Happy Birthday Otis Redding: Live At Monterey Pop In 1967
By Andy Kahn Sep 9, 2016 • 10:42 am PDT
One of the greatest vocalists to ever record music, Otis Redding was born 75 years ago today. The singular sounding soul singer was just 26-years-old when a plane he was in crashed outside of Madison, Wisconsin the night of December 9, 1967. His tragic death cut short a career that showed boundless promise, leaving behind an unparalleled and revered body of work.
“He took a song and just kicked your ass with it – he just made funk out of it,” is how Booker T. & The M.G.’s and Stax Records session bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn accurately assessed Redding’s approach. His renditions of songs like “(Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay,” “These Arms of Mine” and “Try a Little Tenderness” hold up decades later as some of the most captivating and authentic recordings ever made.
Otis was also an equally captivating presence on the live stage. Perhaps has best-known performance was at the famed Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967. Donning a signature green suit, Redding appeared on June 17 – the second day of the three-day event that also featured The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and many others – backed by Booker T. & The M.G.’s and The Mar-Keys horns. Redding delivered such favorites as “Respect” and “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” as well as a cover of The Rolling Stones’ hit “Satisfaction.”
Watch Otis in action just months before his untimely death via the video highlights of the electrifying set below:
