Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

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It is always sad when a singer dies because we have gotten to know his songs and to know him or her through their songs. The only compensation is that their music lives on. So it was with Otis Redding who had just finished a recording session in Memphis, Tennessee. He was headed for a TV appearance in Cleveland, Ohio followed by a concert in Madison, Wisconsin. On December 19, 1967 the private plane with legendary soul-singer Otis Redding was approaching its destination when it crashed into a small lake. Redding was killed at the age of 26. His song “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay” became the first posthumous number one hit to be released. Ironically it also became the biggest pop hit of Redding’s career but he was gone. Redding was having great success in the six month leading up to his death. Aretha Franklin recorded a cover version of his song “Respect” which made it to the number one spot on the charts. He became an icon after his legendary live performance at the Monterey International Pop Festival and he was a giant in the world of soul music. He was an exciting singer with great singles like “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and “I Can’t Turn You Loose”. He recorded soulful renditions of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and “Try a Little Tenderness” and it was this song that brought the house down in Monterey. Any Otis Redding fans out there?