January 11, 1968. Stewart later praised Redding's performance, saying, "Everybody was fixin' to go home, but Joe Galkin insisted we give Otis a listen. [146] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Redding in 1989, declaring his name to be "synonymous with the term soul music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm and blues into a form of funky, secular testifying. [53] The album was recorded in January 1967, while Thomas was earning her M.A. In the 15. Redding sang Little Richard's "Heebie Jeebies". Singer-songwriter Otis Redding was discovered after recording "These Arms of Mine." Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1904, he entered the field of U.S. read more. Dec 10, 2019. More Facts . He was a music artist and composer, known for Top Gun (1986), Hamburger Hill (1987) and Road House (1989). 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. Bob Dylan attended the performance and offered Redding an altered version of one of his songs, "Just Like a Woman". 1 hit in 1968. Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 - December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. [33], Most of Redding's songs after "Security", from his first album, had a slow tempo. The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. [77] That year, one columnist said, "he sold more records than Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin combined. He loved it, and he was going to "cut it", as Barry put it, on his return from his final concert. Having spent most of his career performing in black . Otis Redding - Wikipedia Otis wore his heart on his sleeve, said Jerry Wexler, whose Atlantic label handled Staxs distribution, thus bringing Redding to a national market. [48] Booking agent Bill Graham proposed that Redding play at the Fillmore Auditorium in late 1966. He released "I've Been Loving You Too Long (to Stop Now)" that same year, and "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" a year later. Cool catHate to see anybody talented go out so badly That is really sad. Redding was 26 years old. Otis Redding was born September 9, 1941, in Dawson, Georgia. Otis Redding's "(Sittin on) The Dock of the Bay" was his only number-one hit. The gig was commercially and critically successful, paying Redding around $800 to $1000 (US$8,352 in 2021 dollars[14]) a night. It was as a Little Richard imitator that Redding experienced his first minor hit, Shout Bamalama, for the Confederate label of Athens, Georgia. There is beauty in simplicity whether you are talking about architecture, art or music. Otis Williams himself was born to Otis Miles and Hazel Louise Williams in 1941. The musicians were headed to The Factory nightclub, scheduled to perform at 6:30 p.m. He arranged his songs as he wrote them, singing horn and rhythm parts to the musicians and, in general, sculpting his total sound. Otis Redding was undoubtedly one of the most promising soul stars in the world when he tragically died in a plane crash on December 10th 1967. It is a bittersweet lament of indolence and love. [105] Most of his songs were categorized as Southern soul[106] and Memphis soul. L. ROGER TURNER. [93] It sold approximately four million copies worldwide and received more than eight million airplays. ", http://www.georgiamusic.org/otisredding.php, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI6inAglMJA, http://books.google.ca/books?id=S7gD201967&f=false. "[24][25] Stewart signed Redding and released "These Arms of Mine", with "Hey Hey Baby" on the B-side. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first hit single, "These Arms of Mine", in 1962. Just thought I'd chime in as it's always interesting as a death hag with local stories. He was known for his energy in the studio and, in 1965, recorded the album Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul in one day. 01 (Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay . [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. Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. But if Otis Redding was only beginning to gain momentum within the largely white mainstream in 1967, he was already a giant in the world of soul music. Zelma Atwood and Otis Redding met when they were both teenagers attending an event at the Douglass Theatre in Macon, Georgia. Celebrity Death Photos pt 1 & 2 -WARNING WARNING GRAPHIC!!!! At first, Henry Ford had built his cars like every other automaker did: one at a time. Killed in the accident were soul singer Otis Redding, his manager, the pilot, and four members of his backup band, The Bar-Kays. In the late 1950s Redding joined Richards band, the Upsetters, after Richard had gone solo. [113] His LP releases earned him recognition from music critic Robert Christgau as "one of soul's few reliable long-form artists"; Christgau deems Otis Blue his "first great album",[127] and Mat Snow regards it as an early indication of the album era, in which the LP would overtake singles in commercial and artistic importance. They were accepting us and that was one of the things that really moved Otis. [47], The spring of 1966 marked the first time that Stax booked concerts for its artists. [12], Redding's breakthrough came in 1958 on disc jockey Hamp Swain's "The Teenage Party", a talent contest at the local Roxy and Douglass Theatres. What you asked me to do or say, honey you know, you know, you know that it's OK. And I'll let . The singer had captured a nation with his imperious vocal and unstoppable personality, connecting with the content and his audience in equal measure. I love Otis Redding. Otis Redding AKA Otis Redding, Jr. Born: 9-Sep - 1941 Birthplace: Dawson, GA Died: 10-Dec - 1967 Location of death: Madison, WI Cause of death: Accident - Airplane Remains: Buried, Big-O Ranch, Round Oak, GA Gender: Male Religion: Baptist Race or Ethnicity: Black Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Singer/Songwriter Nationality: United States Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Stax was unable to regain the rights to its recordings and severed its Atlantic relationship. Fifty years later, his music endures as do . You would have to assume that he liked the alternative of the whistling. Otis Redding's legacy endures on 80th birthday | Macon Telegraph [12] Redding was then hired by the Upsetters when Little Richard abandoned rock and roll in favor of gospel music. Mrs. Redding, 79, still lives on the sprawling ranch outside of Macon, Ga., that Mr. Redding bought for his family in 1965, two years before his small private plane nose-dived into a Wisconsin. But his time was tragically cut short when he was killed in a plane crash on December 10th 1967 at the age of just 26-years-old. And also - notice the cable behind him. [92], "Respect is something Otis achieved for himself in a way few people do. R&B legend Otis Redding died in Lake Monona just days after recording He is regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues.Nicknamed the "King of Soul", Redding's style of singing gained inspiration from the gospel music that preceded the genre. Co-writer Steve Cropper and other collaborators take a new look back at the legendary song, recorded just weeks . Otis Redding was just 26-years-old when he died, a year shy of appearing in the famous 27 Club, of performers who have died at that age. Barry White in concert circa 1980's (Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage) I live about 5 minutes away from here. [74] She also maintained or worked at the janitorial service Maids Over Macon, several nightclubs, and booking agencies. 's, while staff producer Isaac Hayes worked on the arrangement. Redding later performed at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Go and toured Europe, performing in London, Paris and other major cities. [120][121][122] He remains one of the genre's most recognized artists. The rapport between Redding and his rhythm sectionCropper on guitar, Donald (Duck) Dunn on bass, Al Jackson on drums, and Booker T. Jones on keyboards (known collectively as Booker T. and the MGs)was extraordinary. [16] Redding was soon invited to replace Willie Jones as frontman of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, featuring Johnny Jenkins. They used a hook to pull his body up out of the wreckage in the water. Otis Redding was born on September 9, 1941 in Dawson, Georgia, USA. [58] Redding and his backing band (Booker T. & the M.G. The first Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace on December 10, 1901. Died At Age: 26. [102], Carla Thomas claimed that the pair had planned to record another duet album in December the same year, but Phil Walden denied this. [citation needed] The following day, December 9, they took the Beechcraft to Cleveland where they appeared on Don Webster's 'Upbeat' TV show . [142][143] In 1968, the National Association of Television and Radio Announcers (NATRA) created the Otis Redding Award in his honor. The soulful voice of Otis Redding was tragically silenced on this day in 1967, when his plane crashed in a small Wisconsin lake, killing him and all but one of the passengers. [38] Otis Blue also includes Redding's much-loved cover of "A Change Is Gonna Come" in 1965. [88] The family postponed the funeral from December 15, to December 18, so that more could attend,[77] and the service took place at the City Auditorium in Macon. In 1967, Otis Redding actually lived in a boathouse across the bay from San Francisco and he would literally sit and watch the ships on the bay coming and going as he says in the lyrics. [52], In March 1967, Stax released King & Queen, an album of duets between Redding and Carla Thomas, which became a certified gold record. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. 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. [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. does anyone have a copy of the autospy report? Otis Redding - NNDB As the owner of Otis Redding Enterprises, his performances, music publishing ventures and royalties from record sales earned him more than a million dollars in 1967 alone. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He really poured his soul into it. The second was "These Arms of Mine", featuring Jenkins on guitar and Steve Cropper on piano. I saw an interview with Steve Cropper (Booker T and the MGs guitarist, producer of "Dock", etc.) "[9][10], At age 15, Redding left school to help financially support his family; his father had contracted tuberculosis and was often hospitalized, leaving his mother as the family's primary income earner. Otis Lamont Williams was born in 1961, the same year his father married his first wife, Josephine Rogers. Jerry Wexler said Redding "didn't know how to move", and stood still, moving only his upper body, although he acknowledged that Redding was well received by audiences for his strong message. According to the mr. cauley it wasnt even 20 mins til he was pulled out, so probably a few hours later or less the rest was brought up. He played trumpet in Otis' band the Bar-Kays. His delivery overflows with emotion" in his song "I Can't Turn You Loose". Otis Redding was one of the great American soul singers, who, although only enjoying a short career due to his early death in a plane crash at the age of 26, has been described as the embodiment of soul and one of the most important cultural icons of the civil rights movement. 2, The Dock of the Bay The Definitive Collection, International Players Anthem (I Choose You), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Otis_Redding&oldid=1141910061, Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners, Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States, Accidents and incidents involving the Beechcraft Model 18, 20th-century African-American male singers, Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1967, Musicians killed in aviation accidents or incidents, Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state), Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Pages using Sister project links with hidden wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 14:03. The singer was just 26 years old, already a major star and poised for further greatness. Otis Redding's final performance, the day before his death He attended Ballard Hudson High School and participated in the school band. He was wonderful at Monterey Pop Festival, what a tragic waste. Redding had proposed to record an album featuring cut and rearranged songs in different tempos; for example, ballads would be uptempo and vice versa. They ran the pic in our local newspaper when he died and I remember seeing it in Jet. He was just 26 years old. [6][21] Around this time he and the Pinetoppers attended a "Battle of the Bands" show in Lakeside Park. I found the Bay Area dock where Otis Redding wrote his final song - SFGATE The pair ambled out of Macon, Ga.'s Douglass Theatre on an early Saturday afternoon; her, Zelma Atwood, 16 years old, pretty yet fiery; him, Otis Redding, 19, dashing, charming, a lover with an . Redding was raised in Macon, Georgia, where he was deeply influenced by the subtle grace of Sam Cooke and the raw energy of Little Richard. Redding joined Johnny Jenkinss Pinetoppers, a local Georgia band, and also served as the groups driver. The Man - Otis Redding The combination enabled Redding to win Swain's talent contest for fifteen consecutive weeks; the cash prize was $5 (US$47 in 2021 dollars[14]). Otis Redding. (Memphis) This week marks the 45 anniversary of the plane crash that killed Otis Redding and members of the Memphis band, The Bar-Kays. [32] Around this time Walden and Rodgers were drafted by the army; Walden's younger brother Alan joined Redding on tour, while Earl "Speedo" Simms replaced Rodgers as Redding's road manager. I have attached a photo of the Plane Crash in which Otis Reading died. Soul legend Otis Redding dies in a plane crash near Madison - History Hey Otis!!!! Otis Ray Redding, Jr., son of sharecropper Otis Redding, Sr., and . He also was a recipient of a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement (1999). I have recordings of 3 takes, and it definitely is on all 3. However, Redding wanted to expand his musical style and thought it was his best song, correctly believing it would top the charts. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Otis-Redding, Otis Redding - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (1989). [43] Since Afro-Americans still formed the majority of fans, Redding chose to perform at Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Redding said that he "would not be here" without Little Richard and that he "entered the music business because of Richard he is my inspiration. Redding's first released Volt single, it became his most successful until "I've Been Loving You". From the last pic of them pulling the plane out, it looks like he crashed a good ways out into lake monona as you can see the capital in the distance. 0. According to journalist Ruth Robinson, author of the liner notes for the 1993 box set, "It is currently a revisionist theory to equate soul with the darker side of man's musical expression, blues. The 19-year-old man, who was trying to follow in his fathers footsteps by pursuing a singing career, was abducted at gunpoint from his hotel room at Harrahs read more, In Moscow, Soviet officials arrest four dissidents and prevent at least 20 others from attending a peaceful protest against communist political oppression on United Nations Human Rights Day. [48] The majority of the group arrived in London on March 13,[46][49] but Redding had flown in days earlier for interviews, such as at "The Eamonn Andrews Show". [20] Around this time, Redding met Phil Walden, the future founder of the recording company Phil Walden and Associates, and later Bobby Smith, who ran the small label Confederate Records. At the time of his death he survived by his large extended friends and family. Otis Redding's Death - Cause and Date Born (Birthday) Sep 9, 1941 Death Date December 10, 1967 Age of Death 26 years Cause of Death Aviation Accident And Incident Place of Death Lake Monona, Madison, Wisconsin, United States Profession Blues Singer The blues singer Otis Redding died at the age of 26. Plus, Otis does look remarkably alive, from the picture. Redding's widow still . 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. On its final approach to Madison on December 10, 1967, however, the private plane carrying soul-music legend Otis Redding would crash into the frigid waters of a small lake three miles short of the runway, killing seven of the eight men aboard, including Redding. I was the last one to have interviewed him. 's, was unproductive and ended early; Redding was allowed to perform two songs. [24] In mid-1960, Otis moved to Los Angeles with his sister, Deborah, while Zelma and the children stayed in Macon, Georgia. Today is the 50th anniversary of the Wisconsin plane crash that took the life of Stax Records great Otis Redding. Stax released Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart, two years later. That we were there? Redding was well paid, making about $25 per gig (US$235 in 2021 dollars[14]),[5][6] but did not stay long. He was such an awesome talent! [96], Shortly after Redding's death, Atlantic Records, distributor of the Stax/Volt releases, was purchased by Warner Bros. Stax was required to renegotiate its distribution deal and was surprised to learn that Atlantic actually owned the entire Stax/Volt catalog. Astrological Sign: Virgo, Death Year: 1967, Death date: December 10, 1967, Death State: Wisconsin, Death City: Madison, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Otis Redding Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/otis-redding, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 20, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014.