Otis Redding

Real Name: Otis Ray Redding Jr
Birthday: 9 September 1941
Died: 10 December 1967
Hometown: Macon, Georgia
Biggest Hit Singles: (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay, number three, 1968, Tramp, number 18, 1967
Career Highlights: Double Grammy Award Winner

Redding is known as the original Southern Soul singer with a gravelly vouce that brings goosebumps every time you hear him croon.

He got his break when, as a chauffuer for Johnny Jenkins and the Pinetops, he cheekily asked the producer if he could cut a record when the Pinetoppers were finished. The result was his first R&B hit These Arms Of Mine. From then on he recorded with Stax Records, home to the likes of Isaac Hayes and Wilson Picket, and used the amazing Booker T And The MGs for his backing band.

A famous homebody, one of the first thingsRedding did when he became famous was buy a ranch in his home state called The Big O Ranch, complete with a herd of cattle!

Redding was known for writing many of his own songs, and broke into the traditionally White pop scene in 1967 with a stellar performance at the Monteray Pop Festival. After that, British pop magazine Melody Maker said he was the World’s Top Male Singer, overtaking Elvis in their polls.

Later that year, aged only 26, Redding died when a plane carrying him and the Bar-Kays crashed into a lake near Wisconsin. Just weeks before he had recorded Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay – his most famous song ever – but did not get to see its release. It was put out six weeks after his death and became one of the world’s biggest selling singles of all time.