Otis!: The Otis Redding Story Book

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.Read More