Otis Redding seemed to come and go in a blinding flash.
Born in Dawson, Georgia, in 1941, he had a rough road to stardom. His father suffered from tuberculosis and was frequently ill and his family suffered.
Redding found music early, working for Little Richard in his backup band The Upsetters, as a 15-year-old teenager. He had his first hit in 1962 with These Arms Of Mine.
Over the next five years, he basically became the greatest soul singer of his era and possibly of all time. His hits include Try a Little Tenderness, I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, These Arms of Mine, That’s How Strong My Love Is, Respect (he playfully called Aretha Franklin “that little girl who stole my song”), a stunning cover of The Rolling Stones classic Satisfaction, and his final hit, Sittin’ On The Dock Of A Bay.