 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Redding received many posthumous accolades, including two Grammy Awards, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame. iStock. Otis is wearing dark clothing, making it hard to tell if his clothes are wet or not. Either that, or the water was cold enough to preserve him that way. At an early age, he began his career as a singer and musician in the choir of the Vineville Baptist Church. 61: 'Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul', "Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul", "Rock History 101: Otis Redding at the Monterey Pop Festival", "Otis Redding Remembered At Special Day In Macon", "Otis Redding at The Factory: One night only in Madison", "Singer Otis Redding, seven others killed", "Body of Singer Recovered from Crashed Plane", "1968 Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive 22nd June 1968", "the jimi hendrix encyclopedia - jimihendrix.com", "Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding (2007)", "Otis Redding: Live at the Whisky a Go Go: The Complete Recordings", "Otis Redding Britannica Online Encyclopedia", "Jones: NATRA Meeting To Be Most Significant", "African-American Subjects on United States Postage Stamps", "The Foundation | THE OTIS REDDING FOUNDATION", "The Soul Reformation: Phase Three, Soul Music at the Summit", "Eyewitness Tells of Otis Redding's Violent Death", "Otis Redding's Sons, Nephew Chart Own Musical Course", "20 Years Later Otis Redding Still Buried in Tomb on Family's Ga. Farm", Good to Me: Live at the Whisky a Go Go, Vol. "[78] After the release of Otis Blue, Redding became a "catalogue" artist, meaning his albums were not immediate blockbusters, but rather sold steadily over time. And also - notice the cable behind him. I started writing a daily newspaper column in Madison in 1997, the 30th anniversary year of the Otis Redding plane crash. Otis Redding, (born September 9, 1941, Dawson, Georgia, U.S.died December 10, 1967, near Madison, Wisconsin), American singer-songwriter, one of the great soul stylists of the 1960s. Otis Redding: albums, songs, playlists | Listen on Deezer Though he died in a plane crash 54 years ago at age 26, Redding's family and others have kept his dream alive through the Otis Redding Foundation. The recording of "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" captures his habit of humming with the horn section. Ten of the eleven songs were recorded in a 24-hour period on July 9 and 10 in Memphis. I'll let nothing, no, no, separate us. His singing became the measure of the decades great soul artists. Otis Redding's frozen body still strapped to his plane seat lies in the It became Redding's only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the first posthumous number-one single in U.S. chart history. [6], A member of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, Redding toured the Southern United States on the Chitlin' Circuit, a string of venues that were hospitable to African-American entertainers during the era of racial segregation, which lasted into the early 1960s. Bob Dylan attended the performance and offered Redding an altered version of one of his songs, "Just Like a Woman". Otis Redding, (born September 9, 1941, Dawson, Georgia, U.S.died December 10, 1967, near Madison, Wisconsin), American singer-songwriter, one of the great soul stylists of the 1960s. [83][87], Redding's body was recovered the next day when the lake was searched. And i know in wisconsin in december is super cold, and im sure the water was too. According to several advertisements, he had around 200 suits and 400 pairs of shoes, and he earned about $35,000 per week for his concerts. [67], Redding, who was 6feet 1inch (1.85m) tall and weighed 220 pounds (100kg), was an athletic family man who loved football and hunting. In September 1987, Atlantic Records released "The Otis Redding Story", a two volume record set featuring Otis' most unique and rare hits, such as "I've Been Loving You Too Long." "Respect," "Pain In My Heart," "Satisfaction" and of course " (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay.". Every Sunday he earned $6 by performing gospel songs for Macon radio station WIBB,[6][7] and he won the $5 prize in a teen talent show for 15 consecutive weeks. Discover Otis Redding's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. It was greatly expanded in Monterey. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and tried to create a similar sound, against the label's wishes. George Harrison called "Respect" an inspiration for "Drive My Car". Redding was one of the first soul artists to perform for rock audiences in the western United States. read more, On December 10, 1920, the Nobel Prize for Peace is awarded to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson for his work in ending the First World War and creating the League of Nations. He signed with Confederate and recorded a single, "Shout Bamalama" (a rewrite of "Gamma Lamma") and "Fat Girl", together with his band Otis and the Shooters. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images " (Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was released 50 years ago Monday, less than a month. His song "Hard to Handle" has elements of rock and roll and influences of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. Hey Otis!!!! Otis Redding Plane Crash - YouTube As it turns out, his dream was bigger. [4] and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. [53] The album was recorded in January 1967, while Thomas was earning her M.A. Getting Through the Holidays with Otis Redding | The New Yorker On December 10, 1967, Otis Redding and most of his backing band were killed when their chartered plane crashed into a Wisconsin lake. 96K views 3 years ago On Dec. 10, 1967, a twin-engine Beechcraft carrying Otis Redding crashed into Lake Monona in Madison, killing Redding and four members of his touring band, the Bar-Kays.. In the meantime, however, there was a television appearance to make in Cleveland, followed by a concert in Madison, Wisconsin. Redding proved to be an adept duet partner as well; his hits with labelmate Carla Thomas (Tramp and Knock on Wood, 1967) added to his romantic aura. Rolling Stone called him "the Crown Prince of Soul" when it reported the heartbreaking news of the plane crash that killed him on December 10, 1967. [75], Redding's music made him wealthy. [62][79][80] After a phone call with his wife and children, Redding's next stop was Madison, Wisconsin; the next day, Sunday, December 10, they were to play at the Factory nightclub, near the University of Wisconsin. "[60] According to Sweet Soul Music, musicians such as Brian Jones and Jimi Hendrix were captivated by his performance; Robert Christgau wrote in Esquire, "The Love Crowd screamed one's mind to the heavens. Died: Jan. 5, 1998 (age 62) Cause of death: Skiing accident. Redding was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994. 54 years ago today, music legend Otis Redding made his last TV performance in Cleveland before his death. [55] Until that point, Redding was still performing mainly for black audiences. In September 2007, the first official DVD anthology of Redding's live performances was released by Concord Music Group, then owners of the Stax catalog. The Foundation continues to offer music and arts education programs in Macon. In 2007, Otis Redding's widow founded the Otis Redding Foundation[157] in her husband's honor. Redding began a career recording at Stax, playing guitar and arranging his own songs. ", http://www.georgiamusic.org/otisredding.php, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI6inAglMJA, http://books.google.ca/books?id=S7gD201967&f=false. He played trumpet in Otis' band the Bar-Kays. He noted meeting Muhammad Ali and other celebrities. Later that same month, the adulation of the young audience of rock fans at the Monterey International Pop Festival had transformed him into an icon of the blossoming counterculture thanks to his blistering, now-legendary live performance there. [94][95] The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach the top spot on the UK Albums Chart. [94][138][145], Redding posthumously won two Grammy Awards for "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" at the 11th Annual Grammy Awards in 1969. [24] That and top 100 singles " Chained and Bound", "Come to Me" and "That's How Strong My Love Is"[35] were included on Redding's second studio album, The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads, released in March 1965. [152], Five of his albums, Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology, The Dock of the Bay, Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul and Live in Europe, were ranked by Rolling Stone on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. [42] A year later he was inducted into the Hollywood's Rockwalk in California.[95]. Inside Otis Redding's Final Masterpiece ' (Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay'. On December 10, 1967, a plane carrying Otis Redding and other members of his band, The Bar-Kays, plunged into Lake Monona. The Stax crew were also dissatisfied with the new sound; Stewart thought that it was not R&B, while bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn feared it would damage Stax's reputation. You would have to assume that he liked the alternative of the whistling. [68][69] He was described as vigorous, trustworthy,[70] full of fun[71] and a successful businessman. [40] This song had previously been recorded by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, and the publishers unsuccessfully tried to stop Redding from recording the song from a "negro perspective". [43], By 1967, the band was traveling to performances in Redding's Beechcraft H18 airplane. I found the Bay Area dock where Otis Redding wrote his final song - SFGATE