September 9, 2016 would have been Otis Redding’s 75th birthday. Redding died in 1967 just as his talents were connecting with a broader audience, but he left behind a great legacy of music. Let’s go through the best songs from the albums released during his lifetime, and a couple of the key posthumous releases.
album: Pain in My Heart
year: 1964
don’t miss: “Pain in My Heart,” “That’s What My Heart Needs“
album: The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads
year: 1965
don’t miss: “That’s How Strong My Love Is,” “Mr. Pitiful“
album: Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
year: 1965
don’t miss: “Respect,” “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” “Shake“
album: The Soul Album
year: 1966
don’t miss: “Scratch My Back,” “634-5789“
album: Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul
year: 1966
don’t miss: “Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song),” “Try a Little Tenderness“
album: King & Queen (by Otis Redding & Carla Thomas)
year: 1967
don’t miss: “Tramp,” “Ooh Carla, Ooh Otis“
album: The Dock of the Bay
year: 1968
don’t miss: “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay“
album: The Immortal Otis Redding
year: 1968
don’t miss: “Hard to Handle“