Tuesday 21 December 2021

 

Chapter 4    Otis Ray Redding Jr  (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967)

Written {my part} 12-19-21  My account follows Wikipedia


    I just realized, today, a thing I had never thought of before.  James Brown sold his plane to Otis Redding - so I read.  Maybe he bought another one, I don't know.  If he did it is possible I RODE IN THE PLANE THAT KILLED OTIS REDDING!  One thing that struck me is that I got the worst headache of my life in that plane - no one else, of about 5-6 people did - his staff & my gal pal Ginger.  This was not a headache, but a pain so bad it felt like my head would blow apart.  I believe it could have been LACK OF OXYGEN.  My brain apparently uses more of it than other people.  Could something have been seriously wrong with this plane?  In the account I read, a woman said, "I told Otis not to buy that plane from James," & I thought the woman was tripping, just making stuff up to be o the internet.  But maybe she was right, maybe there was something wrong with that plane!  And maybe James, since Otis was his top competitor, wanted him dead - did not warn him of any problem with the plane!  But that is far fetched I hope it's not true.  Oh, I forgot, to those who aren't familiar with my story, James Brown had me taken in his plane from LA to Ohio, to spend some time with him there that's why I was in his plane.


 from Wikipedia:

was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. Nicknamed the "King of Soul", Redding's style of singing gained inspiration from the gospel music that preceded the genre. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the 1960s.

Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia, and at age two, moved to Macon, Georgia. Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and by performing in talent shows at the historic Douglass Theatre in Macon. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, with whom he toured the Southern states as a singer and driver. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first hit 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 pop music audience. Along with his group, he first played small shows in the American South. Redding later performed at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Go and toured Europe, performing in London, Paris and other major cities. He also performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.

Shortly before his death in a plane crash, 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. The album The Dock of the Bay was 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 the Atco division of Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire song catalog.











Redding received many posthumous accolades, including two Grammy Awards, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[3] and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 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, the fourth of six children, and the first son of Otis Redding Sr. and Fannie Roseman. Redding Sr. was a sharecropper and then worked at Robins Air Force Base, near Macon, and occasionally preached in local churches. When Redding was three, the family moved to Tindall Heights, a predominantly African-American public housing project in Macon.[4] At an early age, he sang in the Vineville Baptist Church choir and learned guitar and piano. From age 10, Redding 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, and he won the $5 prize in a teen talent show for 15 consecutive weeks.[7] His passion was singing, and he often cited Little Richard and Sam Cooke as influences. Redding said that he "would not be here" without Little Richard and that 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."

At age 15, Redding left school to help support his family; his father had contracted tuberculosis and was often hospitalized, leaving his mother as the family's primary income earner. He worked as a well digger, as a gasoline station attendant and occasionally as a musician. Pianist Gladys Williams, a locally well-known musician in Macon and another who inspired Redding, often performed at the Hillview Springs Social Club, and Redding sometimes played piano with her band there. Williams hosted Sunday talent shows, which Redding attended with two friends, singers Little Willie Jones and Eddie Ross.

Redding's breakthrough came in 1958 on disc jockey Hamp Swain's "The Teenage Party," a talent contest at the local Roxy and Douglass TheatresJohnny Jenkins, a locally prominent guitarist, was in the audience and, finding Redding's backing band lacking in musical skills, offered to accompany him. 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 (US$45 in 2020 dollars[1]). Jenkins later worked as lead guitarist and played with Redding during several later gigs. Redding was soon invited to replace Willie Jones as frontman of Pat T. Cake and the Mighty Panthers, featuring Johnny Jenkins. Redding was then hired by the Upsetters when Little Richard abandoned rock and roll in favor of gospel music. Redding was well paid, making about $25 per gig (US$224 in 2020 dollars), but did not stay long. In mid-1960, Otis moved to Los Angeles with his sister, Deborah, while his wife Zelma and their children stayed in Macon, Georgia.[17] In Los Angeles Redding recorded his first songs, including "Tuff Enuff" written by James McEachin, "She's All Right," written with McEachin, and two Redding wrote alone, called "I'm Gettin' Hip" and "Gamma Lamma" (which he recorded as a single in 1961, under the title "Shout Bamalama").[5]

Early career

When Walden started to look for a record label for Jenkins, Atlantic Records representative Joe Galkin showed interest and around 1962 sent him to the Stax studio in Memphis. Redding drove Jenkins to the session, as the latter did not have a driver's license.[22] The session with Jenkins, backed by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, was unproductive and 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 guitar and Steve Cropper on piano. Stewart later praised Redding's performance, saying, "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."[23][24] Stewart signed Redding and released "These Arms of Mine", with "Hey Hey Baby" on the B-side. The single was released by Volt in October 1962 and charted in March the following year.[25] It became one of his most successful songs, selling more than 800,000 copies.[26]

Apollo
"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.[25][27] The title track, recorded in September 1963, sparked copyright issues, as it sounded like Irma Thomas's "Ruler of My Heart".[25] Despite this, Pain in My Heart was released on March 1964,[28][29] with the single peaking at number 11 on the R&B chart, number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the album at number 103 on the Billboard 200.[30]

In November 1963, Redding, accompanied by his brother Rodgers and an associate, former boxer Sylvester Huckaby (a childhood friend of Redding's), traveled to New York to perform at the Apollo Theater for the recording of a live album for Atlantic Records. Redding and his band were paid $400 per week (US$3,381 in 2020 dollars[13]) but had to pay $450 (US$3,804 in 2020 dollars[13]) for sheet music for the house band, led by King Curtis, which left them in financial difficulty. The trio asked Walden for money. Huckaby's description of their circumstances living in the "big old raggedy" Hotel Theresa is quoted by Peter Guralnick in his book Sweet Soul Music. He noted meeting Muhammad Ali and other celebrities. Ben E. King, who was the headliner at the Apollo when Redding performed there, gave him $100 (US$845 in 2020 dollars[13]) when he learned about Redding's financial situation. The resulting album featured King, the CoastersDoris TroyRufus Thomasthe Falcons and Redding.[31] Around this time Walden and Rodgers were drafted by the army; Walden's younger brother Alan joined Redding on tour, while Earl "Speedo" Simms replaced Rodgers as Redding's road manager.[32]

Most of Redding's songs after "Security", from his first album, had a slow tempo. Disc jockey A. C. Moohah Williams accordingly labeled him "Mr. Pitiful",[33] and subsequently, Cropper and Redding wrote the eponymous song.[23] That and top 100 singles " Chained and Bound", "Come to Me" and "That's How Strong My Love Is"[34] were included on Redding's second studio album, The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads, released in March 1965.[35] 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.[36] Around 1965, Redding co-wrote "I've Been Loving You Too Long" with Jerry Butler, the former lead singer of the Impressions. That summer, Redding and the studio crew arranged new songs for his next album. Ten of the eleven songs were recorded in a 24-hour period on July 9 and 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.[37] Otis Blue also includes Redding's much-loved cover of "A Change Is Gonna Come" in 1965.[38]







 

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."[41] Stax was also doing well. Walden signed more musicians, including Percy SledgeJohnnie TaylorClarence 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.[42] 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".[23]

In late 1966, Redding returned to the Stax studio and recorded several tracks, including "Try a Little Tenderness", written by Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly and Harry M. Woods in 1932.[39] This song had previously been recorded 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,[43] 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.[44][45] "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.[46]

The spring of 1966 marked the first time that Stax booked concerts for its artists.[47] The majority of the group arrived in London on March 13,[45][48] 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.[47] 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 (US$7,976 in 2020 dollars[13]) a night.[49][45] It prompted Graham to remark afterward, "That was the best gig I ever put on in my entire life."[50] Redding began touring Europe six months later.[51]

 

Carla Thomas

In March 1967, Stax released King & Queen, an album of duets between Redding and Carla Thomas, which became a certified gold record. It was Jim Stewart's idea to produce a duet album, as he expected that "[Redding's] rawness and [Thomas's] sophistication would work".[52] 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, because of his 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.[52] The album charted at number 5 and 36 on the Billboard Pop and R&B charts, respectively.[34]

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.[41] 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.[45][53]

 

Monterey Pop[edit]

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.[54] Until that point, Redding was still performing mainly for black audiences.[55] At the time, he "had not been considered a commercially viable player in the mainstream white American market."[56] But after delivering one of the most electric performances of the night, and having been the act to most involve the audience, "his performance at Monterey Pop was therefore a natural progression from local to national acclaim,...the decisive turning-point in Otis Redding's career."[56] His act included his own song "Respect" and a version of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction."[57] Redding and his backing band (Booker T. & the M.G.'s with the Mar-Keys horn section) opened with Cooke's "Shake", after which he delivered an impromptu speech, asking the audience if they were the "love crowd"[58] and 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.[43] 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."[59] 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."[60]

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"),[42] which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.[61][62] 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 Mount Sinai Hospital in New York to undergo surgery.

 

"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.[64] 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, correctly believing it would top the charts.[65] He whistled at the end, either forgetting Cropper's "fadeout rap" or paraphrasing it intentionally.

 

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.[67][68] He was described as vigorous, trustworthy,[69] full of fun[70] and a successful businessman. He was active in philanthropic projects. His keen interest in black youth led to plans for a summer camp for disadvantaged children.[71]

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.[75] 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.[76] That year, one columnist said, "he sold more records than Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin combined."[77] After the release of Otis Blue, Redding became a "catalogue" artist, meaning his albums were not immediate blockbusters, but rather sold steadily over time.[42]


Death

By 1967, the band was traveling to performances in Redding's Beechcraft H18 airplane. On December 9, they appeared on the Upbeat television show produced in Cleveland. They played three concerts in two nights at a club called Leo's Casino. After a phone call with his wife and children, Redding's next stop was Madison, Wisconsin; the next day, Sunday, December 10, they were to play at the Factory nightclub, near the University of Wisconsin.

Although the weather was poor, with heavy rain and fog, and despite warnings, the plane took off. Four miles (6.5 km) from their destination at Truax Field in Madison, pilot Richard Fraser radioed for permission to land. Shortly thereafter, the plane crashed into Lake MononaBar-Kays member Ben Cauley, the accident's only survivor,[61] 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. As a non-swimmer, he was unable to rescue the others. The cause of the crash was never determined. The other victims of the crash were four members of the Bar-Kays—guitarist Jimmy King, tenor saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell, and drummer Carl Cunningham; their valet, Matthew Kelly; and the pilot Fraser.

Redding's body was recovered the next day when the lake was searched.[87] The family postponed the funeral from December 15, to December 18, so that more could attend,[76] and 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. Redding was entombed at his ranch in Round Oak, about twenty miles (30 km) north of Macon.[88] Jerry Wexler delivered the eulogy.[89] Redding died just three days after re-recording "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," and was survived by Zelma and four children, Otis III, Dexter, Demetria, and Karla.[72] On November 8, 1987, a memorial plaque was placed on the lakeside deck of the Madison convention center, Monona Terrace.[91]

"Respect is something Otis achieved for himself in a way few people do. Otis sang 'Respect when I come home.' And Otis has come home."

-Eulogy delivered by Jerry Wexler.[89]

Posthumous releases and proposed recordings and television appearances

"(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was released in January 1968. It became Redding's only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the first posthumous number-one single in U.S. chart history.[92] It sold approximately four million copies worldwide and received more than eight million airplays.[93][94] The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach the top spot on the UK Albums Chart.[95]

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. 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 label.[96] 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).[96] 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 Historic Performances Recorded At The Monterey International Pop Festival, a Reprise Records release featuring some of the live performances at the festival by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on side one and Redding on side two.[97]

Redding had at least two television appearances booked for 1968; one on The Ed Sullivan Show and the other on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

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.[98] 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.[99] All seven sets from his three-day residency at the venue were released as Live at the Whisky a Go Go: The Complete Recordings in 2016,[100] a 6-CD box set that won a Grammy Award for Best Album Notes.[101]

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.[52] Another suggestion was to record an album entirely consisting of country standards.[102]

 

Style

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."[107] 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." 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". Booker T. Jones described Redding's singing as energetic and emotional but said that his vocal range was limited, reaching neither low nor high notes. Peter Buckley, in 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".

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. 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.

 

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 Simms, Rodgers, Huckaby, Phil Walden, and Cropper. During his recovery from his throat operation, Redding wrote about 30 songs in two weeks. Redding was the sole copyright holder on all of his songs.

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". The website of the Songwriters 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's 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." The Songwriters Hall of Fame website adds that "glorified exaltation indeed was an apt description of Otis Redding's songwriting and singing style." 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."

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". 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.

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)" captures his habit of humming with the horn section.

Legacy

Redding has been called the "King of Soul",[117] an honorific also given to Brown[118] and Cooke.[119][120][121] He remains one of the genre's most recognized artists. His lean and powerful style exemplified the Stax sound;[110][122][123] he was said to be "the heart and soul of Stax",[124] while artists such as Al Jackson, Dunn and Cropper helped to expand its structure.[123] His open-throated singing,[122] the tremolo/vibrato, the manic, electrifying stage performances[125] and perceived honesty were particular hallmarks, along with the use of interjections (such as "gotta, gotta, gotta"), some of which came from Cooke.[69][124] Producer Stewart thought the "begging singing" was stress-induced and enhanced by Redding's shyness.[112] His LP releases earned him recognition from music critic Robert Christgau as "one of soul's few reliable long-form artists"; Christgau deems Otis Blue his "first great album",[126] and Mat Snow regards it as an early indication of the album era, in which the LP would overtake singles in commercial and artistic importance.[127]

Along with soul and R&B, Redding's contributions to rock music have been noted by music scholars, particularly the "black rock" performed by his contemporaries Wilson Pickett and Sly and the Family Stone.[128] "His musical palette, a cosmic alloy of gospel and blues, hammered into a gritty but elegant template by both black and white musicians, remodeled soul and rock and anchored the most infectious native music America had heard since the big bands", wrote biographer Mark Ribowsky.[129] Artists from many genres have named Redding as a musical influence. George Harrison called "Respect" an inspiration for "Drive My Car".[130] The Rolling Stones also mentioned Redding as a major influence.[131][132] Other artists influenced by Redding include Led Zeppelin,[133][134] Grateful Dead,[135] Lynyrd Skynyrd,[136] the Doors,[135] and virtually every soul and R&B musician from the early years, such as Al GreenEtta James,[41] William Bell,[135] Aretha FranklinMarvin Gaye and Conley.[137] Janis Joplin was influenced by his singing style, according to Sam Andrew, a guitarist in her band Big Brother and the Holding Company. She stated that she learned "to push a song instead of just sliding over it" after hearing Redding.[138]

The Bee GeesBarry Gibb and Robin Gibb wrote the song "To Love Somebody" for Redding to record. He loved it, and he was going to "cut it", as Barry put it, on his return from his final concert. They dedicated the song to his memory.

 

          My Account

                     I was unable to recall the exact time I met Otis but this article tells me he appeared at Whiskey a Go Go {Sunset Blvd Hollywood} April 1966 for 3 nights – it must have been then.  I do NOT recall seeing him on stage. Maybe I tried & couldn’t get in – it was a small place, don’t think it held more than 200 at most.  It was right on the corner of Sunset & what?  And I knew all or most of the stars who worked this place & nearby stayed at this hotel which was but walking distance away –I can’t recall it’s name, but I think it was like ‘Ciros’ or some name starting with C with like 4 letters.  This area was known to me intimately as I worked a lot across the street, very close, at what was the biggest club in Hollywood – the old Jerry Lewis Club renamed ‘The Classic Cat’ with female dancers on one big & two small stages.  There my name was in lights. 

Back story of my dancing videos. These videos are from 2008 - I was 63 years old.  They don't look like much but consider this:  I had just decided to obey God, who told me to 'stop suffering, quit the celibacy, have fun.'  It wasn't what I planned, but I tried to obey the best I could.  Toward going out, dating, I was fat & I was ashamed & felt inferior being close to 200 lbs.  I had not dated since May 1978 & also not danced for 20 years.  And so, over a few months I lost 40 lbs - which is me here at about 160.  I look chubby, but from where I came from it was a big improvement.  Next, my dancing was totally rusty - I had no confidence there whatsoever.  So I started practicing.  These videos are me after losing 40 lbs & here I am trying to get back my dancing skills.  In view of this, you might give me  handicap & say it's not so bad after all.




         My husband died months before that.  Yes, I recall living in a house in Pacific Palisades after he died.  We had been at 16525 Sunset Blvd, 3rd floor building, middle apt with a lovely large balcony & view {which cost around $160 then, today’s bread would be $1,323 - 2021} where he died in front of me.  I got evicted months after that because the guy I hired {gay black dancer named Mr Wiggles – he stole the name from a stripper named ‘Miss Wiggles’} to teach me his dance steps {for a time} lived with me & while I was working he blasted the radio so loud the man downstairs complained.  The man said he slept in the day, worked at night, & couldn’t sleep for the music.  {Really?  I think the landlord just wanted to throw me out because Wiggles was black.}

          I found a modest house for rent nearby; for I think $180 a month {$1,489 in 2021} – It was not furnished & did not even have a fridge.  I was a novice at buying things – got a huge used refrigerator for $400 {today $3,308—the salesman laughed all the way to the bank – the fridge standing in my house in 2021 is brand new & cost only $200} & I recall clearly standing in the kitchen of that house with Marlena, her describing my appearance to Otis Redding to get him to cancel his plane & meet me.

          I called the hotel I suppose, took a chance, asked for him & he was there.  He had to get to a plane fairly soon but Marlena said,

          “You have to meet Kellie.  This is what she looks like.”  She described my looks – all I remember is she saying I was exotic & how shapely my body was.  In those days I wore custom-made suits of the finest material – Marlena made them.  That’s how I met her.

  As soon as husband died I went to work in Santa Monica, a private club called ‘The Ball.’  Marlena was there discussing clothing with a dancer / waitress {all the waitresses had to dance topless between shifts} that’s how I met her, so now the timeline makes sense.

Otis decided I was worth canceling a plane for & was at the hotel.  I got dressed in my custom-made Cashmere beige suit with the brown fur collar, high heels {I usually wore suits or dresses with heels everywhere I went} & was ready to impress.

We enter a huge suite.  What stood out is the fat hanger-on in tux I had seen before – he was around when I visited James Brown – now he’s here with Otis {I met James within months after my husband died, I realize now looking at the time table}.  I also saw him later in Las Vegas, the same tuxedo, just hanging around the gaming tables staring like he was relevant to it – obviously penniless – just watching & wishing someone would send him on an errand for a large tip.  He was a stalker wherever there was a chance of getting something.

 There were MANY people like that.  I met two losers while visiting James.  One of them took pictures of James & tried to sell them to me later for a huge price – they were awful with James sitting on a table, a doc had a needle & tube in his arm, sending some kind of liquid into his body, probably due to exhaustion {why did he let this punk take photos?}  The other pulled a scam on me & almost raped me – but I got away.  That tale will be told later.

So tuxedoed fatty is trying to sell something to Otis for a large price - $8 a pop {$66 in 2021}.  It’s earrings – he got gold wire {he says real gold, bullshyt} – with hooks for pierced ears - where he takes a plier & fashions the name ‘Otis’ out of it.  It’s clever, but the price is too high.  Otis argues with him about it, declines the trinkets.  Otis would make no profit, he’d be giving these things away to fans, like me I guess.  I felt he should give it a go if the price was right – but fatso wouldn’t budge.

Tubby takes me aside & tells me Otis has a 13” dick.  Ha ha, wonder how he makes the blood go into the end.  That was an inducement for me to bed Otis in the next room –the plan.  He would have had to have a large bottle of Vaseline to get it in – if it’s true – probably exaggerating. 

OK so what else happens?  It’s basically pitter patter about lay down & give it to him.  I’m slow to respond because I feel embarrassed & put upon.  Let’s face it; this is crude exploitation.  He did not even try to seduce me. 

He could have said,

 “Hey Kellie, how about my taking you to dinner tonight, we spend the night together & I catch my plane in the morning”?

 We could have a romantic dinner – even if it was room service, with drinks or wine.  I suggested it but he begged time being short.  Nothing was offered – just I’m the big star, you’re here, so lay me.

 That was all there was to it.  I felt depressed over the situation & as Marilyn & I were leaving, here comes this little tomboy of a girl, entering the suite.  I thought,

 “Is this my replacement?  I said no, so the next fan that called, he asked her to come up for a bang – not even knowing what she looked like!” 

This girl was about 5’ tall, all of 100 lbs. Her hair was cut like a boy’s; she had no shape, was wearing a leather suede jacket with fringe, not stylish, a dull color, a boy’s body. This increased my depression – that within moments of my refusal this comes along, & she’ll do? 

So Marlena & I are waiting by the valet for my car {a white Corvette, “58 with manual steering I loved} when tomboy appears.  He was already done with her, either he dismissed her for lack of appeal or the bang took 60 seconds.  End of story.  

This begs for some channeling.  Otis appeared to me a few years ago, when I was looking at his picture with longing.  He was suddenly here, & said to me,

“I really turn you on, don’t I?”

I was so embarrassed, even though he’s in spirit.  I said yes.  And he told me,

“I will stay with you & help you until you find the right man.”  {Can’t recall exact words.  It was when I started stepping out as a cougar which was 2008}.  I shall ask him – did you lay that boy-girl?

 

OR {Otis Redding}:  Decidedly not.  I wouldn’t stoop that low.

ME:  Why weren’t you nicer to me, more seductive, to persuade me to stay & make love?

OR:  I didn’t have the finesse or skill.  That takes a con man or pimp, in our culture. -  I wasn’t like that, just a plain ole’ farm boy.

ME:  That explains why you ‘Can’t Get no Satisfaction’, haha.

OR:  Indeed

ME:  You cancelled a plane to meet me.  How did you feel when I left?

OR:  I was disappointed but you did the right thing, as I would have just used you & there would have been no more contact.  You kept your dignity as a woman.

ME:  Even though you died way too young, how do you feel about the music legacy you left behind?

OR:  I did a lot for my age.  It was meant to be for me to die, I could not have proved any more than I did.  Life on earth is suffering.  I left behind a great deal of beautiful songs.  You love listening to them & seeing me perform.  I did what I had to do & God took me away.

ME:  How do you think I have fared in my life, have I done most of what I needed to do?

OR:  You sure did.  What woman did all you did?  Hardly any.  But you have not received your rewards, only a tiny speck of them.  The rewards are coming.  You will be a star again, name in lights, bundles of money.

ME:  Will I be happy in my love life?  I never have you know.

OR:  You sure will be, I helped you find the man.  You’ll be with him soon & you’ll both be happy.  Better days are coming, you will live longer than that doctor predicted, a ripe old age, your heart will hold out, you will get better, not worse.

ME:  What will my legacy consist of?

OR:  You will have left behind examples for women to be bold, honest, truthful, fight for their rights, hold their heads up high & take over the family & the world.  Many women will follow you & many men will serve them, it’s a fine legacy.

ME:  Thanks a lot Otis.  See you in Heaven.  Or I should say I’m seeing you now, on earth – you’ve been close to me for a long time.  See you here & There.

PS  The blues turned into rhythm & blues, then rock’n’roll, now hip hop & rap.  Do you have any advise for the youngsters of today about them & their musical aspirations?

OR:  Tell them to hang on no matter what & also – get a day job.  The music business will not bring fame & fortune to everyone.  Study the teachings of Jesus & the great saints of all religions.  See how they fared, their patience, forgiveness, persistence in good & most of all their FAITH.  Fame & fortune is not the ticket to Heaven, love is.  Be part of the ‘Love Crowd.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfrEwPA7ung

 

ME:  That Monterey Pop Festival 1967 was incredible, & it took you to another level.  You were another level, you beat them all, as far as I’m concerned, & I loved James Brown, but you were as good as he in your performance.  What do you think of your accomplishment at the Festival?



OR:  It was a MILESTOWN.  One of the most important places I appeared.  Also my work on English TV was the tops.  I did a lot in my short life span, I was lucky.  I gained both fame & fortune, it was enough.  Just 26 years old & I was a legend, not bad for an innocent country boy from the South.

ME:  This is my PS as far as who was ‘the greatest’ as a man.  You’ll see I met & dated a lot of black stars; Otis was #1 as far as sex appeal.

James Brown I’d put as #2 but it wasn’t his looks & sex appeal, it was his dynamic energy.  Otis had all of it, looks, sex appeal, & dynamics on stage.  Like James Brown, he RADIATED great energy from within – which makes a STAR.

Where this comes from, I believe, is the HEART.  And Otis, like Secretariat, - at the Belmont Stakes did not win by a nose, but by 31 lengths in the greatest race of all time – gaining the Triple Crown!  People SCREAMED & CRIED, the jockey, looking back, couldn’t believe his eyes how far back the rest of the horses were.

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          To Compare Otis Redding to the great race Horse Secretariat, I found this:

“Secretariat’s heart was estimated to be a whopping 22 pounds. The possible secret behind the enormous size is the X Factor, a term coined by Marianna Haun. In Haun took the ‘X Factor’ to the nth degree, Mark Simon of The Daily Racing Form, remembers Haun and her dedication to this theory: 

“Marianna had learned that Secretariat had an unusually large heart – estimated at 22 pounds, while the average Thoroughbred heart is 8.5 pounds. This tremendous cardiovascular system, pumping oxygen into his lungs at an abnormally high rate, was clearly a source of his stamina and power. Though Marianna did not possess a scientific background she wondered if it was genetic, and began looking into it – learning that Australian researchers had studied heart size 40 years earlier and had concluded it was passed along the X chromosome. But their research never gained traction here and they never linked it to specific horses in North America.

In February 1994, she wrote a piece for Thoroughbred Times entitled The X Factor, which suggested that the large heart traces to a single mare, Pocahontas, born in England in 1837, heralding back to the great sire Eclipse. The article went into detail on the theory, examining all available research to that time, and why it was so important to the breeding world. It was a very good article.” 

Haun’s first book, The X Factor, What it is & how to find it: The Relationship Between Inherited Heart Size and Racing Performance, was published in 1997. This was followed up by Understanding the Power of the X Factor in 2001, and Solving the Mystery of Secretariat’s Heart in 2013. Haun passed away February 12, 2016, but her firstsecond, and third books can still be purchased. 

The third book is aimed to help breeders reproduce a heart similar to Secretariat’s by breeding bloodlines that follow the X Factor pattern. While Secretariat was able to produce a Thriving Legacy, including 1986 Horse of the Year Lady’s Secret, he never replicated himself. 

https://www.horseracingnation.com/news/The_Tremendous_Size_of_Secretariat_s_Heart_123

 

*** RASA SAYS:  I saw a documentary {above} which explained Secretariat got his heart size FROM HIS MOTHER & this was passed down only through the genes of the FEMALE & therefore, Secretariat COULD NOT pass down his huge heart to his offspring.  Secretariat &  Sham – who also had a HUGE HEART {18 lbs} & won races – in fact, raced against Secretariat & did well – even being 2nd to Secretariat – both had the same Damsire {Princequilla} – Secretariat’s heart was estimated to be 21-22 lbs.

 Of course the heart here is a SYMBOL.  I’m talking about the spiritual heart of Otis Redding who called his audience in Monterey ‘The Love Crowd.’ ***

 


 

Back to Otis:

OK then, as a woman who has seen a lot, done a lot, my opinion in the Triple Crown Race of the black musical stars I knew is Otis Redding.  The competitions consist of {1} Looks {2} Masculine Sex Appeal {3} Talent with Dynamic Performance……

And in all three races put together, Otis wins by a long shot, 31 lengths you might say, like Secretariat at the Belmont. Brown is up there, equaling the ‘time’ of Otis in the third race, but in the first two, Otis has him beat.

Shall I add who were the biggest losers?  I already stated Larry Williams & O.C. Smith were nags.  Add to that, I will discuss later, Joe Tex & Jackie Wilson.

There are other stars I will not give accounts of, whom I dated, because they’re still alive.  I don’t want to get SUED.  People can sue for frivolous reasons.  It’s happened to me twice.  I was sued by Ms Universe Inc & they got an injunction against me for the title ‘Ms Nude Universe’.  Then a male model sued me on a frivolous charge for 20 million!  I won of course but the deal dragged on for a year & a half, my attorney charged $300 an hour & at the end I had wasted $20k!  So no matter what, a person doesn’t want to get sued! 

One of these guys is way past his prime, if he dies before I finish this Encyclopedia, I will give the account.  I’m safe with the people I write about because most of them are dead – you can’t be sued by a dead person nor can anyone sue you about them.  Since I was young & most famous guys I dated were older – I am now 76 – most have passed. Telling the truth does not make you impervious to a lawsuit – take my word for that. {End Chapter 4}










 

1 comment:

  1. This one came excellent as usual, Rasa. Very interesting and with great artwork and of course plenty of fuzzies. I will be sure to share it.

    I have heard of Otis Redding and his music, especially "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," which is still quite frequently played on the radio to this day. Very talented indeed.

    Best wishes and keep up the great work,

    Ajax

    ReplyDelete