Otis Redding: Try a Little Tenderness

by Geoff Brown

Otis Redding's definitive southern soul voice resonates down the years as a thing of profound beauty and unfathomable emotional depth. His unique vocal delivery gave Motown's pop artists a run for their money, while his stage presence matched pioneering funk magus -- and fellow Georgia native -- James Brown for sheer entertainment value. Crucial to the success of the Stax label, Otis quickly rose from obscurity to mainstream crossover fame, thanks chiefly to his dizzying performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. In this, the first serious book on the soul legend, Geoff Brown talks to Stax illuminati Booker T. Jones, Isaac Hayes, and David Porter, plus many others, about Redding's tragically brief life and incredible talent.

Genres: Biography, Music, Nonfiction

170 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Katie Hull · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good on a factual level, but not an especially interesting read! Great to find out about Otis’ life, but it was much too “this happened, then this happened, then this happened” for it to be much of an enjoyable read. A wonderful man who made wonderful music all the same.

[Seán · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite readable, though not the best in the series.

"Oh, I look like I'm down in my luck,
Please send faith to help pick me up.
I've lived this way so many years, Ol' Man Trouble.

Please wash away all my fears.
Help me."