Otis Redding

Otis Redding was an American singer, songwriter and producer from Macon, Georgia, widely regarded as one of the greatest soul artists of the 1960s. He began his career singing in church and with local bands before signing with Stax Records in Memphis, where he recorded a string of hits including “These Arms of Mine,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” and “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.” Redding’s raw, emotive baritone and gospel-rooted phrasing defined Southern soul, and he frequently collaborated with Booker T. & the M.G.’s and the Stax house band. His posthumously released single “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” became his first number-one pop hit. Redding died in a plane crash in December 1967 at age 26, leaving a catalog that continues to influence generations of R&B and rock artists.