American singer and composer Otis Ray Redding Jr. was born on September 9, 1941, and passed away on December 10, 1967.
He is a brilliant vocalist in the annals of American popular music and a pioneer of rhythm and blues and soul. The gospel music that came before the genre served as Redding’s musical inspiration, earning him the moniker “King of Soul.” Many other 1960s soul performers were impacted by his singing style.
Who was with Otis Redding when he died?
On December 10, 1967, the private jet carrying soul music icon Otis Redding would, however, crash into the icy waters of a tiny lake three miles short of the airstrip, killing seven of the eight men on board, including Redding. A few weeks later, “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay,” with Redding’s whistled line appearing essential to the now-classic song, would be published in its “unfinished” version. The largest pop song of Redding’s career and the first posthumous #1 hit in history, it rose to fame quickly.
The reason for the collision was never identified. Four members of the Bar-Kays—guitarist Jimmy King, tenor saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell, and drummer Carl Cunningham—along with their valet, Matthew Kelly, and the pilot Fraser were all killed in the accident in addition to Redding.
