Anniversary

Otis Redding would have been 70 today. He was born in born in Dawson, in Terrell County, and moved to Macon, Ga., when still a child. Check out the Otis Redding timeline at Macon.com.

Of today's artists, [Jerry] Wexler felt that Otis Redding has the potential to become the next Ray Charles. (Billboard, Oct. 15, 1966, p. RC-6)

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O t i s   R e d d i n g   i n   m e m o r i a m

»Holding a Yule message on the brand new car he gave his dad, the Rev. Otis Redding Sr. (r), rhythm and blues singer Otis Redding Jr. (l) and son, Otis III, greet the minister, the singer's mother and sister, Linda,
4, in Macon, Ga.« (JET Jan. 21, 1965, p. 61)

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T R I B U T E    S O N G

»These Arms Of Mine« (1962) was Otis's first recording for Stax / Volt and the first single of his that charted. It's one of his many signature songs and has been covered many times. Here is Bettye Swann's version, from 1969:

Bettye Swann: »These Arms Of Mine« from the Capitol LP »The Soul View Now!« (1969):

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