Otis Redding

The Profile

American soul singer-songwriter and performer known as the King of Soul. A central figure at Stax/Volt in the 1960s, he authored and interpreted classics including Respect, Try a Little Tenderness, and (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay. He died in a plane crash in 1967 at age 26.

Recorded for Stax/Volt in Memphis with Booker T. & the M.G.’s and the Stax horns; frequent collaborator Steve Cropper co-wrote (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay. Signature songs include Respect, I’ve Been Loving You Too Long, and Try a Little Tenderness. Died December 10, 1967, in a plane crash near Madison, Wisconsin.

Two reviews hail Otis at his peak: The Dock of the Bay as near-perfect and Otis Blue as a masterclass in soul phrasing and Cooke tributes. Live in Europe earns a tempered nod—energetic but rushed—with I’ve Been Loving You Too Long singled out. Across the board: voice, horns, and Steve Cropper’s guitar get praise. His 1967 plane-crash death at 26 shadows the acclaim.