THE GREATEST SOUL SINGER OF ALL TIME....OTIS REDDING

In this Series of Posts, I will writing about the Artist's who are in My "Greatest Ever Soul Singer of All-Time" Poll. 

The Poll is over to the Right of the Blog, it has been Running for a Couple of Weeks now, so if You haven't already Voted, Please do so!

In these Post's, I will write a few Facts, Figures, Stats and Interesting Stuff on the Artist in Question, I will also include a Playlist of their 20 Greatest Songs.

I will Write a Post on each Artist in Order of "Top to Bottom" of the Poll!

ARTIST NUMBER 5..............OTIS REDDING


Otis Ray Redding Jr was Born in Georgia, USA on 9th September 1941, He was  a Soul Singer, Songwriter, Arranger and Producer.


He left School in 1956 Aged 15 to earn Money and Support His family.


He Worked in Little Richard's backing Band "The UpSetters"

By 1958 He had Joined "Johnny Jenkins Band" The 
Pinetoppers and Toured The Southern States of America, He was the Driver and a Musician!


An unscheduled Appearance as a Session Singer, Led to His Turning Point in His Musical Career.


He was Signed to Stax Records and was Making Solo Records by 1964, His First Album was Entitled "Pain In My Heart" which Reached Number 103 on the US Pop Chart and Number 28 on the UK Pop Chart.

His First Single Release was "These Arms Of Mine" which Reached number 85 on the US Pop Chart and Number 20 on the US R&B Chart.  


Otis Redding was as Popular with the White Record Buying Public as the Black!


Around the Mid 1960's O.R was one of the Most Popular Recording Artist in the World, He had His Own Backing Back for Recording and Performing "The Barkays" He also had at that Time, what was unheard of, for a Black Artist, He had His Own Private Plane, which He & the Band used to use to travel to Shows etc.

After only about 3 or 4 Years into His Career, on December 10th, 1967, Otis Redding was Travelling to Memphis on the Plane with the Band "The Barkays" to Finish Recording an Album and to Record a TV Show,  when Tragedy Struck the Plane Crashed into Icy Waters in Wisconsin!


Otis Redding, 4 members of The Barkays, and Cabin Crew all Died,  only One Barkay Survived, Vocalist and Trumpeter "Ben Cauley"

Since His Death "Otis Redding" has Won many Musical Awards Worldwide & been called "The King of Soul" by many people including James Brown.


My Favorite Otis Redding Track is : "Love Man"


Full Otis Redding Discgraphy:
6 Studio Albums
28 Singles


After His Death:
4 Albums
10 Live Albums
5 Compilations
19 Singles


His Biggest Ever Selling Single, which was Not Quite Completed Before His Death was "(Sittin' On) Dock Of The Bay", Released in 1968 and Attained "Gold Status"


It Sold around the World Reaching Both Number 1 on the US Pop and R&B Charts, it also reached Number 3 in the UK.


A Selection of Otis Reddings Greatest Hits

Checkout these Videos on the Death of Otis & The Barkays!








Related articles

• The Greatest Soul Singer of All Time....teddy Pendergrass

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• A History of Soul: Otis Redding

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• Stax, Booker T and the MGs bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn dies at 70

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• Every Day Needs a Little Otis Tenderness

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THE NORTH SEA and MEL & TIM

A Couple of more (Watery) Incidents that I clearly remember about Working on the Gas Platform back in November & December 1983, are as follows:


One of the Contractors who did something concerning the actual Drilling told me he went Fishing a Couple of times a Week and if He caught enough for me as well, would I cook the Fish for our Tea, one night!


I agreed and thought he was going to Catch it when He went back Onshore and then brought it back with him.


So a Couple of Days later, he said to me "are you ready to come Fishing, today" I thought what the Hell is he on about!

Anyway, he told me to Wear a Big Coat, Wrap up Warm and put my Hard Hat on and meet Him at a certain Place & Time,  during my Afternoon Time off, so I put my Big Coat on etc and met him where he said to!


To my Surprise he took me under this Metal trapdoor on the Main Gas Platform Floor and down all these Steps, where eventually after about 5 minutes walking, we were completely under the Platform about 500 Yards above the North Sea!


Then he said, "look over here" there to my Surprise was a  Fishing Line going down through the Metal Flooring into the North Sea, I was stunned, he was actually Fishing I could not Believe it, it was Blowing a Gale, as it was about 75% of the time, I was out there.  


Now I don't like Fishing, but that was an Experience, just being that Close to the Sea, you could actually Feel the Sea Spray on your Face!

He did Catch some Fish that Day,but I cant remember what they were, and I did Cook them for His Tea, that Night, What a Great Experience that was, one of my Highlights, on the Platform!   


Another Funny Incident that Happened to me, (but was not Funny at the time was) I wont explain it Fully as you can work it out for yourselves!


The Toilets on the Platform were as they are at Home, apart from the Water comes up from the North Sea and goes back there, so you did get a lot of "Sloshing Water" under your "Jack Jones" and when it rough it would tend to go everywhere (it was always Rough that time of year)!

Any way after about 3/4 Days on the Platform, I got a Bad Dose of "MonteZumas Revenge" and I found myself continually on the "Throne" for about 24 hours, and it was as usual Blowing a Gail outside, and Yes you Guessed it, all of a Sudden the Toilet made this "Almighty Gargling Sound and Whoosh" and I was Covered in it, and I am not Talking about the North Sea!


What an Experience, these were 2 of my Highlights!
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As for Music, in 1973 "Mel & Tim" had a Great Soul Single Release, "I May Not Be What You Want" taken from the 1972 Album "Starting All Over Again" it was on the "Stax" Record Label.

It was a Great Mid-Tempo Track from the Mississippi Duo "Mel Hardin & Tim McPherson, Probably Known Best for their Smash Hit "Backfield In Motion" from 1969 on the Bamboo Record Label!

Bamboo Records was Based in Chicago & Owned by the Soul Artist "Gene Chandler"

Download "I May Not Be What You Want" and other Great Stax Singles!

THE 72nd MIX FOR F.S.V.B

Here's the 72nd Mix for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Musicology, there's some classic Soul and Funk Music Tracks on here, From the Great Stax Record Label, Its called The Soul of Stax Records Volume 3!

Its features Isaac Hayes, Dramatics, Sam and Dave, Staple Singers, Carla Thomas and The Temprees, to name but a Few!

Check Out Web Page For Track Listing and Download.

GREAT SOUL / FUNK RECORD LABELS # 1

STAX RECORDS

One of the Better Record Labels STAX started life as Satellite Records back in 1957 by a  Brother and Sister Team, by the Names of Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton, they were White and from Memphis!

In 1961 they Discovered somebody else  was already using the Name of Satellite so they Decided to Combine the First Two  Letters of their Surnames, Stewart and Axton, and came up with..... Stax. 


They wanted the Music on the Label to be a Mix of the Southern and Memphis Soul Styles!

In them Days, all Record Labels had their Own House Band, as well as doing their Own Music, they use to Play  on other Artists Recordings (on the label) and Stax was no different, their band was the Great  "Booker T and the Mg's"

In 1968 a New Co-Owner came into Stax, it was Al Bell he was a Record Producer, Song-Writer and Record Executive, he was Credited with Helping the likes of Isaac Hayes, Staples Singers, Dramatics and Mel and Tim become Big Recording Artists. 


Later in his Life he would become President of Motown Records!


Some other Great Acts to Record for Stax are:

Jean Knight, Eddie Floyd, Bar-Kays, Shirley Brown, The Soul Children, Johnnie Taylor, Rufus Thomas, William Bell, Mar-Keys, Frederick Knight, Fat Larrys Band, Carla Thomas, Rance Allen, Luther Ingram, Albert King and The Emotions amongst others, even Elvis Presley Released 3 Albums for Stax!

Stax has always been linked with other Great Labels, including Atlantic Records and Volt Records, and with these Labels comes other Great Artists including two of the Biggest in "Otis Redding" and "Sam and Dave"

In 1972 Stax organised one of the Biggest Musical Events in History, with"Wattstax" over 100,000 attended, it was a Memorial to the People who had Died in the Riots, in the Watts District of L.A. seven years Previously.


But by 1975 things started going wrong for "STAX" and the Company went Bankrupt.


In 1977, Fantasy Records brought "STAX" back Catologue, and by 1978 started Signing New Acts and Recording New Material, but this did not last too long, by 1980 all this had Finished and they  started to Re-Issuing some of the Old Recordings again!

By 2004, one of the Original Founders of "STAX" Estelle Axton had Died and Concord Records brought "Stax" back Catologue and by 2006 Started Signing New Acts to the Label, these included Angie Stone, Teena Marie, Lala Hathaway and Leon Ware.

Over the Years "Stax" has Changed the Look of its "Record Label" I have put several different ones on here!


Here's some great Tracks to Download!



and Albums Here and Here!


LOOK OUT FOR A GREAT STAX MIX NEXT WEEK!

WHAT'S UP NEXT!!!!!!!

As Reader's of this Blog will know, I generally do a Bi-Weekly Feature on a Different Artist or Band, I went all out to finish these Just before the Christmas Period, I Concluded Bio's on The Isley Brothers, Maze and Barry White.


I have been thinking of what to do next, on this Blog, I really wanted some sort of stuff that I have not seen on Music Blogs Before!  for Example:

1) A Selection of the Best Music from an Artist or Band, with some Info on the Songs, the Band, the Music etc. 

2) A Compilation of the Best Music from a Certain Record Label, say Stax, Atlantic or Salsoul, again with Info on the Band/Artist and the Tracks!


3) A Selection of "The Best Of",  Sax Players, Bass Guitarists or Drummers! 


4) Bio's on Certain Producer's,  Jam and Lewis, Willie Mitchell or George Clinton!


Anyway thats a few of my Ideas (perhaps you have an idea!), I shall start One or the other Subjects this Week, in Time for the Next Musical Section/Week of this Blog!


Here's some Stax Stuff! this maybe the way I'm Going!


Create a MySpace Music Playlist at MixPod.com

THE 58th MIX FOR FSVB

Here's the 58th Mix for F.S.V.B, Its been Mixed by Musicology, there's some classic Soul and Funk Music Tracks on here, Its called The Soul of Stax Records Volume 1!

Its features Isaac Hayes, Dramatics, Sam and Dave, Staple Singers, William Bell and The Barkays, to name but a Few!

Check Out Web Page For Track Listing and Download.