Redding, Otis

The lexicon of soul is littered with superlatives, hyperbolic descriptions of “superhuman” musical talent captured in a recording studio or displayed on a stage. Say one name, however, and all those platitudes suddenly fall short: Otis Redding. Redding was simply one of the best soul singers of all time with a voice that no amount of hype can ever obscure. The Georgia-born vocalist’s tough yet tender delivery enthralled audiences around the globe and earned respect and awe from his peers. During his all-too-brief twenty-six years, he accrued just about every accolade available. Alternately dubbed “The Crown Prince” and The King of soul, Redding could effortlessly relay the pain in his heart through song and take the listener on an extraordinarily emotional journey.

Redding found a perfect setting for his unique style at Stax Records in Memphis. Recording with a sympathetic backing band comprised of Booker T. & the MGs as well as the Stax/Volt horns, he recorded a series of instant classics. A prolific writer, many of the songs in his repertoire came from his own pen. He also co-wrote with MG's guitarist Steve Cropper and friend Jerry Butler, among others. He was equally adept at spotting great songs from other writers, taking tracks like the Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” and Sam Cooke’s “Shake” and completely making them his own. His biggest live performance took place at 1967’s Monterrey Pop Festival where, in the middle of a rock-heavy lineup, he gave perhaps the most heartfelt, soulful performance of his career. “I got to go, y’all, I don’t wanna go!,” he exclaimed as he left the stage, leaving the exuberant crowd screaming for more. he concert greatly increased his visibility in the mainstream media and as he went back into to studio to record songs such as “(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay” for his next album, his future couldn’t have been brighter.

Sadly, a plane crash on December 10, 1967 erased that future in an instant. While there have been many posthumous releases and countless compilations over the years, nothing can match Redding’s original albums. The seven Sundazed reissues have been sourced from the original analog tapes to bring you these historic recordings in the best fidelity possible. To listen to them is to hear a master at work, a true giant of contemporary popular music. Whether recorded in the studio or on a concert stage, Redding comes across as one of music’s most superb showmen. Speaking about his performance at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, the late, legendary promoter Bill Graham said, “By far, Otis Redding was the single most extraordinary talent I had ever seen. There was no comparison. Then or now — That was the biggest gig I ever put on in my entire life."