Otis Redding
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
Although Redding at his peak was viewed as a consummate, versatile showman, he began his recording career in the early 60s as a Little Richard-styled shouter. The Georgian was working in the band of guitarist Johnny Jenkins at the time, and in 1962 he took advantage of an opportunity to record the allad These Arms of Mine at a Jenkins session. When it became an R&B hit, Reddings solo career was truly on its way, though the hits didnt really start to fly until 1965 and 1966, when Mr. Pitiful, Ive Been Loving You Too Long, I Cant Turn You Loose, a cover of the Rolling Stones Satisfaction, and Respect (later turned into a huge pop smash by Aretha Franklin) were all big sellers.
Redding wrote much of his own material, sometimes with the assistance of Booker T. & the MGs guitarist Steve Cropper. Yet at the time, Reddings success was primarily confined to the soul market; his singles charted only mildly on the pop listings. He was nonetheless tremendously respected by many white groups, particularly the Rolling Stones, who covered Reddings Thats How Strong My Love Is and Pain in My Heart. (Redding also returned the favor with Satisfaction.)
One of Reddings biggest hits was a duet with fellow Stax star Carla Thomas, Tramp, in 1967. That was the same year he began to show signs of making major inroads into the white audience, particularly with a well-received performance at the Monterey Pop Festival (also issued on record). Reddings biggest triumph, however, came just days before his death, when he recorded the wistful (Sittin On) The Dock of the Bay, which represented a significant leap as far as examination of more intensely personal emotions. Also highlighted by crisp Cropper guitar leads and dignified horns, it rose to the top of the pop charts in early 1968.
Redding, however, had perished in a plane crash in Wisconsin on December 10, 1967, in an accident that also took the lives of four members from his backup band, the Bar-Kays. A few other singles became posthumous hits, and a good amount of other unreleased material was issued in the wake of his death. These releases werent purely exploitative in nature, in fact containing some pretty interesting music, and little that could be considered embarrassing. What Redding might have achieved, or what directions he might have explored, are among the countless tantalizing what if questions in rock & roll history. As it is, he did record a considerable wealth of music at Stax, which is now available on thoughtfully archived reissues.
