Synopses & Reviews
Rolling Stone's Jon Landau described Otis Redding's music as "the highest level of expression rock 'n' roll has yet attained." Famed rock promoter Bill Graham called Otis "the single most extraordinary talent I have ever seen. . .no 'maybe' about it." And now from the critically acclaimed author of Midnight Riders: The Story of the Allman Brothers Band comes an intimate look at soul brother number one and the undisputed king of soul, Otis Redding.
Born in Terrell County, Georgia a sleepy little farming community on September 9, 1941, Otis Redding Jr. was the fourth of six children born to Otis and Fannie Mae Redding. Inspired by the hymns he heard in church, Otis became enthralled by music at an early age. When he was 10, Otis sang in Vinelle Baptist Church's choir and eventually played drums for a gospel group who had a local Sunday-morning radio show. When he was 13 he had moved on to the piano. Music was his sole occupation. When Otis heard Little Richard, a singer who had grown up in a small town only miles from his own and had risen to stardom, his vision of his future became clear. He was going to be a singer, a dream that his father was sure was going to lead him to nowhere. But at a talent show given by Hillview Springs Social Club in Bellevue, someone from the Upsetters, Little Richard's old backup band heard Otis sing and Otis's career was born and his rep began to build.
On August 16, 1962, two days after hearing Otis sing "These Arms of Mine" Galkin and Jim Stewart, owners of Stax Records signed Otis Redding. They released "These Arms of Mine" and it went on to hit #20 on the R&B charts. 14 more of Otis's songs after his debut also went on to hit the top 20. Songs such as "Respect," "I can't Stop loving You," and "Try a Little Tenderness" helped define a generation, and Otis was poised for superstardom after he stole the show and sealed his crossover success at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. His most successful song, "[Sittin on] The Dock of the Bay" was recorded on December 7, 1967. Just three days later, Otis Redding was dead. He was killed in a tragic plane crash along with four members of The Bar-Kays in Madison, Wisconsin. His senseless death---which sent shockwaves around the world---occurred when the singer was just 26. In 1989, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Otis! is the first full-scale biography of one of the true giants of popular music, a revealing and definitive portrait of the man who embodied the very essence of soul.
Review
"...a readable account of a big-hearted singer who, in five short years, left a legacy that continues to inspire." (RELIX magazine)
Synopsis
Rolling Stone's Jon Landau described Otis Redding's music as "the highest level of expression rock 'n' roll has yet attained." And now from the critically acclaimed author of
Midnight Riders: The Story of the Allman Brothers Band comes an intimate look at soul brother number one and the undisputed king of soul, Otis Redding.
Music was his sole occupation. Inspired by the works of Little Richard, a singer raised in a small town just miles from his own, Otis Redding knew he wanted to become a singer. This dream, his father said, would lead him nowhere, but when Otis Redding first burst onto the scene in 1962 with his R&B hit "These Arms of Mine" music enthusiasts knew they were listening to the voice of a star. With over fourteen songs gracing the top 20 chart, Otis Redding soon became a music phenomenon. Crooning tunes such as "Respect," "I Can't Stop Loving You," and "Try a Little Tenderness," Otis Redding defined a new generation of R&B music.
He solidified his position as a superstar by stealing the spotlight at concerts like the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. But at the height of his career, three days after completing his most popular song "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," Otis Redding died in a tragic plane crash over Madison, Wisconsin.
Now for the first time in paperback, Otis!: The Otis Redding Story tells the true life story of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend who changed the face of R&B music. This revealing portrait is hailed as the most definitive text on the man who embodied the very essence of soul.
About the Author
Scott Freeman is the author of
Midnight Riders: The Story of the Allman Brothers Band. He has received more than two dozen awards for his journalism, including two nominations for the Pulitzer Prize. He is a senior editor at
Atlanta Magazine.