1909 Casey Bill Weldon*
1926 Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones*
1951 Rudi Vietz*
1955 Danilo Parodi*
1967 Otis Redding+
1974 Megan Martha „Meg“ White*
1984 Leandro Rao*
2007 Jerry Ricks+
Jessie James Gordon*
Happy Birthday
Casey Bill Weldon *10.12.19091)
1)es exitieren unterschiedliche Angaben
R.I.P. +ca. 1970
Er benutzte eine National-Gitarre im sog. Hawaii-Stil, das heißt flach auf den Schoß gelegt, weshalb er auch als Hawaiian Guitar Wizard bezeichnet wurde. Seine Soli in dieser Technik waren emotional und unverwechselbar, sie beeinflussten den damals aufkommenden Chicago Blues.
Seine bekannteste Komposition We Gonna Move (To The Outskirts Of Town) übersprang die damals bestehende Grenze zwischen Blues und Jazz und ist von einer Reihe von Musikern gecovert worden, darunter Count Basie, Big Bill Broonzy, Ray Charles, Jazz Gillum, Louis Jordan, B. B. King, Leadbelly, Jimmy Rushing, Muddy Waters und Jimmy Witherspoon.
Sein Spitzname "Casey Bill" oder auch "K. C. Bill" (man findet sie auf den Etiketten seiner frühen Schallplatten) ist eine Verballhornung von Kansas City.
Casey Bill Weldon (December 10, 1909 – circa 1970?) was an American country blues musician,[1] born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas who later lived and worked in Chicago was known as one of the great early pioneers of the slide guitar.[2] He played upbeat, hokum and country blues tunes, both as a solo artist and as a member of the Memphis Jug Band. Playing a National steel guitar flat on his lap Hawaiian style, "Casey Bill" Weldon's was known as the "Hawaiian Guitar Wizard". He was married to singer and guitarist Memphis Minnie in the '20s. Weldon played in medicine shows before beginning his recording career in 1927 for Victor.
In 1927 Weldon made a recording with Charles Polk and other members of what would become the Memphis Jug Band for Victor Records. In October of that year, Victor brought them to Atlanta where they recorded several sides, including "Kansas City Blues". In 1930, the last year of the Memphis Jug Band's contract with Victor, the band recorded 20 sides. The contract ended after a final recording session in November 1930 in Memphis just before the financial crash of the 1930s bankrupted Victor.[3] Weldon went on to cut over 60 sides for Victor, Bluebird, and Vocalion. He was also an active session guitarist appearing on records by Teddy Darby, Bumble Bee Slim, Peetie Wheatstraw, and Memphis Minnie. On Memphis Minnie's last recording for Bluebird Records in October 1935, Weldon accompanied her for the first time. He played on two sides, "When the Sun Goes Down, Part 2" and "Hustlin' Woman Blues." [4] He scored solo hits with his two most well known songs, "Somebody Changed the Lock on My Door" and "We Gonna Move (to the Outskirts of Town)."
In October 1927, when the Victor field recording unit visited Atlanta, Georgia, he recorded two sides, including a chilling, haunting song called "Turpentine Blues", which would have left him immortalized if he had never recorded again.[citation needed] He did not enter another recording studio until eight years later, when he laid down many recordings for Vocalion Records. Weldon also played with Charlie Burse and the Picanniny Jug Band and the Brown Bombers of Swing. Considering the fact that most slide guitarists of the era went unrecorded, Weldon maintains a healthy amount of recorded material for aficionados to appreciate.
After his divorce from Memphis Minnie, he married blues singer Geeshie Wiley. They disappeared from the public eye soon after and he stopped recording by 1938. His date of death is unknown, though assumed to be sometime in the 1960s.[5]
Casey Bill Weldon - Blues Everywere I Go (1937)
Danilo Parodi *10.12.1955
Der umtriebige Gründer von Mama’s Pit, der bekannte Bassist Danilo Parodi, hat neben Barbara Vulso noch Alessio Menconi (guitar), Federico Basso (piano, hammond organ) und Salvatore Camillieri (drums) um sich geschart und eine außerordentlich hörenswerte Produktion vorgelegt, bei der keine Langeweile aufkommt. Das ist einfach tolle Clubmusik. Die Live Einspielungen sind gute alte Bekannte – aber wen stören schon eigenständig eingespielte Coversongs? Die Studio CD enthält eine Menge Eigenmaterial, das sich absolut nicht verstecken muß.
http://wasser-prawda.de/musik/playlisten/mama%E2%80%98s-pit-rush-hour
http://www.bluesandblues.it/artiital/mamaspit/index.html
Mama's Pit - I'm not ashamed to sing the Blues
Barbara Vulso - voice
Alessio Menconi - guitar
Danilo Parodi - Fender bass
Federico Basso - Hammond organ
Salvatore Cammilleri - drums
Alessio Menconi - guitar
Danilo Parodi - Fender bass
Federico Basso - Hammond organ
Salvatore Cammilleri - drums
Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones *10.12.1926
Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones (* 10. Dezember 1926 in Greenwood, Mississippi; † 7. Februar 1959 in New York City) war ein US-amerikanischer Blues-Gitarrist. Seinen bekanntesten Hit The Things That I Used to Do zählt die Rock and Roll Hall of Fame zu den 500 Songs, die den Rock ’n’ Roll prägten.
Nach seinem Militärdienst im Zweiten Weltkrieg begann Jones, in Clubs in der Gegend um New Orleans zu spielen. Seine Vorbilder waren T-Bone Walker und Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
Seine extravaganten Shows machten ihn bald bekannt: er trug grellbunte Anzüge und färbte sein Haar passend; mit der Gitarre lief er im Publikum herum, begleitet von einem Assistenten, der das über 100 Meter lange Verstärkerkabel mitziehen musste; bisweilen stieg er auch auf die Schultern dieses Assistenten oder spielte draußen vor dem Club, wo er den Verkehr zum Stehen brachte. Er experimentierte mit verzerrter Gitarre, ein Sound, der ein Jahrzehnt später von Rockstars wie Jimi Hendrix wieder aufgenommen wurde.
Um 1950 legte er sich den Künstlernamen "Guitar Slim" zu. 1951 machte er seine ersten Aufnahmen. Einen ersten Hit hatte er 1952 mit Feelin' Sad, das auch von Ray Charles aufgenommen wurde. 1954 erschien The Things That I Used to Do auf Specialty Records, bis heute ein Blues-Standard. Weitere Hits waren u. a. It Hurts To Love Someone und Down Through The Years. Seine Band auf Tour und im Studio wurde vom Bassisten Lloyd Lambert geleitet.
Jones war ein heftiger Trinker und notorischer Frauenheld. Der übermäßige Alkoholkonsum machte ihm zu schaffen. 1959 zog er sich eine Lungenentzündung zu, an der er in Verbindung mit Alkohol während einer Tournee starb. Er war erst 32 Jahre alt.
Guitar Slim wurde in Thibodaux, Louisiana, wo er zuletzt gelebt hatte, mit seiner Gitarre bestattet. Einer seiner Söhne trat das musikalische Erbe seines Vaters an und trat als Guitar Slim, Jr. auf.
2007 wurde Guitar Slim in die Blues Hall of Fame aufgenommen.
Eddie Jones (December 10, 1926 – February 7, 1959),[1] better known as Guitar Slim, was a New Orleans blues guitarist, from the 1940s and 1950s, best known for the million-selling song, produced by Johnny Vincent at Specialty Records, "The Things That I Used to Do". It is a song that is listed in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.[2] Slim had a major impact on rock and roll and experimented with distorted overtones on the electric guitar a full decade before Jimi Hendrix.[3]
Biography
Early life
Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones was born in Greenwood, Mississippi, United States.[4] His mother died when he was five, and his grandmother raised him, as he spent his teen years in the cotton fields. He spent his free time at the local juke joints and started sitting in as a singer or dancer; he was good enough to be nicknamed "Limber Leg."[5]
Recording career
After returning from World War II military service, he started playing clubs around New Orleans, Louisiana. Bandleader Willie D. Warren introduced him to the guitar, and he was particularly influenced by T-Bone Walker and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.[4] About 1950 he adopted the stage name 'Guitar Slim' and started becoming known for his wild stage act. He wore bright-colored suits and dyed his hair to match them, had an assistant follow him around the audience with up to 350 feet of cord between amplifier and guitar,[6] and would occasionally get up on his assistant's shoulders, or even take his guitar outside the club and bring traffic to a stop.[citation needed] His sound was just as unusual — he was playing with distorted guitar more than a decade before rock guitarists did the same, and his gospel-influenced vocals were easily identifiable.[7]
He got together with Muddy Waters in Los Angeles, California for some lively playing.[8]
Recordings
His first recording session was in 1951, and he had a minor rhythm and blues hit in 1952 with "Feelin' Sad", which Ray Charles covered. His biggest success was "The Things That I Used to Do" (1954).[4] The song, produced by a young Ray Charles, was released on Art Rupe's Specialty Records label.[9] The song spent weeks at number one on the R&B charts and sold over a million copies, soon becoming a blues standard.[1] It also contributed to the development of soul music.[10]
He recorded on a few labels, including Imperial, Bullet, Specialty, and Atco.[11] The recordings made in 1954 and 1955 for Specialty are his best.[12]
Death
His career having faded, Guitar Slim became an alcoholic, and then died of pneumonia in New York City at age 32.[12] Guitar Slim is buried in a small cemetery in Thibodaux, Louisiana, where his manager, Hosea Hill, resided.
Influence
Buddy Guy, Albert Collins [6] and Frank Zappa[13] were influenced by Slim. So was Jimi Hendrix, who recorded a version of "The Things That I Used to Do" with Steve Stills on bass guitar in 1969. Stevie Ray Vaughan recorded a cover version of "The Things That I Used to Do".[14]
One of Slim's sons bills himself as Guitar Slim, Jr. around the New Orleans circuit, and his repertoire is heavily reliant on his father's material.[6]
Other users of the name
Other musicians have used the nickname of 'Guitar Slim'; North Carolina blues guitarist James Stephens had several releases billed thus,[15] and Joe Richardson, often billed as 'Tender Slim', released records as by Tender 'Guitar' Slim and Fender 'Guitar' Slim.[16] Edgar Moore, also of North Carolina, used the name as a soul musician.
Leandro Rao *10.12.1984
Leandro Rao was born in the town of Villa Madero, Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 10, 1984. He grew up in a musical environment as his grandfather was bandoneon player; maybe this fact pushed him to decide his way.
In his teens, his taste and interest in music grew up so he started to investigate and experiment in this new vocation. In 2001, at the age of 18, he began his studies focused on musical genres, with his first teacher Santiago Larregain (a pupil of Luis Robinson, renowned Argentinian harmonica player), with whom he explored the first harmonic techniques, typical of traditional blues.
One year late he began his studies with Alexander Figola (Luthier of harmonicas and a pupil of Ruben Gaitán, blues musician), which led him to tackle different techniques and instrument positions.
In 2003 Leandro grew musically, and led the harmonica to another musical and melodious path, thanks to his training for just over one year, with Leandro Villanova (a pupil of Mariano Massolo, renowned harmonica player influenced by jazz music).
During 2005, he began to forge a relationship with Matías Fernández, a member of the band “Blues del Sur”, and after two years studying with him, Leandro made his way onto the famous technique known as “overbends”, which led him to a larger universe of knowledge, going through other musical genres as well.
After 2007, Alejandro Yaques leads him to explore in the path of musical harmony.
At age 24, early 2008, he joined the SADEM Conservatory of Music (the Argentine Musicians' Union), looking to acquire more knowledge, where discovered the piano, instrument through which he starts producing his first compositions.
In early 2010 he continued his studies with Mariano Massolo, allowing him to lead the harmonica to the jazz genre, and the musical composition from a chromatic perspective.
In mid-2012, he met the renowned pianist Juan Tarsia, a fact that led him to begin harmony studies, focused from the harmonica.
Currently Leandro continues to improving his music studies with the great pianist, focusing on Jazz, Soul, Funk, R & B, Blues and Rock among other genres. As a teacher and professional musician, he is always looking to give something better to his audience.
He is a restless musician, always looking to generate new ideas so that the instrument can grow as time passes, and to gain an important place in music.
The Soul Man - Plaza Alberdi
Leandro Rao con The Soul Man (Banda Tributo a The Blues Brothers) en Plaza Alberdi el 16/09/2012
Megan Martha „Meg“ White *10.12.1974
Megan Martha „Meg“ White (* 10. Dezember 1974 in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan) ist eine US-amerikanische Schlagzeugerin, bekannt durch das Rock-Duo The White Stripes.
Leben
Meg White wuchs in der Gegend von Detroit mit ihren Eltern und ihrer Schwester Heather auf.
In den frühen 1990er-Jahren arbeitete Meg White als Barkeeperin in einem Restaurant bei Detroit, wo sie den Musiker und Songwriter John Anthony Gillis kennenlernte. Sie heirateten am 21. September 1996. Gillis nahm ihren Nachnamen an und wurde unter dem Namen Jack White bekannt. Jack spielte bereits in einem Duo mit einem Schlagzeuger. Als die Band auseinanderbrach, kam Jack White 1997 auf die Idee, Meg an das Schlagzeug zu setzen, obwohl sie keinerlei Erfahrung hatte. In Jacks Worten: „Es fühlte sich befreiend und erfrischend an.“
Am 24. März 2000 ließen sich Meg und Jack scheiden, arbeiteten aber bis zur Auflösung der Band Anfang 2011 weiter miteinander. Von Mai 2009 bis Juli 2013 war Meg White mit dem Gitarristen Jackson Smith, dem Sohn von Patti Smith und Fred „Sonic“ Smith, verheiratet.
Mit den White Stripes
Mit den White Stripes, 2007
Meg und Jack White nannten sich zuerst The Red and White Stripes nach Megs Lieblings-Pfefferminz-Bonbons. Die White Stripes wurden Gerüchten zufolge am 14. Juli 1997 gegründet. Ihren ersten Auftritt hatten sie am 15. August 1997 im Gold Dollar in Detroit, auf einer Veranstaltung für Newcomer, bei der nur 10 bis 15 Leute anwesend waren. Der Auftritt kam sehr gut an, was Jack White vor allem auf Meg Whites kindliches Schlagzeugspiel zurückführte. 1998 brachte die Band ihre ersten beiden Singles heraus. In den Jahren 1999 und 2000 erschienen die Alben The White Stripes und De Stijl. Die Band erlangte zunächst nur lokale Berühmtheit.
Im Zuge der Hype-Welle um Retro-Bands im Jahre 2002 wurde das Ende 2001 veröffentlichte Album White Blood Cells ihr erster großer Erfolg, mit dem sie auch international bekannt wurden. Der Nachfolger Elephant (2003) brachte den kommerziellen Durchbruch. Die Single-Auskopplung Seven Nation Army wurde ihr bekanntester Song. Im selben Jahr erhielt die Band zwei Grammys in den Kategorien „Best Alternative Music Album“ (für Elephant) und „Best Rock Song“ (für Seven Nation Army). Meg White sang auch einige der White Stripes-Titel, so In The Cold, Cold Night, Passive Manipulation und Who's a Big Baby. Im Juni 2005 folgte das Album Get Behind Me Satan, 2007 das sechste Studioalbum Icky Thump. Am 2. Februar 2011 kündigte die Band ihre Auflösung an.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_White
Megan Martha "Meg" White (born December 10, 1974) is an American drummer from Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan best known for her work with Jack White in the Detroit rock duo The White Stripes. On an impulse, she played on Jack's drums (to whom she was married at the time) in 1997. The two decided to form a band and began performing two months later, calling themselves The White Stripes because of their last name and Meg's preference for peppermint candy. The band quickly became a Detroit underground favorite, before reaching national, then international fame. White has been nominated for various awards as a part of the group, and has won several, including four Grammy Awards.
Her drumming style has been called "primal" for its simplicity, and drew both praise and criticism from fans and critics. Jack has been a vocal advocate for her playing, calling her critics "sexist." Her musical influences are wide and varied, with Bob Dylan being her favorite artist.
By her own admission, Meg is "very shy,"[1] and has kept a very low public profile. Though publicly insisting they were siblings, public records emerged in 2001 that indicated that she and Jack were married in 1996, prior to the band's formation; they divorced in 2000, before The White Stripes ascended to international fame. In 2009, she married guitarist Jackson Smith—son of musicians Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith—but they divorced in 2013.
While on tour in support for The White Stripes' sixth studio album, Icky Thump, she suffered a bout of acute anxiety, and the remaining dates of the tour were cancelled. After a few public appearances, and a hiatus from recording, The White Stripes announced in February 2011 that they would be disbanding. White has not been active in the music industry since.
Early life
Megan Martha White was born in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan on December 10, 1974 to Walter Hackett White, Jr. and Catherine White.[1] She grew up in the affluent[2] Detroit suburb with her parents and older sister, Heather.[1] She attended Grosse Pointe North High School and, according to one classmate, was "always the quiet, obviously artistic type, and she just kept very much to herself."[1] While still in high school, she decided not to go to college and instead began to work at Memphis Smoke, a restaurant in downtown Royal Oak, with aspirations of becoming a chef.[1][3] It's there that she first met budding musician John "Jack" Gillis, a fellow high school senior from a Detroit neighborhood known as Mexicantown,[1][3] and they frequented the coffee shops, local music venues, and record stores of the area.[4] They began dating and were eventually married on September 21, 1996.[5][6] Gillis took her last name.[7]
Career
The White Stripes
Throughout the 1990s, Jack worked as an upholsterer, but continued to moonlight in several bands, usually as a drummer.[8] According to them, on Bastille Day of 1997, Meg first tried playing on Jack's drumkit.[9] In Jack's words, "When she started to play drums with me, just on a lark, it felt liberating and refreshing. There was something in it that opened me up."[7] The two then began calling themselves The White Stripes (because Meg favored peppermint candies) and soon played their first gig at the Gold Dollar in Detroit.[10] In keeping live performances to three basic elements, Jack did the guitar and vocal work while she played drums.[7]
Jack and Meg presented themselves as siblings to an unknowing public,[11][9] and keeping to a chromatic theme, dressed only in red, white, and black.[12][13] They begin their career as part of Michigan's underground, garage rock music scene.[12][3][14] They played along with and opened for more established local bands such as Bantam Rooster, the Dirtbombs, Two Star Tabernacle, Rocket 455, and the Hentchmen, among others.[8][3] In 1998, the band signed with Italy Records, a small and independent Detroit-based garage punk label of Dave Buick.[15] The band released its self-titled debut album in 1999, and a year later the album was followed up by the cult classic,[16] De Stijl. The album eventually peaked at number 38 in Billboard's Independent Albums chart. Even as their success as a band was mounting, their personal relationship was faltering, and they were divorced in 2000.[17]
As the White Stripes fame spread beyond Detroit, the unconventional band with no bass player and a novice drummer began to be the subject of mixed commentary among critics and fans.[18] Of a 2002 concert in Cleveland, Ohio, Chuck Klosterman said, "[Meg] never grimaced and didn't appear to sweat; yet somehow her drums sounded like a herd of Clydesdales falling out of the sky, one after another. Clearly this is a band at the apex of its power."[19] The Australian called her drumming "simplistic but occasionally explosive,"[20] and UK periodical, The Times said that she "reduced the art of drumming to its primary components, bashing the snare and cymbal together on alternating beats with the bass drum in a way that recalled Moe Tucker of the Velvet Underground.[21] On the other hand, The Associated Press called her playing "maddeningly rudimentary."[22] The satirical news site The Onion once featured the headline "Meg White Drum Solo Maintains Steady Beat For 23 Minutes".[23] In reference to her "primal" approach to drumming,[8] she remarked, "That is my strength. A lot of drummers would feel weird about being that simplistic."[7] For his part, Jack has declared her drumming to be the "best part of this band,"[7] and called her a "strong female presence in rock and roll."[24] He called her detractors 'sexist'.[7]
Though Jack usually sang lead vocals, Meg occasionally sang as well, the first time being backup on the record "Your Southern Can is Mine" from De Stijl. She sang lead on four Stripes' songs: "In the Cold, Cold Night", from the album Elephant, "Passive Manipulation" from Get Behind Me Satan, "Who's a Big Baby", the B-side to "Blue Orchid," and "St. Andrew (This Battle Is in the Air)" from Icky Thump. She also sang the popular Christmas song "Silent Night" on the single Candy Cane Children. Both Meg and Jack share vocal duties on the tracks "Hotel Yorba" and "This Protector" from White Blood Cells, "Rated X" from the "Hotel Yorba" single, "Well It's True That We Love One Another" on Elephant, and "Rag and Bone" from Icky Thump. Andrew Katchen with Billboard magazine called her vocals "delicate and sweet."[25]
In the summer of 2007, before a show in Southaven, Mississippi, Ben Blackwell (Jack's nephew and the group's archivist) says that Meg approached him and said, "This is the last White Stripes show." He asked if she meant of the tour, but she responded, "No. I think this is the last show, period."[26] On September 11, 2007, the White Stripes announced via their website that they were canceling 18 tour dates due to Meg's acute anxiety.[27] The following day, the duo cancelled the remainder of their 2007 UK tour dates as well.[28]
Meg White, with Jack, performing "We Are Going to Be Friends" on the final episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien. At O'Brien's request, the band came out of hiatus to perform. It was notable because she was not playing a percussion instrument. It would also prove to be the band's final live performance.
White worked with other artists in the meantime, but Meg remained largely out of the public eye, though in June 2008, she appeared briefly onstage during an encore set of a Detroit show with one of Jack's bands, the Raconteurs.[29] In an interview with Music Radar, he explained that Meg's acute anxiety had been a combination of a very short pre-tour rehearsal time—that was further reduced by the birth of his son—and a hectic, multi-continental touring schedule.[30] He said, "I just came from a Raconteurs tour and went right into that, so I was already full-speed. Meg had come from a dead-halt for a year and went right back into that madness. Meg is a very shy girl, a very quiet and shy person. To go full-speed from a dead-halt is overwhelming, and we had to take a break."[30] Even so, Jack revealed the band's plan to release a seventh album by the summer of 2009.[31][32] On February 20, 2009—and on the final episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien—the band made their first live appearance after the cancellation of the tour, performing the song "We Are Going to Be Friends."[33] A documentary about their Canadian tour—titled The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights—premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 18, 2009.[34] Directed by Emmett Malloy, the film documents the band's summer 2007 tour across Canada and contains live concert and off-stage footage.[35] The duo appeared at the film's premiere and, before the movie started, they made a short speech about their love of Canada and why they chose to debut their movie in Toronto.[citation needed] A second feature titled Under Nova Scotian Lights was prepared for the DVD release.
However, almost two years passed with no new releases, and on February 2, 2011, the band reported on their official website that they were disbanding. The statement emphasized that it was not due to health issues or artistic differences, but "mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band."[36]
Other work
White has also appeared on the cover of Whirlwind Heat's single "Pink", in a Detroit Cobras music video "Cha Cha Twist" as Little Red Riding Hood, and appeared with Jack White in a segment of Jim Jarmusch's 2003 film Coffee and Cigarettes.
The White Stripes guest starred on The Simpsons in an episode titled "Jazzy and the Pussycats", which first aired on September 17, 2006.[37] She has done some modeling for Marc Jacobs' 2006 Spring line.[38] Two of her pictures appeared in the March 2006 issue of ELLE.
White was chosen by Bob Odenkirk to compose a drum theme for Dax Shepard's character in the 2006 film Let's Go to Prison.[39][40] Against Odenkirk's wishes, however, the studio removed it from the film.[41] Ray LaMontagne wrote a song, called "Meg White", about the drummer; it appears on LaMontagne's album Gossip in the Grain.
Personal life
White is—by her own admission—"very shy",[1] and gives few interviews. She guards her privacy in a manner that she identifies with Bob Dylan, whom she admires.[42]
In May 2009, White married guitarist Jackson Smith, son of musicians Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith. The wedding took place in Nashville, Tennessee, in a small ceremony in Jack White's backyard. Also married at the same ceremony was Jack White's Raconteurs bandmate Jack Lawrence to Jo McCaughey.[43] White and Smith divorced in July 2013.
Equipment
White began with a red Ludwig Accent Series kit that had a red and white peppermint swirl on the resonant heads of the toms and bass drum.[46] On the Icky Thump tour, the bass drum head design was switched to a button. While recording From the Basement: The White Stripes, the design was switched to an image of White's hand holding the apple from the Get Behind Me Satan cover. Beginning in 2006,[citation needed] she also used a pair of Paiste 14-inch (36 cm) Signature Medium Hi-Hats, a Paiste 19-inch (48 cm) Signature Power Crash, and a Paiste 22-inch (56 cm) 2002 Ride.
White's Pearl Export bass drum—complete with original peppermint-painted bass drum that she used with the band's first show—and the Pearly Queen outfit she wore in the photos for the Icky Thump album, were featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "Women Who Rock" exhibition.[47] In 2009, White donated her Ludwig kit to the Jim Shaw Rock 'N' Roll Benefit, an auction to raise money for the Detroit musician who was suffering from cancer.
Her drumming style has been called "primal" for its simplicity, and drew both praise and criticism from fans and critics. Jack has been a vocal advocate for her playing, calling her critics "sexist." Her musical influences are wide and varied, with Bob Dylan being her favorite artist.
By her own admission, Meg is "very shy,"[1] and has kept a very low public profile. Though publicly insisting they were siblings, public records emerged in 2001 that indicated that she and Jack were married in 1996, prior to the band's formation; they divorced in 2000, before The White Stripes ascended to international fame. In 2009, she married guitarist Jackson Smith—son of musicians Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith—but they divorced in 2013.
While on tour in support for The White Stripes' sixth studio album, Icky Thump, she suffered a bout of acute anxiety, and the remaining dates of the tour were cancelled. After a few public appearances, and a hiatus from recording, The White Stripes announced in February 2011 that they would be disbanding. White has not been active in the music industry since.
Early life
Megan Martha White was born in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan on December 10, 1974 to Walter Hackett White, Jr. and Catherine White.[1] She grew up in the affluent[2] Detroit suburb with her parents and older sister, Heather.[1] She attended Grosse Pointe North High School and, according to one classmate, was "always the quiet, obviously artistic type, and she just kept very much to herself."[1] While still in high school, she decided not to go to college and instead began to work at Memphis Smoke, a restaurant in downtown Royal Oak, with aspirations of becoming a chef.[1][3] It's there that she first met budding musician John "Jack" Gillis, a fellow high school senior from a Detroit neighborhood known as Mexicantown,[1][3] and they frequented the coffee shops, local music venues, and record stores of the area.[4] They began dating and were eventually married on September 21, 1996.[5][6] Gillis took her last name.[7]
Career
The White Stripes
Throughout the 1990s, Jack worked as an upholsterer, but continued to moonlight in several bands, usually as a drummer.[8] According to them, on Bastille Day of 1997, Meg first tried playing on Jack's drumkit.[9] In Jack's words, "When she started to play drums with me, just on a lark, it felt liberating and refreshing. There was something in it that opened me up."[7] The two then began calling themselves The White Stripes (because Meg favored peppermint candies) and soon played their first gig at the Gold Dollar in Detroit.[10] In keeping live performances to three basic elements, Jack did the guitar and vocal work while she played drums.[7]
Jack and Meg presented themselves as siblings to an unknowing public,[11][9] and keeping to a chromatic theme, dressed only in red, white, and black.[12][13] They begin their career as part of Michigan's underground, garage rock music scene.[12][3][14] They played along with and opened for more established local bands such as Bantam Rooster, the Dirtbombs, Two Star Tabernacle, Rocket 455, and the Hentchmen, among others.[8][3] In 1998, the band signed with Italy Records, a small and independent Detroit-based garage punk label of Dave Buick.[15] The band released its self-titled debut album in 1999, and a year later the album was followed up by the cult classic,[16] De Stijl. The album eventually peaked at number 38 in Billboard's Independent Albums chart. Even as their success as a band was mounting, their personal relationship was faltering, and they were divorced in 2000.[17]
As the White Stripes fame spread beyond Detroit, the unconventional band with no bass player and a novice drummer began to be the subject of mixed commentary among critics and fans.[18] Of a 2002 concert in Cleveland, Ohio, Chuck Klosterman said, "[Meg] never grimaced and didn't appear to sweat; yet somehow her drums sounded like a herd of Clydesdales falling out of the sky, one after another. Clearly this is a band at the apex of its power."[19] The Australian called her drumming "simplistic but occasionally explosive,"[20] and UK periodical, The Times said that she "reduced the art of drumming to its primary components, bashing the snare and cymbal together on alternating beats with the bass drum in a way that recalled Moe Tucker of the Velvet Underground.[21] On the other hand, The Associated Press called her playing "maddeningly rudimentary."[22] The satirical news site The Onion once featured the headline "Meg White Drum Solo Maintains Steady Beat For 23 Minutes".[23] In reference to her "primal" approach to drumming,[8] she remarked, "That is my strength. A lot of drummers would feel weird about being that simplistic."[7] For his part, Jack has declared her drumming to be the "best part of this band,"[7] and called her a "strong female presence in rock and roll."[24] He called her detractors 'sexist'.[7]
Though Jack usually sang lead vocals, Meg occasionally sang as well, the first time being backup on the record "Your Southern Can is Mine" from De Stijl. She sang lead on four Stripes' songs: "In the Cold, Cold Night", from the album Elephant, "Passive Manipulation" from Get Behind Me Satan, "Who's a Big Baby", the B-side to "Blue Orchid," and "St. Andrew (This Battle Is in the Air)" from Icky Thump. She also sang the popular Christmas song "Silent Night" on the single Candy Cane Children. Both Meg and Jack share vocal duties on the tracks "Hotel Yorba" and "This Protector" from White Blood Cells, "Rated X" from the "Hotel Yorba" single, "Well It's True That We Love One Another" on Elephant, and "Rag and Bone" from Icky Thump. Andrew Katchen with Billboard magazine called her vocals "delicate and sweet."[25]
In the summer of 2007, before a show in Southaven, Mississippi, Ben Blackwell (Jack's nephew and the group's archivist) says that Meg approached him and said, "This is the last White Stripes show." He asked if she meant of the tour, but she responded, "No. I think this is the last show, period."[26] On September 11, 2007, the White Stripes announced via their website that they were canceling 18 tour dates due to Meg's acute anxiety.[27] The following day, the duo cancelled the remainder of their 2007 UK tour dates as well.[28]
Meg White, with Jack, performing "We Are Going to Be Friends" on the final episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien. At O'Brien's request, the band came out of hiatus to perform. It was notable because she was not playing a percussion instrument. It would also prove to be the band's final live performance.
White worked with other artists in the meantime, but Meg remained largely out of the public eye, though in June 2008, she appeared briefly onstage during an encore set of a Detroit show with one of Jack's bands, the Raconteurs.[29] In an interview with Music Radar, he explained that Meg's acute anxiety had been a combination of a very short pre-tour rehearsal time—that was further reduced by the birth of his son—and a hectic, multi-continental touring schedule.[30] He said, "I just came from a Raconteurs tour and went right into that, so I was already full-speed. Meg had come from a dead-halt for a year and went right back into that madness. Meg is a very shy girl, a very quiet and shy person. To go full-speed from a dead-halt is overwhelming, and we had to take a break."[30] Even so, Jack revealed the band's plan to release a seventh album by the summer of 2009.[31][32] On February 20, 2009—and on the final episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien—the band made their first live appearance after the cancellation of the tour, performing the song "We Are Going to Be Friends."[33] A documentary about their Canadian tour—titled The White Stripes: Under Great White Northern Lights—premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 18, 2009.[34] Directed by Emmett Malloy, the film documents the band's summer 2007 tour across Canada and contains live concert and off-stage footage.[35] The duo appeared at the film's premiere and, before the movie started, they made a short speech about their love of Canada and why they chose to debut their movie in Toronto.[citation needed] A second feature titled Under Nova Scotian Lights was prepared for the DVD release.
However, almost two years passed with no new releases, and on February 2, 2011, the band reported on their official website that they were disbanding. The statement emphasized that it was not due to health issues or artistic differences, but "mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band."[36]
Other work
White has also appeared on the cover of Whirlwind Heat's single "Pink", in a Detroit Cobras music video "Cha Cha Twist" as Little Red Riding Hood, and appeared with Jack White in a segment of Jim Jarmusch's 2003 film Coffee and Cigarettes.
The White Stripes guest starred on The Simpsons in an episode titled "Jazzy and the Pussycats", which first aired on September 17, 2006.[37] She has done some modeling for Marc Jacobs' 2006 Spring line.[38] Two of her pictures appeared in the March 2006 issue of ELLE.
White was chosen by Bob Odenkirk to compose a drum theme for Dax Shepard's character in the 2006 film Let's Go to Prison.[39][40] Against Odenkirk's wishes, however, the studio removed it from the film.[41] Ray LaMontagne wrote a song, called "Meg White", about the drummer; it appears on LaMontagne's album Gossip in the Grain.
Personal life
White is—by her own admission—"very shy",[1] and gives few interviews. She guards her privacy in a manner that she identifies with Bob Dylan, whom she admires.[42]
In May 2009, White married guitarist Jackson Smith, son of musicians Patti Smith and Fred "Sonic" Smith. The wedding took place in Nashville, Tennessee, in a small ceremony in Jack White's backyard. Also married at the same ceremony was Jack White's Raconteurs bandmate Jack Lawrence to Jo McCaughey.[43] White and Smith divorced in July 2013.
Equipment
White began with a red Ludwig Accent Series kit that had a red and white peppermint swirl on the resonant heads of the toms and bass drum.[46] On the Icky Thump tour, the bass drum head design was switched to a button. While recording From the Basement: The White Stripes, the design was switched to an image of White's hand holding the apple from the Get Behind Me Satan cover. Beginning in 2006,[citation needed] she also used a pair of Paiste 14-inch (36 cm) Signature Medium Hi-Hats, a Paiste 19-inch (48 cm) Signature Power Crash, and a Paiste 22-inch (56 cm) 2002 Ride.
White's Pearl Export bass drum—complete with original peppermint-painted bass drum that she used with the band's first show—and the Pearly Queen outfit she wore in the photos for the Icky Thump album, were featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame "Women Who Rock" exhibition.[47] In 2009, White donated her Ludwig kit to the Jim Shaw Rock 'N' Roll Benefit, an auction to raise money for the Detroit musician who was suffering from cancer.
The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army (Live at Rock Am Ring) (2007)
Rudi Vietz *10.12.1951
Geboren 1951 und aufgewachsen auf dem Lande bei Rottenburg/Laaber in Niederbayern ist in mir sehr bald die Sehnsucht nach einer anderen, größeren Welt erwachsen, die ich mir dann selbst geschaffen habe.
Der Anfang
Im Alter von 16 Jahren, während längerer Krankheit, habe ich alles mögliche Lesbare verschlungen: Reiseberichte, philosophische Zitate, Goethe, Schiller, Wilhelm Busch und als mich später ein Lehrer öffentlich belobigt hat für ein Gedicht, das ich auf einer Klassenfahrt in das Jugendherbergs-Gästebuch geschrieben hatte, wusste ich um meine Berufung: Ich will Dichter werden.
Der Texte wegen habe ich mich beschäftigt mit Liedermachern wie F.J. Degenhardt und Hannes Wader und vor allem mit Bob Dylan, und ich sang deren Werke bei allen passenden und unpassenden Gelegenheiten.
Der Liedermacher
Als mein junger Begleitgitarrist überraschend verstarb entschloss ich mich mit 24 Jahren selbst Gitarre zu lernen. Bei dieser Gelegenheit vertonte ich meine eigenen Texte und Gedichte und gewann als Liedermacher beim ersten Auftritt den zweiten Preis bei einem Gesangswettbewerb in einer Diskothek, weil ich was Eigenes dargeboten hatte.
Ich habe mich bis heute daran gehalten und das hat dazu geführt, dass ich mit großer Lust und immer wiederkehrender Frische über fünfzig Lieder in die Welt gebracht habe, Lieder, die das Leben schrieb, und Lieder mit einem Licht am Ende vom Tunnel.
Fan-Artikel Verkäufer und World Runner
Als 100%iger Fan des TSV 1860 München einerseits und als in der Öffentlichkeit bekannter Spendenläufer (World Runners) für Entwicklungsprojekte andererseits, bekam ich 1996 von der Vereinsführung die einzigartige Chance für die Sechziger als Frontmann im Stadion den Fan-Artikelverkauf zu übernehmen. Ein Traumjob, den ich 14 Jahre voller Herzblut betrieb und doch war die Sehnsucht nach der Verwirklichung eines alten Traumes größer: Eine eigene Bühne zu haben und mir und den Künstlerkollegen von früher und heute ein Podium zum Austausch und gegenseitigem Kennenlernen zu bieten. So quittierte ich 2010 den Dienst bei den Löwen, bin ihnen aber natürlich weiterhin mit allen Sinnen verbunden.
Programme:
Aufbruch - oder i foi um 2006
Lieder und Stories 1996
Heiß ersehnt und lang erfleht 1990
Grand Affair 1986
Auf den Bühnen von La Peseta Loca, München und Gaststätte Valley, München:
Seit 1987 vielfache Auftritte beim Poetenstammtisch im Fraunhofer, München und im Giesinger Bahnhofsbrettl
2002/2003 Tournee als Theaterschauspieler im Ensemble von Hubbi Schlemer mit dem Bühnenstück "Leb warm - stirb kalt"
Seit 2004 Auftritte mit Kollegen in "Night of Songwriters"
Seit 2005/2006 landauf, landab mit dem Musical "Isera - die Prinzessin aus dem Wasser"als ungarischer Kellermeister Joschi
Seit Sommer 2006 neues Soloprogramm "Aufbruch - oder i foi um"
Vielfache Auftritte bei Blickpunkt Sport im Vereinsheim München und International Songwriter Evening bei Heppel und Ettlich
Seit Herbst 2010 trete ich in der Friedensbühne Song Parnass im Unionsbräu Haidhausen auf und lade dazu immer wieder Kollegen aus der Musik- und Kabarettszene ein.
April 2012, Teilnahme am überregionalen Kunst- und Kulturprojekt der Region Rhein-Hessen mit Auftritten als Liedermacher.
Teilnahme am Liedermacherwettbewerb in Stockstadt/Main
10. Mai 2012 Soloauftritt im Schlachthof, München
7. Juli 2012 Teilnahme am Mundartfestival in Regensburg
Im Oktober 2012 zieht die Friedensbühne Song Parnass um in den Stemmerhof, in der Plinganserstr. 6 in München-Sendling.
Preise:
1.Preis beim Wettbewerb "Talente - Momente" im Teamtheater Tankstelle, München
1994
3.Preis beim Liedermacherwettbewerb Stockstadt/Main 2012
ÖKO-BLUES
Jessie James Gordon *10.12.
Die Sängerin Jessie Gordon ist hervorragend, ihr Gesang trifft den Stil der Zeit. Sie interpretiert jeden Song mit Charisma und Charme,“ schreibt die Zeitschrift „OUT“ in ihrer Heimatstadt Perth. Die Blues und Jazz Sängerin gewann 5 Fringe Musical and Cabaret Awards und tourte in verschiedenen Formationen in Australien, Singapur, Frankreich, Spanien und Deutschland.
Mit ihrer Bühnenpräsenz und ihrer Passion für den Swing überzeugte sie schon bei GRAND JAM zusammen mit dem Trompeter Adam Hall.
http://www.cinema-arthouse.de/content/news.php?id=3626&event=1
Jessie Gordon ist eine australische Jazz- und Bluessängerin, die schon etliche Auszeichnungen gewonnen hat. Mit sechzehn Jahren begann sie ihre Karriere und hat seitdem in allen vorstellbaren Konstellationen gespielt, vom Jazz Duo bis zur Big Band. „ Die Sängerin Jessie Gordon ist hervorragend, ihr Gesang trifft den Stil der Zeit. Sie interpretiert jeden Song mit Charisma und Charme“, schreibt die Zeitschrift „Out“ in ihrer Heimatstadt Perth. Die Musikerin gewann bereits fünf Fringe Musical und Cabaret Awards und ihre Shows wurden für sechs Awards nominiert! Jessie Gordon tourte in verschiedenen Formationen in Australien, Singapur, Frankreich, Spanien und Deutschland. Mit ihrer Passion für den Swing überzeugte sie bereits beim GRAND JAM Konzert zusammen mit dem Trompeter Adam Hall.
Jessie is a very sun-shy Perth red-headed jazz singer who enjoys swing music, dancing in her kitchen to Otis Redding, eating cheese at any given opportunity and singing in the shower and every other (shaded) venue. Her main musical passion is jazz, blues and roots music. Jessie has toured the world, performing in South East Asia, Germany, France, Spain and the UK. She has been nominated for 14 Fringe Awards and has won 3 Music Awards and 3 Cabaret Awards at Fringe World.
Jessie works with many different bands in Perth including Sassafras, The Darling Buds of May, Apocalypse Lounge, Cottontail Trio, Stratosfunk, The Dirty Blues Band, Perth Cabaret Collective as well as The Jessie Gordon Duo, Trio and Quartet. She also occasionally picks up a ukulele and dons a smashing suit to sing with Libby Hammer in the Anatomically Incorrect Gentlemen.
Jessie Gordon is a very sun-shy Perth red-headed jazz singer who enjoys swing music, dancing in her kitchen to Otis Redding, eating cheese at any given opportunity and singing in the shower and every other (shaded) venue.
Hailing from Perth, Australia, Jessie has a passion for all things swing and vintage.
Starting her singing career at the tender age of 16, she has performed with everything from big bands to jazz duos.
Since 2004 she has fronted The Darling Buds of May, entertaining crowds all over Australia.
Jessie has sung at the Wintersun Nostalgia Festival on Australia’s Gold Coast, as well as performing at Swing Camp Oz in Adelaide and The Melbourne Swing Festival and Blues Before Sunrise in Melbourne.
In 2009 she toured regional Western Australia with Adam Hall and the Velvet Playboys, and in 2013 she toured through Germany, France and Spain.
Jessie has also performed at all three Perth Fringe Festivals with The Darling Buds of May, Grindhouse Duo and Stratosfunk. In Perth’s Fringe World festival in 2013, all three of her shows (The Darling Buds of May, The Swing Revue and Tell Mama: The Music of Etta James) were nominated for awards, with Tell Mama taking home the RTRFM 92.1 Music Award.
In 2014 she was part of the WA RTRFM 92.1 Music Award Winning show The Rhythm Spectacular - The Music of Beyonce.
Hailing from Perth, Australia, Jessie has a passion for all things swing and vintage.
Starting her singing career at the tender age of 16, she has performed with everything from big bands to jazz duos.
Since 2004 she has fronted The Darling Buds of May, entertaining crowds all over Australia.
Jessie has sung at the Wintersun Nostalgia Festival on Australia’s Gold Coast, as well as performing at Swing Camp Oz in Adelaide and The Melbourne Swing Festival and Blues Before Sunrise in Melbourne.
In 2009 she toured regional Western Australia with Adam Hall and the Velvet Playboys, and in 2013 she toured through Germany, France and Spain.
Jessie has also performed at all three Perth Fringe Festivals with The Darling Buds of May, Grindhouse Duo and Stratosfunk. In Perth’s Fringe World festival in 2013, all three of her shows (The Darling Buds of May, The Swing Revue and Tell Mama: The Music of Etta James) were nominated for awards, with Tell Mama taking home the RTRFM 92.1 Music Award.
In 2014 she was part of the WA RTRFM 92.1 Music Award Winning show The Rhythm Spectacular - The Music of Beyonce.
Jessie Gordon and the Dirty Blues Band (Live) - Ain't Nobody's Business
Jan Hirte's Blues Ribbon feat. Jessie James Gordon - 06.10.2016
R.I.P.
Otis Redding +10.12.1967
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Otis Redding (* 9. September 1941 in Dawson, Georgia; † 10. Dezember 1967 bei Madison, Wisconsin) war ein US-amerikanischer Musiker und gilt als einer der einflussreichsten Soul-Sänger der 1960er-Jahre.
Redding erhielt als Sohn eines schwarzen Baptistenpredigers in Dawson, Georgia, sehr früh ein Gefühl für Soulmusik. Bereits als Jugendlicher sang er in einem Kirchenchor. Im Alter von 15 Jahren besuchte er die High School in Macon, Georgia, dem Geburtsort von Little Richard, den er ebenso bewunderte wie Sam Cooke und aus deren beiden Stilen er seinen Gesang formte. Nach Abbruch der Studien schloss er sich Little Richards damaliger Band an, den Upsetters.
Ab 1960 arbeitete er mit Johnny Jenkins and the Pinetoppers zusammen und nahm mit der Band im Juli desselben Jahres unter dem Namen Otis and the Shooters seine erste Platte auf (She’s all right). Gerade bei diesen frühen Aufnahmen (so auch bei Shout Bamalama, ebenfalls aus dem Jahre 1960) ist noch stark die Anlehnung an Little Richard zu erkennen.
Der Durchbruch zu seiner eigenen Solokarriere kam aber erst im Jahre 1962. Im Oktober 1962 nutzte Otis Redding seine Chance, als er am Ende eines erfolglosen Aufnahmetages von Johnny Jenkins and the Pinetoppers die Möglichkeit bekam, in der verbleibenden Zeit eine eigene Platte aufzunehmen. Das selbst komponierte Lied These Arms of Mine wurde in Windeseile aufgenommen und entwickelte sich nach der Veröffentlichung im November 1962 zu seinem ersten kleinen Hit (Platz 20 in den US-R&B-Charts, Platz 85 in den US-Pop-Charts).
Diese Aufnahme war bei Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, entstanden, das zu einem der wichtigsten Soul-Labels der Sechziger und Siebziger Jahre werden sollte. Bis zu seinem frühen Tod war Otis einer der wichtigsten Künstler der Firma und nach Meinung aller damals Beteiligter musikalisches Herz und Inspiration für alle anderen Beteiligten. Er wurde damit zu einer maßgeblichen Figur des Memphis Soul.
Nach weiteren Single-Veröffentlichungen mit mittleren Platzierungen in den R&B/Soul-Charts in den Jahren 1963 und 1964 konnte er mit Mr. Pitiful Anfang 1965 seinen ersten Top-10-Hit in den R&B-/Soulcharts landen. Es folgten bis 1967 etliche weitere Top-10- und Top-20-Hits in diesen Charts:
That’s how strong my love is (1965), B-Seite von Mr. Pitiful. Das Stück wurde unter anderem von den Rolling Stones gecovert.
I’ve been loving you too long (1965)
Respect (1965), später ein Nr.-1-Hit für Aretha Franklin
I can’t turn you loose/Just one more day (1965), Doppelsingle-Erfolg
Satisfaction (1966), seine eigenwillige Version des Rolling-Stones-Klassikers
My lover’s prayer (1966)
Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) (1966)
Try a little tenderness (1966)
Tramp (1967), Duett mit Carla Thomas
Knock on wood (1967), Duett mit Carla Thomas
Shake (1967), Liveversion, Studioversion von 1965
The glory of love (1967)
Otis Redding war insbesondere für seine Live-Auftritte bekannt. So wurde ein Live-Mitschnitt seines Auftritts im New Yorker Apollo Theater besonders durch Shake und Satisfaction ein LP-Erfolg.
Redding schrieb viele seiner Lieder selbst, manche in Zusammenarbeit mit Steve Cropper (Booker T. & the M.G.’s). Auf einer Europa-Tournee des Stax Labels erlebte er es 1967 das erste Mal, wie ihm weiße Fans in Massen zujubelten. Im selben Jahr trat er auf dem bekannten Monterey Pop Festival auf, das ihm einen großen Popularitätsschub beim weißen Publikum einbrachte. Das Festival war das erste große Festival der Flower-Power-Bewegung; die Auftritte wurden zwar nicht bezahlt, jedoch bot das gemeinsame Auftreten mit vielen Größen der damaligen Musik eine gewisse Chance der Publizität. Andere, die hier ihre ersten großen Konzertauftritte hatten, waren Jimi Hendrix oder Janis Joplin. Redding brachte das Publikum nach damaligen Augenzeugenberichten bis an den Rand der Ekstase.
Redding brachte für Arthur Conley den Durchbruch, als er mit ihm zusammen den ursprünglich von Sam Cooke stammenden Titel Yeah Man in Sweet Soul Music umschrieb. Es wurde ein absoluter Hit, der bis auf die Nummer zwei in den US-Charts aufstieg und die Top Ten mehrerer europäischer Länder erreichte. Sweet Soul Music wurde allein in den USA über eine Million Mal verkauft und mit einer Goldenen Schallplatte ausgezeichnet.
Otis Redding starb am 10. Dezember 1967, als er zusammen mit vier Mitgliedern seiner damaligen Begleitband The Bar Kays verunglückte. Sein zweimotoriges Flugzeug vom Typ Beechcraft Model 18 war auf dem Weg von einem Fernsehauftritt in Cleveland, Ohio zu einem Konzert in Madison (Wisconsin), als es bei der Landung in den vereisten Monona-See in Madison abstürzte, wobei nur ein Bandmitglied überlebte. Zu Reddings Beerdigung kamen 4500 Menschen.
Während seines kurzen Lebens war es ihm nicht vergönnt, einen sogenannten Crossover-Hit zu landen, einen Hit also, der nicht nur in die Top 20 der Soulcharts gelangte, sondern auch die Popcharts erobern konnte. Lediglich vier seiner zu Lebzeiten veröffentlichten Singles erreichten zumindest Top-30-Platzierungen in den Pop-Charts. Seine erst am 7. Dezember 1967 aufgenommene Single (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay wurde posthum veröffentlicht und Anfang 1968 zu seinem einzigen Nr.-1-Hit in den R&B-Charts, der gleichzeitig auch die Pop-Charts anführte.[1] Die Single war für sein damaliges Werk recht poppig und hatte weniger Soul-Anklänge. Er hatte den Song während seines Sommerurlaubs in der San Francisco Bay geschrieben. Direkt vor der Aufnahme hatte sich Redding die Polypen entfernen lassen; alle an den Aufnahmen Beteiligten sagten, dass er gesanglich in der Form seines Lebens gewesen sei. Für das Werk erhielt er 1969 posthum einen Grammy Award. Am 11. März 1968 wurde die Single für die Verkaufszahlen in den USA mit einer Goldenen Schallplatte ausgezeichnet.[2]
Nach seinem Tod wurden zahlreiche weitere Singles und Langspielplatten bis 1970 mit bisher unveröffentlichten Liedern auf den Markt gebracht, die ihm weitere Top-10- und Top-20-Platzierungen in den R&B-Charts brachten. Viele davon waren in der Session direkt vor seinem tragischen Unfall aufgenommen worden.
The Happy Song (Dum-Dum) (1968)
Amen (1968)
I’ve got dreams to Remember (1968)
Papa’s got a brand new bag (1968), Live-Aufnahme des James-Brown-Hits von 1966
Love Man (1969)
The Great Man Thomas B (posthum 2008)
Reddings Werk umfasst acht Langspielplatten, darunter das vielgerühmte Album Otis Blue aus dem Jahre 1965. Otis Redding gründete 1965 sein eigenes Platten-Label, Jotis, um neuen Künstlern eine Chance zu geben (unter anderem John Whitehead).
1969 veröffentlichten The Doors auf ihrem Album The Soft Parade das Lied Runnin* Blue (geschrieben von Robby Krieger), das vom Tod Reddings handelt (Poor Otis dead and gone / left me here to sing his song). Seine Söhne Dexter Redding (Bass, Vocals) und Otis II Redding (Gitarre) gründeten in den späten 1970er Jahren zusammen mit ihrem Cousin Mark Locket (Schlagzeug und Keyboards) die Gruppe The Reddings, eine Funk- und Disco-Band. Im Jahr 2011 produzierten die beiden Rapper Jay-Z und Kanye West den Song Otis für ihr gemeinsames Album Watch the Throne. Das Lied beinhaltet ein Sample von Reddings Try A Little Tenderness.
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger, and talent scout. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul and rhythm and blues. His singing style was powerfully influential among soul artists of 1960s and helped exemplify the Stax sound.
Born and raised in the US state of Georgia, Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and also performing at talent shows for prize money. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, and toured the Southern states as a driver and musician. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first single, "These Arms of Mine," in 1962. Stax released Redding's debut album Pain in My Heart two years later.
Initially popular mainly with African Americans, Redding later reached a wider American popular music audience. Along with his group, he first played small gigs in the American South, then performed in the western states at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Go. European appearances included London, Paris and other major cities.
After appearing at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, Redding wrote and recorded his iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts after his death in a plane crash. The Dock of the Bay became the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart.
Redding's premature death devastated Stax. Already on the verge of bankruptcy, the label soon discovered that Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire song catalog.
Redding received many posthumous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He received the honorific nickname King of Soul. In addition to "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are among his best-known songs.
Early life
Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia to gospel singer Otis Redding, Sr., and his wife Fannie Redding. Redding senior worked as a sharecropper, then at Robins Air Force Base, besides being a part-time preacher. When Otis was three the family moved to Tindall Heights, a predominantly African American public housing project in nearby Macon. For a short time they lived in a small house in Bellevue, in west Macon. That house was lost in a fire and the family returned to Tindall.[3] At an early age, Redding sang in the Vineville Baptist Church choir and learned guitar and piano. From age 10, he took drum and singing lessons. At Ballard-Hudson High School, he sang in the school band. Every Sunday he earned $6 by performing gospel songs for Macon radio station WIBB.[4][5] His passion was singing, and he often cited Little Richard and Sam Cooke as main influences; Redding "would not be here" without Richard, as he "entered the music business because of Richard – he is my inspiration. I used to sing like Little Richard, his Rock 'n' Roll stuff... My present music has a lot of him in it."[6][7]
At age 15, Redding left formal schooling in order to work and help financially support his family because his father had contracted tuberculosis and so was hospitalized, leaving his mother as the family's primary income earner.[3] Otis later worked as a well digger, a filling (gas) station attendant and guest musician in the ensuing years. Pianist Gladdy Williams, a well-known Macon musician and another who inspired Redding, often performed at Hillview Springs Social Club, where Redding sometimes played piano with her music groups.[8] When Williams hosted Sunday talent shows, Redding accompanied his friends from the neighborhood, like Little Willie Jones and bassist Eddie Ross.[9]
Around the time when his tonsils were removed, Redding doubted he would ever be able to sing, but his father encouraged him.[8] Redding's breakthrough came in 1958 on disc jockey Hamp Swain's "The Teenage Party," a talent contest at the local Roxy and Douglass Theatres.[10][5] As Otis's backing band was not professional, pro guitarist and event attendee Johnny Jenkins offered musical accompaniment. Redding sang Little Richard's "Heebie Jeebies." The combination enabled Redding to win Swain's talent contest for fifteen consecutive weeks; the cash prize was $5.[11] Jenkins later worked as lead guitarist and played with Redding during several later gigs.[12] Redding was soon invited to replace Willie Jones as frontman of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, featuring Johnny Jenkins.[9] Otis was then hired by the Upsetters when Little Richard abandoned rock and roll in favor of gospel music. Redding was well paid at about $25 per gig,[3][4] but did not stay for long.[13]
At age 19, Redding met 15-year-old Zelma Atwood at "The Teenage Party." She gave birth to their son Dexter in the summer of 1960 and married Redding in August 1961.[14] In mid-1960, Otis moved to Los Angeles with his sister, Deborah, where he wrote his first songs including "She's Allright," "Tuff Enuff," "Gamma Lamma," and the song "Gettin' Hip," Redding's first composition released as a 45 RPM single recording.[4]
Career
Early career
A member of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, Redding toured the Southern United States on the Chitlin' circuit. These venues were the only ones available for African American musicians during the era of racial segregation that lasted into the early 1960s.[15] Jenkins left the band to become the featured artist with the Pinetoppers.[16] Around this time, Redding met Phil Walden, the future founder of the recording company Phil Walden and Associates, and later Bobby Smith, who ran the small label Confederate Records. He signed with Confederate and recorded his second single, "Shout Bamalama" (a rewrite of "Gamma Lamma") and "Fat Girl", together with his band Otis and the Shooters.[4][17] Around this time he and the Pinetoppers attended a "Battle of the Bands" show in Lakeside Park.[18] Wayne Cochran, the only solo artist signed to Confederate, became the Pinetoppers' bassist.[16]
When Walden started to look for a record label for Jenkins, Atlantic Records representative Joe Galkin showed interest and around 1962 sent him to a Stax studio in Memphis. Redding drove Jenkins to the session, as the latter did not have a driver's license.[19] Jenkins, backed by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, performed on that session which ended early; Redding was allowed to perform two songs. The first was "Hey Hey Baby", which studio chief Jim Stewart thought sounded too much like Little Richard. The second was "These Arms of Mine", featuring Jenkins on piano and Steve Cropper on guitar. Stewart later praised Redding's performance noting, "Everybody was fixin' to go home, but Joe Galkin insisted we give Otis a listen. There was something different about [the ballad]. He really poured his soul into it."[14][20] Stewart signed Redding and released "These Arms of Mine", with "Hey Hey Baby" on the B-side. The single was released on Volt on October 1962, but charted in March the following year.[21] It became one of his most successful songs, selling more than 800,000 copies.[22]
Apollo Theater and Otis Blue
"These Arms of Mine" and other songs from the 1962–1963 sessions were included on Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart. "That's What My Heart Needs" and "Mary's Little Lamb" were recorded in June 1963. The latter is the only Redding track with both background singing and brass. It became his worst-selling single.[21][23] The title track, recorded in September 1963, sparked copyright issues, as it sounded like Irma Thomas' "Ruler of My Heart".[21] Despite this, Pain in My Heart was released on January 1, 1964 and peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 85 on the R&B chart.
In November 1963, Redding and his brother Rodgers accompanied former boxer Sylvester Huckaby to the Apollo Theater in New York to perform. Redding and his band were paid $400 per week, but had to pay $450 to King Curtis' band for the arrangement sheets, leaving them in financial difficulty. The trio asked Walden for money. Huckaby explained their circumstances living in the rundown Theresa Hotel in Peter Guralnick's book, Sweet Soul Music. He noted meeting Muhammad Ali and other celebrities. Ben E. King, who performed with Redding at the Apollo, gave him $100 when he learned about Redding's situation. The resulting album featured King, the Coasters, Doris Troy, Rufus Thomas, the Falcons and Redding.[24] Around this time Walden and Rodgers were drafted by the army; Walden's younger brother Alan joined Redding on tour, while Earl "Speedo" Sims replaced Rodgers.[25]
The majority of Redding songs after "Security", a song from his first album, had a slow tempo. Disc jockey A. C. Moohah Williams accordingly labeled him "Mr. Pitiful",[26] and subsequently Cropper and Redding wrote the eponymous song.[14] That and top 100 singles "Chained And Bound", "Come To Me" and "That's How Strong My Love Is"[27] were included on Redding's second studio album, The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads, released in March 1965.[28] Jenkins began working independently from the group out of fear Galkin, Walden and Cropper would plagiarize his playing style, and so Cropper became Redding's leading guitarist.[29] Around 1965, Redding co-wrote "I've Been Loving You Too Long" with the Impressions lead singer Jerry Butler. That summer, Redding and the studio crew arranged new songs for his next album. Ten of the eleven songs were written over 24 hours during July 9–10 in Memphis. Two songs, "Ole Man Trouble" and "Respect", had been finished earlier during the Otis Blue session. "Respect" and "I've Been Loving You" were later recut in stereo. The album, entitled Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, was released in September 1965.[30]
Whisky a Go Go and "Try a Little Tenderness"
Redding's success allowed him to buy a 300-acre (1.2 km2) ranch in Georgia, which he called the "Big O Ranch."[33] Stax was also doing well. Walden signed more musicians, including Percy Sledge, Johnnie Taylor, Clarence Carter and Eddie Floyd, and together with Redding they founded two production companies. "Jotis Records" (derived from Joe Galkin and Otis) released four recordings, two by Arthur Conley and one by Billy Young and Loretta Williams. The other was named Redwal Music (derived from Redding and Walden), which was shut down shortly after its creation.[34] Since Afro-Americans still formed the majority of fans, Redding chose to perform at Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Redding was one of the first soul artists to perform for rock audiences in the western United States. His performance received critical acclaim, including positive press in the Los Angeles Times and he penetrated mainstream popular culture. Bob Dylan attended the performance and offered Redding an altered version of one of his songs, "Just Like a Woman".[14]
In late 1966, Redding returned to the Stax studio. At this session he recorded tracks including "Try a Little Tenderness", originally written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods in 1932.[31] This song had previously been covered by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, and the publishers unsuccessfully tried to stop Redding from recording the song from a "negro perspective'. Today often considered his signature song,[35] Jim Stewart reckoned, "If there's one song, one performance that really sort of sums up Otis and what he's about, it's 'Try a Little Tenderness'. That one performance is so special and so unique that it expresses who he is." On this version Redding was backed by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, while staff producer Isaac Hayes worked on the arrangement.[36][37] "Try a Little Tenderness" was included on his next album, Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul. The song and the album were critically and commercially successful—the former peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at number 4 on the R&B chart.[38]
The spring of 1966 marked the first time that Stax booked concerts for its artists.[39] The majority of the group arrived in London on March 13,[37][40] but Redding had flown in days earlier for interviews, such as at "The Eamonn Andrews Show". When the crew arrived in London, the Beatles sent a limousine to pick them up.[39] Booking agent Bill Graham proposed that Redding play at the Fillmore Auditorium in late 1966. The gig was commercially and critically successful, paying Redding around $800 to $1000 a night.[41][37] It prompted Graham to remark afterwards, "That was the best gig I ever put on in my entire life."[42] Redding began touring Europe six months later.[43]
Carla Thomas
A year after the Fillmore, Redding released the gold record-winning album King & Queen, with Carla Thomas. It was Jim Stewart's idea to produce a duet album, as he expected that "[Redding's] rawness and [Thomas'] sophistication would work".[44] The album was recorded in January 1967, while Thomas was earning her M.A. in English at Howard University. Six out of ten songs were cut during their joint session; the rest were overdubbed by Redding in the days following, due to concert obligations. Three singles were lifted from the album: "Tramp" was released in April, followed by "Knock on Wood" and "Lovey Dovey". All three reached at least the top 60 on both the R&B and Pop charts.[44] The album charted at number 5 and 36 on the Billboard Pop and R&B charts, respectively.[27]
Redding returned to Europe to perform at the Paris Olympia. The live album Otis Redding: Live in Europe was released three months later, featuring this and other live performances in London and Stockholm, Sweden.[33] Redding was criticized for his arrogant and contrived performances in these concerts.[citation needed] His decision to take his protege Conley (whom Redding and Walden had contracted directly to Atco/Atlantic Records rather than to Stax/Volt) on the tour, instead of more established Stax/Volt artists such as Rufus Thomas and William Bell, produced negative reactions.[37][45]
Monterey Pop
In 1967, Redding performed at the influential Monterey Pop Festival as the closing act on Saturday night, the second day of the festival. He was invited through the efforts of promoter Jerry Wexler.[46] Until that point, Redding was still performing mainly for black audiences.[47] His act, which included his own song "Respect" and a version of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction",[48] was well received by the audience. Redding and his backing band (Booker T. & the M.G.'s with the Mar-Keys horn section) opened with Cooke's "Shake" before he delivered an impulsive speech in which he asked the audience if they were the "love crowd", looking for a big response. The ballad "I've Been Loving You" followed. The last song was "Try a Little Tenderness", including an additional chorus. "I got to go, y'all, I don't wanna go", said Redding and left the stage of his last major concert.[35] According to Booker T. Jones, "I think we did one of our best shows, Otis and the MG's. That we were included in that was also something of a phenomenon. That we were there? With those people? They were accepting us and that was one of the things that really moved Otis. He was happy to be included and it brought him a new audience. It was greatly expanded in Monterey."[49] According to Sweet Soul Music, musicians such as Brian Jones and Jimi Hendrix were captivated by his performance; Robert Christgau wrote in Esquire, "The Love Crowd screamed one's mind to the heavens."[50]
Before Monterey, Redding wanted to record with Conley, but Stax was against the idea. The two moved from Memphis to Macon to continue writing. The result was "Sweet Soul Music", based on Cooke's "Yeah Man"[34] and which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.[51][52] By that time Redding had developed polyps on his larynx, which he tried to treat with tea and lemon or honey. He was hospitalized in September 1967 at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York to undergo surgery.[53]
Dock of the Bay
In early December 1967, Redding again recorded at Stax. One new song was "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", which was written with Cropper while they were staying with their friend, Earl "Speedo" Sims, on a houseboat in Sausalito.[54] Redding was inspired by the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and tried to create a similar sound against the label's wishes. His wife Zelma disliked its atypical melody. The Stax crew were also dissatisfied with the new sound; Stewart thought that it was not R&B, while bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn feared it would damage Stax's reputation. However, Redding wanted to expand his musical style and thought it was his best song and correctly believed it would top the charts.[55] Redding whistled at the end, either forgetting Cropper's "fadeout rap",[56] or paraphrasing it intentionally.[57]
Death
By 1967 the band was traveling to performances in Redding's Beechcraft H18. On December 9, 1967, they appeared on the Upbeat television show produced in Cleveland. They played three concerts in two nights at a club called Leo's Casino.[51][58][59] After a phone call with Zelma and their children, Redding's next stop was Madison, Wisconsin; the next day they were to play at the Factory nightclub, near the University of Wisconsin.[58][60]
Although the weather was poor, with heavy rain and fog and despite warnings, the plane took off.[61] Four miles (6.4 km) from their destination at Truax Field in Madison, the pilot radioed for permission to land. Shortly thereafter, the plane crashed into Lake Monona. Bar-Kays member Ben Cauley, the accident's sole survivor,[51] was sleeping shortly before the accident. He woke just before impact to see bandmate Phalon Jones look out a window and exclaim, "Oh, no!" Cauley said the last thing he remembered before the crash was unbuckling his seat belt. He then found himself in frigid water, grasping a seat cushion to keep afloat.[53] A non-swimmer, he was unable to rescue the others.[62] The cause of the crash was never determined.[63] James Brown claimed in his autobiography The Godfather of Soul that he had warned Redding not to fly in the plane.[64]
Aretha Franklin stated, "I heard it on the TV. My sister Caroline and I stopped everything and stayed glued to the TV and radio. It was a tragedy. Shocking."[65] Other victims were pilot Richard Fraser,[66] drummer Matthew Kelly, lead guitarist of the Bar-Kays Jimmy King, tenor saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell and drummer Carl Cunningham.[67]
Redding's body was recovered the next day when the lake bed was searched.[68] The family postponed the funeral from December 15 to 18 so that more could attend.[65] The service took place at the City Auditorium in Macon. More than 4,500 people came to the funeral, overflowing the 3,000-seat hall, although many did not know who he was. Johnny Jenkins and Isaac Hayes did not attend, fearing their reaction would be worse than Zelma Redding's.[69] Redding was entombed at his ranch in Round Oak, about 20 miles (32 km) north of Macon.[70] Jerry Wexler delivered the eulogy.[71] Redding died just three days after recording "The Dock of the Bay".[72][51] He was survived by Zelma and three children, Otis III, Dexter and Karla.[73] Otis, Dexter and cousin Mark Lockett later founded the Reddings, a band managed by Zelma.[74] She also maintained or worked at the janitorial service Maids Over Macon, several nightclubs and booking agencies.[75] On November 8, 1997, a memorial plaque was placed on the lakeside deck of the Madison convention center, Monona Terrace.[76]
Posthumous releases and proposed recordings
"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was released in January 1968 and became Redding's only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and the first posthumous number-one single in US chart history.[77] It sold approximately four million copies worldwide and received more than eight million airplays.[78][79] The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach the top spot on the UK Albums Chart.[80]
Shortly after Redding's death, Atlantic Records, distributor of the Stax/Volt releases, was purchased by Warner Bros. Stax was required to renegotiate its distribution deal and was surprised to learn that Atlantic actually owned the entire Stax/Volt catalog. Stax was unable to regain the rights to its recordings and severed its Atlantic relationship. Atlantic also held the rights to all unreleased Otis Redding masters.[81] It had enough material for three studio albums—The Immortal Otis Redding (1968), Love Man (1969), and Tell the Truth (1970)—all issued on its Atco Records.[81] A number of successful singles emerged from these LPs, among them "Amen" (1968), "Hard to Handle" (1968), "I've Got Dreams to Remember" (1968), "Love Man" (1969), and "Look at That Girl" (1969).[81] Singles were also lifted from two live Atlantic-issued Redding albums, In Person at the Whisky a Go Go, recorded in 1966 and issued in 1968 on Atco, and Monterey International Pop Festival, a Reprise Records release featuring some of the live Monterey Pop Festival performances of the Jimi Hendrix Experience on side one and Redding's performance on side two.
In September 2007, the first official DVD anthology of Redding's live performances was released by Concord Music Group, then owners of the Stax catalog. Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding featured 16 full-length performances and 40 minutes of new interviews documenting his life and career.[82] On May 18, 2010, Stax Records released a two-disc recording of three complete sets from his Whisky a Go Go date in April 1966.[83]
Carla Thomas claimed that the pair had planned to record another duet album in December the same year, but Phil Walden denied this. Redding had proposed to record an album featuring cut and rearranged songs in different tempos; for example, ballads would be uptempo and vice versa.[44] Another suggestion was to record an album entirely consisting of country standards.[84]
Personal life and wealth
Redding, who was 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 220 pounds (100 kg), was an athletic family man who loved football and hunting.[85][86] He was described as vigorous, trustworthy,[87] full of fun[73] and a successful businessman. According to several people, Redding's personality never fully matured either on stage or in public life. His brother Rodgers thought he was "confused", while Alan Walden described him as "naive". He was active in philanthropic projects. His keen interest in black youth led to plans for a summer camp for disadvantaged children.[88]
Redding's music made him wealthy. According to several advertisements, he had around 200 suits and 400 pairs of shoes, and he earned about $35,000 per week for his concerts.[89] He spent about $125,000 in the "Big O Ranch". As the owner of Otis Redding Enterprises, his performances, music publishing ventures and royalties from record sales earned him more than a million dollars in 1967 alone.[65] That year, one columnist said, "he sold more records than Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin combined."[90] After the release of Otis Blue, Redding became a "catalogue" artist, meaning his albums were not immediate blockbusters, but rather sold steadily over time.[34]
Musicianship
Style
Early on Redding copied the rock and soul style of his role model Little Richard. He was also influenced by soul musicians such as Sam Cooke, whose live album Sam Cooke at the Copa was a strong influence,[87] but later explored other popular genres. He studied the recordings of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. His song "Hard to Handle" has elements of rock and roll and influences of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.[91] Most of his songs were categorized as Southern soul[92] and Memphis soul.[93]
His hallmark was his raw voice and ability to convey strong emotion. Richie Unterberger of Allmusic noted his "hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, an emotional way with both party tunes and aching ballads."[94] In the book Rock and Roll: An Introduction, authors Michael Campbell and James Brody suggested that "Redding's singing calls to mind a fervent black preacher. Especially in up-tempo numbers, his singing is more than impassioned speech but less than singing with precise pitch."[95] According to the book, "Redding finds a rough midpoint between impassioned oratory and conventional singing. His delivery overflows with emotion" in his song "I Can't Turn You Loose".[95] Booker T. Jones described Otis' singing as energetic and emotional, but said that his vocal range was limited, reaching neither low nor high notes.[96] Peter Buckley of The Rough Guide To Rock describes his "gruff voice, which combined Sam Cooke's phrasing with a brawnier delivery" and later suggested he "could testify like a hell-bent preacher, croon like a tender lover or get down and dirty with a bluesy yawp".[97]
Redding received advice from Rufus Thomas about his clumsy stage appearance. Jerry Wexler said Redding "didn't know how to move", and stood still, moving only his upper body, although he acknowledged that Redding was well received by audiences for his strong message.[98] Guralnick described Redding's painful vulnerability in Sweet Soul Music, as an attractive one for the audience, but not for his friends and partners. His early shyness was well known.[99]
Songwriting
In his early career Redding mostly covered songs from popular artists, such as Richard, Cooke and Solomon Burke. Around the mid-1960s he began writing his own songs—always taking along his cheap, red acoustic guitar—and sometimes asked for Stax members' opinion of his lyrics. He often worked on lyrics with other musicians, such as Sims, Rodgers, Huckaby, Phil Walden and Cropper. During his recovery from his throat operation, Redding wrote about 30 songs in two weeks.[85] Redding was the sole copyright holder on all of his songs.[100]
In "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" he abandoned familiar romantic themes for "sad, wistful introspections, amplified by unforgettable descending guitar riffs by Cropper".[101] The official website of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, noted that the song "was a kind of brooding, dark voicing of despair, ('I've got nothin' to live for/Look like nothin' gonna come my way')" although "his music, in general, was exultant and joyful". According to journalist Ruth Robinson, author of the liner notes for the 1993 box-set, "It is currently a revisionist theory to equate soul with the darker side of man's musical expression, blues. That fanner of the flame of 'Trouble's got a hold on me' music, might well be the father of the form if it is, the glorified exaltation found in church on any Sunday morning is its mother." And further on the site declares that "glorified exaltation indeed was an apt description of Otis Redding's songwriting and singing style."[102] Booker T. Jones compared Redding with Leonard Bernstein stating, "He was the same type person. He was a leader. He'd just lead with his arms and his body and his fingers."[99]
Otis Redding favored short and simple lyrics; when asked whether he intended to cover Dylan's "Just Like a Woman", he responded that the lyrics contained "too much text".[87] Furthermore, he stated in an interview:
Basically, I like any music that remains simple and I feel this is the formula that makes 'soul music' successful. When any music form becomes cluttered and/or complicated you lose the average listener's ear. There is nothing more beautiful than a simple blues tune. There is beauty in simplicity whether you are talking about architecture, art or music.[88]
Redding also authored his (sometimes difficult) recordings' horn arrangements, humming to show the players what he had in mind. The recording of "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" reflects his habit of humming with the horn section.[103]
Legacy
Otis Redding has been called the "King of Soul",[104] an honorific also given to Brown[105] and Cooke.[106][107][108] He remains one of the genre's most recognized artists. His lean and powerful style exemplified the Stax Sound,[97][109][110] and gave Stax a new identity; he was said to be its "heart and soul",[111] while artists such as Al Jackson, Dunn and Cropper helped to expand its structure.[110] His open-throated singing,[109] the tremolo/vibrato, the manic, electrifying stage performances[112] and perceived honesty were particular hallmarks, along with the use of interjections, for example "gotta, gotta, gotta", some of which came from Cooke.[87][111] Producer Stewart thought the "begging singing" was stress-induced and enhanced by Redding's extreme, early shyness.[99]
Artists from many genres named Redding as a musical influence. George Harrison called "Respect" an important influence for "Drive My Car".[113] The Rolling Stones also mentioned Redding as an important influence.[114][115] Other artists include Led Zeppelin,[116][117] Grateful Dead,[118] Lynyrd Skynyrd,[119] the Doors;[118] and virtually every soul/R&B musicians from the early years, such as Al Green, Etta James,[33] William Bell,[118] Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Conley.[120] Musicians have covered or mixed his songs, most recently Kanye West and Jay-Z with their Grammy Award-winning song "Otis".[19][33] According to band colleague Sam Andrew, Janis Joplin was influenced by his singing style. She stated that she learned "to push a song instead of just sliding over it" after hearing Redding.[121]
Awards and honors
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him in 1989, declaring Redding's name to be "synonymous with the term soul, music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm and blues into a form of funky, secular testifying."[122] Readers of the British music newspaper Melody Maker voted him as the top vocalist of 1967, superseding Elvis Presley, who had topped the list for the prior 10 years.[78][120][123] In 1988, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.[79] Five years later, the United States Post Office issued a 29-cent commemorative postage stamp in his honor.[124] Redding was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994,[102] and in 1999 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.[125] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame listed three Redding recordings, "Shake", "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", and "Try a Little Tenderness," among its list of "The 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll."[126] American music magazine Rolling Stone ranked Redding at number 21 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time"[127] and eighth on their list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".[96] Q ranked Redding fourth among "100 Greatest Singers", after only Frank Sinatra, Franklin and Presley.[128]
Five of his albums, Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology, The Dock of the Bay, Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul and Live in Europe, were ranked by Rolling Stone on their list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". The first album was singled out for praise by music critics; apart from the Rolling Stone listing at number 74, NME ranked it 35 on their list of the "Greatest Albums of All Time".[129] Music critic Robert Christgau said that Otis Blue was "the first great album by one of soul's few reliable long-form artists",[130] and that Redding's "original LPs were among the most intelligently conceived black albums of the '60s".[131]
In 2002, the city of Macon honored its native son by unveiling a memorial statue (32°50′19.05″N 83°37′17.30″W) in the city's Gateway Park. The park is next to the Otis Redding Memorial Bridge, which crosses the Ocmulgee River The Otis Redding Memorial Library is also housed in the city.[132] The Rhythm and Blues Foundation named Redding as the recipient of its 2006 Pioneer Award.[133] Billboard awarded Redding the "Otis Redding Excellence Award" the same year.[33] A year later he was inducted into the Hollywood's Rockwalk in California.[79] In Cleveland, Ohio also the city were Redding did his last show at Leo's Casino. On August 17, 2013 Otis Redding was inducted into the inaugural class of The Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame at Cleveland State Univ.
Born and raised in the US state of Georgia, Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and also performing at talent shows for prize money. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, and toured the Southern states as a driver and musician. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first single, "These Arms of Mine," in 1962. Stax released Redding's debut album Pain in My Heart two years later.
Initially popular mainly with African Americans, Redding later reached a wider American popular music audience. Along with his group, he first played small gigs in the American South, then performed in the western states at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Go. European appearances included London, Paris and other major cities.
After appearing at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, Redding wrote and recorded his iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts after his death in a plane crash. The Dock of the Bay became the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart.
Redding's premature death devastated Stax. Already on the verge of bankruptcy, the label soon discovered that Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire song catalog.
Redding received many posthumous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He received the honorific nickname King of Soul. In addition to "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are among his best-known songs.
Early life
Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia to gospel singer Otis Redding, Sr., and his wife Fannie Redding. Redding senior worked as a sharecropper, then at Robins Air Force Base, besides being a part-time preacher. When Otis was three the family moved to Tindall Heights, a predominantly African American public housing project in nearby Macon. For a short time they lived in a small house in Bellevue, in west Macon. That house was lost in a fire and the family returned to Tindall.[3] At an early age, Redding sang in the Vineville Baptist Church choir and learned guitar and piano. From age 10, he took drum and singing lessons. At Ballard-Hudson High School, he sang in the school band. Every Sunday he earned $6 by performing gospel songs for Macon radio station WIBB.[4][5] His passion was singing, and he often cited Little Richard and Sam Cooke as main influences; Redding "would not be here" without Richard, as he "entered the music business because of Richard – he is my inspiration. I used to sing like Little Richard, his Rock 'n' Roll stuff... My present music has a lot of him in it."[6][7]
At age 15, Redding left formal schooling in order to work and help financially support his family because his father had contracted tuberculosis and so was hospitalized, leaving his mother as the family's primary income earner.[3] Otis later worked as a well digger, a filling (gas) station attendant and guest musician in the ensuing years. Pianist Gladdy Williams, a well-known Macon musician and another who inspired Redding, often performed at Hillview Springs Social Club, where Redding sometimes played piano with her music groups.[8] When Williams hosted Sunday talent shows, Redding accompanied his friends from the neighborhood, like Little Willie Jones and bassist Eddie Ross.[9]
Around the time when his tonsils were removed, Redding doubted he would ever be able to sing, but his father encouraged him.[8] Redding's breakthrough came in 1958 on disc jockey Hamp Swain's "The Teenage Party," a talent contest at the local Roxy and Douglass Theatres.[10][5] As Otis's backing band was not professional, pro guitarist and event attendee Johnny Jenkins offered musical accompaniment. Redding sang Little Richard's "Heebie Jeebies." The combination enabled Redding to win Swain's talent contest for fifteen consecutive weeks; the cash prize was $5.[11] Jenkins later worked as lead guitarist and played with Redding during several later gigs.[12] Redding was soon invited to replace Willie Jones as frontman of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, featuring Johnny Jenkins.[9] Otis was then hired by the Upsetters when Little Richard abandoned rock and roll in favor of gospel music. Redding was well paid at about $25 per gig,[3][4] but did not stay for long.[13]
At age 19, Redding met 15-year-old Zelma Atwood at "The Teenage Party." She gave birth to their son Dexter in the summer of 1960 and married Redding in August 1961.[14] In mid-1960, Otis moved to Los Angeles with his sister, Deborah, where he wrote his first songs including "She's Allright," "Tuff Enuff," "Gamma Lamma," and the song "Gettin' Hip," Redding's first composition released as a 45 RPM single recording.[4]
Career
Early career
A member of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, Redding toured the Southern United States on the Chitlin' circuit. These venues were the only ones available for African American musicians during the era of racial segregation that lasted into the early 1960s.[15] Jenkins left the band to become the featured artist with the Pinetoppers.[16] Around this time, Redding met Phil Walden, the future founder of the recording company Phil Walden and Associates, and later Bobby Smith, who ran the small label Confederate Records. He signed with Confederate and recorded his second single, "Shout Bamalama" (a rewrite of "Gamma Lamma") and "Fat Girl", together with his band Otis and the Shooters.[4][17] Around this time he and the Pinetoppers attended a "Battle of the Bands" show in Lakeside Park.[18] Wayne Cochran, the only solo artist signed to Confederate, became the Pinetoppers' bassist.[16]
When Walden started to look for a record label for Jenkins, Atlantic Records representative Joe Galkin showed interest and around 1962 sent him to a Stax studio in Memphis. Redding drove Jenkins to the session, as the latter did not have a driver's license.[19] Jenkins, backed by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, performed on that session which ended early; Redding was allowed to perform two songs. The first was "Hey Hey Baby", which studio chief Jim Stewart thought sounded too much like Little Richard. The second was "These Arms of Mine", featuring Jenkins on piano and Steve Cropper on guitar. Stewart later praised Redding's performance noting, "Everybody was fixin' to go home, but Joe Galkin insisted we give Otis a listen. There was something different about [the ballad]. He really poured his soul into it."[14][20] Stewart signed Redding and released "These Arms of Mine", with "Hey Hey Baby" on the B-side. The single was released on Volt on October 1962, but charted in March the following year.[21] It became one of his most successful songs, selling more than 800,000 copies.[22]
Apollo Theater and Otis Blue
"These Arms of Mine" and other songs from the 1962–1963 sessions were included on Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart. "That's What My Heart Needs" and "Mary's Little Lamb" were recorded in June 1963. The latter is the only Redding track with both background singing and brass. It became his worst-selling single.[21][23] The title track, recorded in September 1963, sparked copyright issues, as it sounded like Irma Thomas' "Ruler of My Heart".[21] Despite this, Pain in My Heart was released on January 1, 1964 and peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 85 on the R&B chart.
In November 1963, Redding and his brother Rodgers accompanied former boxer Sylvester Huckaby to the Apollo Theater in New York to perform. Redding and his band were paid $400 per week, but had to pay $450 to King Curtis' band for the arrangement sheets, leaving them in financial difficulty. The trio asked Walden for money. Huckaby explained their circumstances living in the rundown Theresa Hotel in Peter Guralnick's book, Sweet Soul Music. He noted meeting Muhammad Ali and other celebrities. Ben E. King, who performed with Redding at the Apollo, gave him $100 when he learned about Redding's situation. The resulting album featured King, the Coasters, Doris Troy, Rufus Thomas, the Falcons and Redding.[24] Around this time Walden and Rodgers were drafted by the army; Walden's younger brother Alan joined Redding on tour, while Earl "Speedo" Sims replaced Rodgers.[25]
The majority of Redding songs after "Security", a song from his first album, had a slow tempo. Disc jockey A. C. Moohah Williams accordingly labeled him "Mr. Pitiful",[26] and subsequently Cropper and Redding wrote the eponymous song.[14] That and top 100 singles "Chained And Bound", "Come To Me" and "That's How Strong My Love Is"[27] were included on Redding's second studio album, The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads, released in March 1965.[28] Jenkins began working independently from the group out of fear Galkin, Walden and Cropper would plagiarize his playing style, and so Cropper became Redding's leading guitarist.[29] Around 1965, Redding co-wrote "I've Been Loving You Too Long" with the Impressions lead singer Jerry Butler. That summer, Redding and the studio crew arranged new songs for his next album. Ten of the eleven songs were written over 24 hours during July 9–10 in Memphis. Two songs, "Ole Man Trouble" and "Respect", had been finished earlier during the Otis Blue session. "Respect" and "I've Been Loving You" were later recut in stereo. The album, entitled Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, was released in September 1965.[30]
Whisky a Go Go and "Try a Little Tenderness"
Redding's success allowed him to buy a 300-acre (1.2 km2) ranch in Georgia, which he called the "Big O Ranch."[33] Stax was also doing well. Walden signed more musicians, including Percy Sledge, Johnnie Taylor, Clarence Carter and Eddie Floyd, and together with Redding they founded two production companies. "Jotis Records" (derived from Joe Galkin and Otis) released four recordings, two by Arthur Conley and one by Billy Young and Loretta Williams. The other was named Redwal Music (derived from Redding and Walden), which was shut down shortly after its creation.[34] Since Afro-Americans still formed the majority of fans, Redding chose to perform at Whisky a Go Go on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Redding was one of the first soul artists to perform for rock audiences in the western United States. His performance received critical acclaim, including positive press in the Los Angeles Times and he penetrated mainstream popular culture. Bob Dylan attended the performance and offered Redding an altered version of one of his songs, "Just Like a Woman".[14]
In late 1966, Redding returned to the Stax studio. At this session he recorded tracks including "Try a Little Tenderness", originally written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods in 1932.[31] This song had previously been covered by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, and the publishers unsuccessfully tried to stop Redding from recording the song from a "negro perspective'. Today often considered his signature song,[35] Jim Stewart reckoned, "If there's one song, one performance that really sort of sums up Otis and what he's about, it's 'Try a Little Tenderness'. That one performance is so special and so unique that it expresses who he is." On this version Redding was backed by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, while staff producer Isaac Hayes worked on the arrangement.[36][37] "Try a Little Tenderness" was included on his next album, Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul. The song and the album were critically and commercially successful—the former peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and at number 4 on the R&B chart.[38]
The spring of 1966 marked the first time that Stax booked concerts for its artists.[39] The majority of the group arrived in London on March 13,[37][40] but Redding had flown in days earlier for interviews, such as at "The Eamonn Andrews Show". When the crew arrived in London, the Beatles sent a limousine to pick them up.[39] Booking agent Bill Graham proposed that Redding play at the Fillmore Auditorium in late 1966. The gig was commercially and critically successful, paying Redding around $800 to $1000 a night.[41][37] It prompted Graham to remark afterwards, "That was the best gig I ever put on in my entire life."[42] Redding began touring Europe six months later.[43]
Carla Thomas
A year after the Fillmore, Redding released the gold record-winning album King & Queen, with Carla Thomas. It was Jim Stewart's idea to produce a duet album, as he expected that "[Redding's] rawness and [Thomas'] sophistication would work".[44] The album was recorded in January 1967, while Thomas was earning her M.A. in English at Howard University. Six out of ten songs were cut during their joint session; the rest were overdubbed by Redding in the days following, due to concert obligations. Three singles were lifted from the album: "Tramp" was released in April, followed by "Knock on Wood" and "Lovey Dovey". All three reached at least the top 60 on both the R&B and Pop charts.[44] The album charted at number 5 and 36 on the Billboard Pop and R&B charts, respectively.[27]
Redding returned to Europe to perform at the Paris Olympia. The live album Otis Redding: Live in Europe was released three months later, featuring this and other live performances in London and Stockholm, Sweden.[33] Redding was criticized for his arrogant and contrived performances in these concerts.[citation needed] His decision to take his protege Conley (whom Redding and Walden had contracted directly to Atco/Atlantic Records rather than to Stax/Volt) on the tour, instead of more established Stax/Volt artists such as Rufus Thomas and William Bell, produced negative reactions.[37][45]
Monterey Pop
In 1967, Redding performed at the influential Monterey Pop Festival as the closing act on Saturday night, the second day of the festival. He was invited through the efforts of promoter Jerry Wexler.[46] Until that point, Redding was still performing mainly for black audiences.[47] His act, which included his own song "Respect" and a version of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction",[48] was well received by the audience. Redding and his backing band (Booker T. & the M.G.'s with the Mar-Keys horn section) opened with Cooke's "Shake" before he delivered an impulsive speech in which he asked the audience if they were the "love crowd", looking for a big response. The ballad "I've Been Loving You" followed. The last song was "Try a Little Tenderness", including an additional chorus. "I got to go, y'all, I don't wanna go", said Redding and left the stage of his last major concert.[35] According to Booker T. Jones, "I think we did one of our best shows, Otis and the MG's. That we were included in that was also something of a phenomenon. That we were there? With those people? They were accepting us and that was one of the things that really moved Otis. He was happy to be included and it brought him a new audience. It was greatly expanded in Monterey."[49] According to Sweet Soul Music, musicians such as Brian Jones and Jimi Hendrix were captivated by his performance; Robert Christgau wrote in Esquire, "The Love Crowd screamed one's mind to the heavens."[50]
Before Monterey, Redding wanted to record with Conley, but Stax was against the idea. The two moved from Memphis to Macon to continue writing. The result was "Sweet Soul Music", based on Cooke's "Yeah Man"[34] and which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.[51][52] By that time Redding had developed polyps on his larynx, which he tried to treat with tea and lemon or honey. He was hospitalized in September 1967 at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York to undergo surgery.[53]
Dock of the Bay
In early December 1967, Redding again recorded at Stax. One new song was "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", which was written with Cropper while they were staying with their friend, Earl "Speedo" Sims, on a houseboat in Sausalito.[54] Redding was inspired by the Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and tried to create a similar sound against the label's wishes. His wife Zelma disliked its atypical melody. The Stax crew were also dissatisfied with the new sound; Stewart thought that it was not R&B, while bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn feared it would damage Stax's reputation. However, Redding wanted to expand his musical style and thought it was his best song and correctly believed it would top the charts.[55] Redding whistled at the end, either forgetting Cropper's "fadeout rap",[56] or paraphrasing it intentionally.[57]
Death
By 1967 the band was traveling to performances in Redding's Beechcraft H18. On December 9, 1967, they appeared on the Upbeat television show produced in Cleveland. They played three concerts in two nights at a club called Leo's Casino.[51][58][59] After a phone call with Zelma and their children, Redding's next stop was Madison, Wisconsin; the next day they were to play at the Factory nightclub, near the University of Wisconsin.[58][60]
Although the weather was poor, with heavy rain and fog and despite warnings, the plane took off.[61] Four miles (6.4 km) from their destination at Truax Field in Madison, the pilot radioed for permission to land. Shortly thereafter, the plane crashed into Lake Monona. Bar-Kays member Ben Cauley, the accident's sole survivor,[51] was sleeping shortly before the accident. He woke just before impact to see bandmate Phalon Jones look out a window and exclaim, "Oh, no!" Cauley said the last thing he remembered before the crash was unbuckling his seat belt. He then found himself in frigid water, grasping a seat cushion to keep afloat.[53] A non-swimmer, he was unable to rescue the others.[62] The cause of the crash was never determined.[63] James Brown claimed in his autobiography The Godfather of Soul that he had warned Redding not to fly in the plane.[64]
Aretha Franklin stated, "I heard it on the TV. My sister Caroline and I stopped everything and stayed glued to the TV and radio. It was a tragedy. Shocking."[65] Other victims were pilot Richard Fraser,[66] drummer Matthew Kelly, lead guitarist of the Bar-Kays Jimmy King, tenor saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell and drummer Carl Cunningham.[67]
Redding's body was recovered the next day when the lake bed was searched.[68] The family postponed the funeral from December 15 to 18 so that more could attend.[65] The service took place at the City Auditorium in Macon. More than 4,500 people came to the funeral, overflowing the 3,000-seat hall, although many did not know who he was. Johnny Jenkins and Isaac Hayes did not attend, fearing their reaction would be worse than Zelma Redding's.[69] Redding was entombed at his ranch in Round Oak, about 20 miles (32 km) north of Macon.[70] Jerry Wexler delivered the eulogy.[71] Redding died just three days after recording "The Dock of the Bay".[72][51] He was survived by Zelma and three children, Otis III, Dexter and Karla.[73] Otis, Dexter and cousin Mark Lockett later founded the Reddings, a band managed by Zelma.[74] She also maintained or worked at the janitorial service Maids Over Macon, several nightclubs and booking agencies.[75] On November 8, 1997, a memorial plaque was placed on the lakeside deck of the Madison convention center, Monona Terrace.[76]
Posthumous releases and proposed recordings
"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was released in January 1968 and became Redding's only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and the first posthumous number-one single in US chart history.[77] It sold approximately four million copies worldwide and received more than eight million airplays.[78][79] The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach the top spot on the UK Albums Chart.[80]
Shortly after Redding's death, Atlantic Records, distributor of the Stax/Volt releases, was purchased by Warner Bros. Stax was required to renegotiate its distribution deal and was surprised to learn that Atlantic actually owned the entire Stax/Volt catalog. Stax was unable to regain the rights to its recordings and severed its Atlantic relationship. Atlantic also held the rights to all unreleased Otis Redding masters.[81] It had enough material for three studio albums—The Immortal Otis Redding (1968), Love Man (1969), and Tell the Truth (1970)—all issued on its Atco Records.[81] A number of successful singles emerged from these LPs, among them "Amen" (1968), "Hard to Handle" (1968), "I've Got Dreams to Remember" (1968), "Love Man" (1969), and "Look at That Girl" (1969).[81] Singles were also lifted from two live Atlantic-issued Redding albums, In Person at the Whisky a Go Go, recorded in 1966 and issued in 1968 on Atco, and Monterey International Pop Festival, a Reprise Records release featuring some of the live Monterey Pop Festival performances of the Jimi Hendrix Experience on side one and Redding's performance on side two.
In September 2007, the first official DVD anthology of Redding's live performances was released by Concord Music Group, then owners of the Stax catalog. Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis Redding featured 16 full-length performances and 40 minutes of new interviews documenting his life and career.[82] On May 18, 2010, Stax Records released a two-disc recording of three complete sets from his Whisky a Go Go date in April 1966.[83]
Carla Thomas claimed that the pair had planned to record another duet album in December the same year, but Phil Walden denied this. Redding had proposed to record an album featuring cut and rearranged songs in different tempos; for example, ballads would be uptempo and vice versa.[44] Another suggestion was to record an album entirely consisting of country standards.[84]
Personal life and wealth
Redding, who was 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 220 pounds (100 kg), was an athletic family man who loved football and hunting.[85][86] He was described as vigorous, trustworthy,[87] full of fun[73] and a successful businessman. According to several people, Redding's personality never fully matured either on stage or in public life. His brother Rodgers thought he was "confused", while Alan Walden described him as "naive". He was active in philanthropic projects. His keen interest in black youth led to plans for a summer camp for disadvantaged children.[88]
Redding's music made him wealthy. According to several advertisements, he had around 200 suits and 400 pairs of shoes, and he earned about $35,000 per week for his concerts.[89] He spent about $125,000 in the "Big O Ranch". As the owner of Otis Redding Enterprises, his performances, music publishing ventures and royalties from record sales earned him more than a million dollars in 1967 alone.[65] That year, one columnist said, "he sold more records than Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin combined."[90] After the release of Otis Blue, Redding became a "catalogue" artist, meaning his albums were not immediate blockbusters, but rather sold steadily over time.[34]
Musicianship
Style
Early on Redding copied the rock and soul style of his role model Little Richard. He was also influenced by soul musicians such as Sam Cooke, whose live album Sam Cooke at the Copa was a strong influence,[87] but later explored other popular genres. He studied the recordings of The Beatles and Bob Dylan. His song "Hard to Handle" has elements of rock and roll and influences of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.[91] Most of his songs were categorized as Southern soul[92] and Memphis soul.[93]
His hallmark was his raw voice and ability to convey strong emotion. Richie Unterberger of Allmusic noted his "hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, an emotional way with both party tunes and aching ballads."[94] In the book Rock and Roll: An Introduction, authors Michael Campbell and James Brody suggested that "Redding's singing calls to mind a fervent black preacher. Especially in up-tempo numbers, his singing is more than impassioned speech but less than singing with precise pitch."[95] According to the book, "Redding finds a rough midpoint between impassioned oratory and conventional singing. His delivery overflows with emotion" in his song "I Can't Turn You Loose".[95] Booker T. Jones described Otis' singing as energetic and emotional, but said that his vocal range was limited, reaching neither low nor high notes.[96] Peter Buckley of The Rough Guide To Rock describes his "gruff voice, which combined Sam Cooke's phrasing with a brawnier delivery" and later suggested he "could testify like a hell-bent preacher, croon like a tender lover or get down and dirty with a bluesy yawp".[97]
Redding received advice from Rufus Thomas about his clumsy stage appearance. Jerry Wexler said Redding "didn't know how to move", and stood still, moving only his upper body, although he acknowledged that Redding was well received by audiences for his strong message.[98] Guralnick described Redding's painful vulnerability in Sweet Soul Music, as an attractive one for the audience, but not for his friends and partners. His early shyness was well known.[99]
Songwriting
In his early career Redding mostly covered songs from popular artists, such as Richard, Cooke and Solomon Burke. Around the mid-1960s he began writing his own songs—always taking along his cheap, red acoustic guitar—and sometimes asked for Stax members' opinion of his lyrics. He often worked on lyrics with other musicians, such as Sims, Rodgers, Huckaby, Phil Walden and Cropper. During his recovery from his throat operation, Redding wrote about 30 songs in two weeks.[85] Redding was the sole copyright holder on all of his songs.[100]
In "(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" he abandoned familiar romantic themes for "sad, wistful introspections, amplified by unforgettable descending guitar riffs by Cropper".[101] The official website of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, noted that the song "was a kind of brooding, dark voicing of despair, ('I've got nothin' to live for/Look like nothin' gonna come my way')" although "his music, in general, was exultant and joyful". According to journalist Ruth Robinson, author of the liner notes for the 1993 box-set, "It is currently a revisionist theory to equate soul with the darker side of man's musical expression, blues. That fanner of the flame of 'Trouble's got a hold on me' music, might well be the father of the form if it is, the glorified exaltation found in church on any Sunday morning is its mother." And further on the site declares that "glorified exaltation indeed was an apt description of Otis Redding's songwriting and singing style."[102] Booker T. Jones compared Redding with Leonard Bernstein stating, "He was the same type person. He was a leader. He'd just lead with his arms and his body and his fingers."[99]
Otis Redding favored short and simple lyrics; when asked whether he intended to cover Dylan's "Just Like a Woman", he responded that the lyrics contained "too much text".[87] Furthermore, he stated in an interview:
Basically, I like any music that remains simple and I feel this is the formula that makes 'soul music' successful. When any music form becomes cluttered and/or complicated you lose the average listener's ear. There is nothing more beautiful than a simple blues tune. There is beauty in simplicity whether you are talking about architecture, art or music.[88]
Redding also authored his (sometimes difficult) recordings' horn arrangements, humming to show the players what he had in mind. The recording of "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" reflects his habit of humming with the horn section.[103]
Legacy
Otis Redding has been called the "King of Soul",[104] an honorific also given to Brown[105] and Cooke.[106][107][108] He remains one of the genre's most recognized artists. His lean and powerful style exemplified the Stax Sound,[97][109][110] and gave Stax a new identity; he was said to be its "heart and soul",[111] while artists such as Al Jackson, Dunn and Cropper helped to expand its structure.[110] His open-throated singing,[109] the tremolo/vibrato, the manic, electrifying stage performances[112] and perceived honesty were particular hallmarks, along with the use of interjections, for example "gotta, gotta, gotta", some of which came from Cooke.[87][111] Producer Stewart thought the "begging singing" was stress-induced and enhanced by Redding's extreme, early shyness.[99]
Artists from many genres named Redding as a musical influence. George Harrison called "Respect" an important influence for "Drive My Car".[113] The Rolling Stones also mentioned Redding as an important influence.[114][115] Other artists include Led Zeppelin,[116][117] Grateful Dead,[118] Lynyrd Skynyrd,[119] the Doors;[118] and virtually every soul/R&B musicians from the early years, such as Al Green, Etta James,[33] William Bell,[118] Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Conley.[120] Musicians have covered or mixed his songs, most recently Kanye West and Jay-Z with their Grammy Award-winning song "Otis".[19][33] According to band colleague Sam Andrew, Janis Joplin was influenced by his singing style. She stated that she learned "to push a song instead of just sliding over it" after hearing Redding.[121]
Awards and honors
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted him in 1989, declaring Redding's name to be "synonymous with the term soul, music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm and blues into a form of funky, secular testifying."[122] Readers of the British music newspaper Melody Maker voted him as the top vocalist of 1967, superseding Elvis Presley, who had topped the list for the prior 10 years.[78][120][123] In 1988, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.[79] Five years later, the United States Post Office issued a 29-cent commemorative postage stamp in his honor.[124] Redding was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1994,[102] and in 1999 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.[125] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame listed three Redding recordings, "Shake", "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", and "Try a Little Tenderness," among its list of "The 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll."[126] American music magazine Rolling Stone ranked Redding at number 21 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time"[127] and eighth on their list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".[96] Q ranked Redding fourth among "100 Greatest Singers", after only Frank Sinatra, Franklin and Presley.[128]
Five of his albums, Otis Blue: Otis Redding Sings Soul, Dreams to Remember: The Otis Redding Anthology, The Dock of the Bay, Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul and Live in Europe, were ranked by Rolling Stone on their list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". The first album was singled out for praise by music critics; apart from the Rolling Stone listing at number 74, NME ranked it 35 on their list of the "Greatest Albums of All Time".[129] Music critic Robert Christgau said that Otis Blue was "the first great album by one of soul's few reliable long-form artists",[130] and that Redding's "original LPs were among the most intelligently conceived black albums of the '60s".[131]
In 2002, the city of Macon honored its native son by unveiling a memorial statue (32°50′19.05″N 83°37′17.30″W) in the city's Gateway Park. The park is next to the Otis Redding Memorial Bridge, which crosses the Ocmulgee River The Otis Redding Memorial Library is also housed in the city.[132] The Rhythm and Blues Foundation named Redding as the recipient of its 2006 Pioneer Award.[133] Billboard awarded Redding the "Otis Redding Excellence Award" the same year.[33] A year later he was inducted into the Hollywood's Rockwalk in California.[79] In Cleveland, Ohio also the city were Redding did his last show at Leo's Casino. On August 17, 2013 Otis Redding was inducted into the inaugural class of The Official Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame at Cleveland State Univ.
Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay (Official Video)
Jerry Ricks +10.12.2007
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Er galt als verschollen. Nun wissen wir, wo er geblieben ist. Bluesbarde Philadelphia Jerry Ricks (geb. 22.05.1940) starb am 10. Dezember 2007 in Kroatien. Er spielte nicht nur mit Legenden wie Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee oder Lightnin' Hopkins. Hier zu Lande machte er sich einen Namen als Partner von Oscar Klein. Unvergessen auch seine Auftritte mit Oscar im Rahmen des genialen Projekts ´Jazz für Kinder´.
Jerry Ricks (May 22, 1940 – December 10, 2007) was an American blues guitarist.
Ricks was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, playing trumpet as a child; he started playing guitar in local coffee shops in the late 1950s. He worked as a booking manager for the Second Fret Coffee House in Philadelphia from 1960-1966, coming into contact with many key figures in the blues revival (Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Libba Cotten, Jesse Fuller, Mance Lipscomb, Lonnie Johnson).
In 1969, Ricks toured with Buddy Guy on a State Department-sponsored East African tour. After returning to the U.S. briefly to do field work in Arkansas for the Smithsonian Institution, he moved to Europe in 1971, remaining there until 1990. He did come back to the states in 1972 and 1973 and recorded with Hall & Oates on Whole Oats and Abandoned Luncheonette.
Ricks recorded 13 solo albums in Europe, but his first American releases did not arrive until 1998, when Rooster Blues released his Deep in the Well. The album was nominated for three W.C. Handy Awards. Many Miles of Blues followed on the same label in 2000.
In 2007 Ricks and his wife moved to Kastav, Croatia, and on December 10, 2007 he died at the age of 67 in Kastav.
Jerry Ricks (May 22, 1940 – December 10, 2007) was an American blues guitarist.
Ricks was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, playing trumpet as a child; he started playing guitar in local coffee shops in the late 1950s. He worked as a booking manager for the Second Fret Coffee House in Philadelphia from 1960-1966, coming into contact with many key figures in the blues revival (Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins, Libba Cotten, Jesse Fuller, Mance Lipscomb, Lonnie Johnson).
In 1969, Ricks toured with Buddy Guy on a State Department-sponsored East African tour. After returning to the U.S. briefly to do field work in Arkansas for the Smithsonian Institution, he moved to Europe in 1971, remaining there until 1990. He did come back to the states in 1972 and 1973 and recorded with Hall & Oates on Whole Oats and Abandoned Luncheonette.
Ricks recorded 13 solo albums in Europe, but his first American releases did not arrive until 1998, when Rooster Blues released his Deep in the Well. The album was nominated for three W.C. Handy Awards. Many Miles of Blues followed on the same label in 2000.
In 2007 Ricks and his wife moved to Kastav, Croatia, and on December 10, 2007 he died at the age of 67 in Kastav.
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