Otis Redding

The long-awaited, definitive biography of The King of Soul, timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Redding's iconic performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. Otis Redding remains an immortal presence in the canon of American music on the strength of such classic hits as “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” “Try a Little Tenderness,” and “Respect,” a song he wrote and recorded before Aretha Franklin made it her own. As the architect of the distinctly southern, gospel-inflected style of rhythm & blues associated with Stax Records in Memphis, Redding made music that has long served as the gold standard of 1960s soul. Yet an aura of myth and mystery has always surrounded his life, which was tragically cut short at the height of his career by a plane crash in December 1967. In Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life, Jonathan Gould finally does justice to Redding’s incomparable musical artistry, drawing on exhaustive research, the cooperation of the Redding family, and previously unavailable sources of information to present the first comprehensive portrait of the singer’s background, his upbringing, and his professional career. In chronicling the story of Redding’s life and music, Gould also presents a social history of the time and place from which they emerged. His book never lets us forget that the boundaries between black and white in popular music were becoming porous during the years when racial tensions were reaching a height throughout the United States. His indelible portrait of Redding and the mass acceptance of soul music in the 1960s is both a revealing look at a brilliant artist and a provocative exploration of the tangled history of race and music in America that resonates strongly with the present day.

“Evokes the fire of Redding. . . . Ribowsky tells the story with nonstop energy, while always probing for the larger social and musical pictures.” —New York Times Book Review When he died in one of rock's string of tragic plane crashes, Otis Redding was only twenty-six, yet already the avatar of a new kind of soul music. The beating heart of Memphis-based Stax Records, he had risen to fame belting out gospel-flecked blues in stage performances that seemed to ignite not only a room but an entire generation. If Berry Gordy's black-owned kingdom in Motown showed the way in soul music, Redding made his own way, going where not even his two role models who had preceded him out of Macon, Georgia—Little Richard and James Brown—had gone. Now, in this transformative work, New York Times Notable Book author Mark Ribowsky contextualizes his subject's short career within the larger cultural and social movements of the era, tracing the crooner's rise from preacher's son to a preacher of three-minute soul sermons. And what a quick rise it was. At the tender age of twenty-one, Redding needed only a single unscheduled performance to earn a record deal, his voice so "utterly unique" (Atlantic) that it catapulted him on a path to stardom and turned a Memphis theater-turned-studio into a music mecca. Soon he was playing at sold-out venues across the world, from Finsbury Park in London to his ultimate conquest, the 1967 Monterrey Pop Festival in California, where he finally won over the flower-power crowd. Still, Redding was not always the affable, big-hearted man's man the PR material painted him to be. Based on numerous new interviews and prodigious research, Dreams to Remember reintroduces an incredibly talented yet impulsive man, one who once even risked his career by shooting a man in the leg. But that temperament masked a deep vulnerability that was only exacerbated by an industry that refused him a Grammy until he was in his grave—even as he shaped the other Stax soul men around him, like Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, and Booker T. and The MG's. As a result, this requiem is one of great conquest but also grand tragedy: a soul king of truth, a mortal man with an immortal voice and a pain in his heart. Now he, and the forces that shaped his incomparable sound, are reclaimed, giving us a panoramic of an American original who would come to define an entire era, yet only wanted what all men deserve—a modicum of respect and a place to watch the ships roll in and away again.

Otis Redding's extraordinary Southern soul voice resonates down the years as a thing of profound beauty and unfathomable emotional depth. His unique vocal delivery gave Motown's pop artists a run for their money, while his stage presence matched pioneering funk magus - and fellow Georgia native - James Brown for sheer entertainment value. Crucial to the success of the Stax label, Redding quickly rose from obscurity and, thanks to his dizzying performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, was poised for major crossover success.However, on December 10, 1967, he was killed when his private plane crashed into Lake Monoma near Madison, Wisconsin. '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay', recorded just a week earlier, went straight to Number 1, prompting widespread speculation on what Otis Redding might have achieved had his life not been cut brutally short.In this, the first serious profile of the soul legend, Geoff Brown talks to Stax illuminati Booker T. Jones, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, plus many others, about his tragically brief life, infectious personality and incredible talent. The resulting biography is a wonderful testament to this greatly loved artist.

Otis Redding's classic song "Respect"--as popularized by Aretha Franklin--becomes an empowering picture book exploring the concept of mutual respect through the eyes of a young girl. "[Respect's] art, by Rachel Moss, a Jamaican illustrator fueled by the energy of the Caribbean, will make readers want to amp up the music and dance, which perhaps is exactly what all of us need right now." --New York Times Book Review R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Find out what it means to me R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Take care, TCB Oh (sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me) A little respect Respect is a children's picture book based on lyrics written and originally recorded by Otis Redding in 1965. Aretha Franklin's iconic rendition of the song later peaked at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1967. Redding's lyrics continue to resonate with listeners today. With lyrics by Otis Redding and illustrations by Rachel Moss, this irresistible book shows a young girl, her brother, and her parents conjuring as many positive futures for each other as they can dream. Packed with playful vignettes as they imagine a life full of possibility, Respect provides families an opportunity to explore themes of mutual respect--while revisiting one of the greatest songs ever written. The Otis Redding Foundation. Redding was dedicated to improving the quality of life for his community through the education and empowerment of its youth. He provided scholarships and summer music programs which continued until his untimely death on December 10, 1967. Today, the mission of the Otis Redding Foundation, established in 2007 by Mrs. Zelma Redding, is to empower, enrich, and motivate all young people through programs involving music, writing, and instrumentation. To learn more, visit: otisreddingfoundation.org.

Otis Redding and Steve Cropper's timeless ode to never-ending days is given fresh new life in this heartwarming picture book. Sittin' in the mornin' sun I'll be sittin' when the evening comes Watching the ships roll in Then I'll watch 'em roll away again, yeah (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay is a charming picture book set to one of the King of Soul'sTM greatest hits. The song was one of the last Redding recorded, and ranked number four on Billboard's year-end Hot 100 chart, going on to win two GRAMMYs and be certified triple-platinum. With lyrics by Otis Redding and Steve Cropper and illustrations by Kaitlyn Shea O'Connor, this picture book imagines a lonesome cat fishing off a dock and hoping the fish will bite soon. (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay is the perfect picture book for parents wanting to share a classic song with their children, allowing both to find joy in it along the way. "What [Otis Redding's] voice conveyed to listeners was an immediate, almost unparalleled connection; he could wring inconceivable intensity and complexity out of a minimal phrase and returned, most often, to the basic, raw power of love." --New York Times The Otis Redding Foundation: Redding was dedicated to improving the quality of life for his community through the education and empowerment of its youth. He provided scholarships and summer music programs which continued until his untimely death on December 10, 1967. Today, the mission of the Otis Redding Foundation, established in 2007 by Mrs. Zelma Redding, is to empower, enrich, and motivate all young people through programs involving music, writing, and instrumentation. To learn more, visit: otisreddingfoundation.org.

Memphis gave birth to music that changed the world — Memphis Mayhem is a fascinating history of how music and culture collided to change the state of music forever “David Less has captured the essence of the Memphis music experience on these pages in no uncertain terms. There's truly no place like Memphis and this is the story of why that is. HAVE MERCY!” — Billy F Gibbons, ZZ Top Memphis Mayhem weaves the tale of the racial collision that led to a cultural, sociological, and musical revolution. David Less constructs a fascinating narrative of the city that has produced a startling array of talent, including Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Al Green, Otis Redding, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Justin Timberlake, and so many more. Beginning with the 1870s yellow fever epidemics that created racial imbalance as wealthy whites fled the city, David Less moves from W.C. Handy’s codification of blues in 1909 to the mid-century advent of interracial musical acts like Booker T. & the M.G.’s, the birth of punk, and finally to the growth of a music tourism industry. Memphis Mayhem explores the city’s entire musical ecosystem, which includes studios, high school band instructors, clubs, record companies, family bands, pressing plants, instrument factories, and retail record outlets. Lively and comprehensive, this is a provocative story of finding common ground through music and creating a sound that would change the world.

Whether you're cleaning out a closet, basement or attic full of records, or you're searching for hidden gems to build your collection, you can depend on Goldmine Record Album Price Guide to help you accurately identify and appraise your records in order to get the best price. • Knowledge is power, so power-up with Goldmine! • 70,000 vinyl LPs from 1948 to present • Hundreds of new artists • Detailed listings with current values • Various artist collections and original cast recordings from movies, televisions and Broadway • 400 photos • Updated state-of-the-market reports • New feature articles • Advice on buying and selling Goldmine Grading Guide - the industry standard

The story of Stax Records unfolds like a Greek tragedy. A white brother and sister build a record company that becomes a monument to racial harmony in 1960's segregated south Memphis. Their success is startling, and Stax soon defines an international sound. Then, after losses both business and personal, the siblings part, and the brother allies with a visionary African-American partner. Under integrated leadership, Stax explodes as a national player until, Icarus-like, they fall from great heights to a tragic demise. Everything is lost, and the sanctuary that flourished is ripped from the ground. A generation later, Stax is rebuilt brick by brick to once again bring music and opportunity to the people of Memphis. Set in the world of 1960s and '70s soul music, Respect Yourself is a story of epic heroes in a shady industry. It's about music and musicians -- Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Wilson Pickett, the Staple Singers, and Booker T. and the M.G.'s, Stax's interracial house band. It's about a small independent company's struggle to survive in a business world of burgeoning conglomerates. And always at the center of the story is Memphis, Tennessee, an explosive city struggling through heated, divisive years. Told by one of our leading music chroniclers, Respect Yourself brings to life this treasured cultural institution and the city that created it.