Recommendations of the Editorial team
We saw Otis Redding for the first time in 1964. He was the driver of Johnny Jenkins and the Pinetoppers from Macon, Georgia. They had a little hit with “Love Twist”, an instrumental, and wanted to record the successor with my band Booker T. & The MGS.
I saw this big guy, the exit, went to the rear of the bus and began to discharge the equipment. That was Otis Redding. And we had no idea that he was also a singer. At that time, the instrumental bands always had a singer with them so that they could play the hits from the radio to which the kids wanted to dance.
At the end of the session we had a few more minutes, and Al Jackson, our drummer, said: “The guy that Johnny has with him – he wants to sing us.” Booker had already said goodbye, so I sat down on the piano. I don’t play very much. Otis said: “Just play this church thing like this.”
He meant Triolen. I said, “What key?” He said, “It doesn’t matter.” Then he started singing, “thesis arms of mine”. And I got goose bumps. Jim (Stewart, co -owner of Stax) came in and screamed: “This is! That is! Where are everyone? We have to record it!”
So I grabbed all the musicians who had not yet broken up to their evening gigs and we took up on the spot. If you hear something that is better than anything you have ever heard, then you know.
And we all agreed that we were dealing with something special here.
We almost broke the tape afterwards. “THESE ARMS OF MINE” became Otings Reddings Erste Hitisingle – the first of 17 in a row. Otis was gently like Sam Cooke and Harsch like Little Richard and a very independent guy.
After his death, I was amazed that we were the same old
It was also fun to be with him – always 100 % full of energy. So many singers were in business for too long – with all respect. Frustrated and bitter because they had always been treated badly.
Otis wasn’t like that. I have never met someone who had no prejudices at all. Everything about him was great: his body, his talent, the prudence with which he saw others. After his death, I was astonished that we were the same. All the years I had always looked at him like a big brother.
When I worked with Otis, it was my job to help him get his songs ready. He had so many ideas – I just had to pick one and say: “Let’s do it!” And we worked almost every night.
I miss it
“I Can’t Turn You Loose” consisted of a reef that I had already used on a few pieces of the MGS. Otis had provided it with a few brass within ten minutes. A reef and a stanza that Otis sings over and over again. That’s all. He was all about feeling and expression.
I miss Otis Redding. I miss him today as it was shortly after we lost it. I was once at the lake in Madison, Wisconsin, where the commemorative badge is. The best explanation I read was that his plane missed the runway and had to circle over the lake – and then the wings iced.
That was on December 10, 1967. Since then I have had great difficulty to listen to his music. Too many memories come up – and only good ones, except for the last.