American Legends: The Life of Otis Redding

By: Charles River Editors

Narrated by: Dennis Logan

"If you want to be a singer, you've got to concentrate on it 24 hours a day. You can't be a well driller, too. You've got to concentrate on the business of entertaining and writing songs. Always think different from the next person. Don't ever do a song as you heard somebody else do it." (Otis Redding)

A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, listeners can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.

At a time when the studios of Motown were turning out one sophisticated, well-groomed artist after another, reinforced by the latest studio technology and benefitting from a powerful marketing system, a parallel industry of more traditionally grounded soul music was also thriving, much of it in the city of Memphis, as represented by artists such as Otis Redding and Stax Records, the label with which Redding would eventually create six studio albums, 30 singles, worldwide fame, and a stellar musical legacy.

To some the Stax Records model may have lagged behind Motown in terms of modernity, with its adherence to older musical and technological modes, but in actuality Otis Redding and his musical circle represented a preservation movement of sorts and "exemplified to many listeners the power of Southern 'deep soul' - hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, and an emotional way with both party tunes and aching ballads". Such was the perfect conduit for an artist like Otis Redding, who felt compelled by the lifelong urge to sing, years before his dreams of a professional life would ever be realized.

©2012- Charles River Editors (P)2015 Charles River Editors

Engaging Listen

Otis Redding was always one of my favorite artists. For a short biography it was pretty good, I learned some things about his life that I did not know. He was only 26 yo when he died, way too young, like many other artists of his time. He had his whole life, wife, kids and career ahead of him. Dennis Logan did an admirable job narrating.

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

American Legends: The Life of Otis Redding
By: Charles River Editors

This is a nice short biography of Otis Redding. It was interesting to learn some things about this soul artist. I love "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay." A taltent gone too soon, at age 26. I will look for more from Charles River Editors.

The narration was well done after I adjusted the speed by +1/4. That is my personal taste.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

A honorable sensational musician

It was great listening to the humble success of such a great musician of my time ‼️