Dear Dartmouth

An Undergraduate Publication

Otis Redding: A Dream to Remember

(IN)Justice, Arts, Music | 0 comments

Written by Abby Smith

Dear Dartmouth, 

Stage presence, engaging lyrics, interesting melodies, and an interesting, exceptional voice. As a singer and songwriter, Otis Redding practically had it all. He was just one quality short of rocketing to fame: he wasn’t white in the Jim Crow south, putting him at an unjust disadvantage when trying to make a mark in the music industry. Black artists like Redding had to work harder and be better to be just as successful as their white counterparts. So, Otis Redding’s career is an important focus for study because it is revealing of the racial dynamics of the music industry in the Jim Crow era. The obstacles he faced are similar to the experiences of all Black musicians at the time, but his success is even more informative of the ridiculously high standards a Black musician had to meet in order to enter popular culture and compete with inferior white artists. His song, “The Dock of the Bay” hitting number one on the mainstream Billboard charts after his death showed that he was ready to compete and was set to win.

For me, Otis Redding’s lost potential is poignant for a myriad of reasons. Growing up in Redding’s hometown of Macon, Georgia, we live our lives as if he never died. People refer to him as “Otis,” as if we know him personally. The way people talk about his voice and deeply personal and engaging music, we all almost feel like we do. Everyone knows of his family and we all do double-takes when seeing one of his sons or grandsons, because they look just like him. His family is also known for their charity work, especially their songwriting camp that Redding dreamed of starting when he was alive. Otis Redding’s spirit is alive and well in Macon, Georgia, but that is because he is one of our own, which brings me to why I want to talk about his career in the first place.

To start, it is best to understand the broader context within which Otis Redding’s career happened. In the music industry, race and success are intricately woven together. The sounds and styles of Black music were often pushed aside until white artists used them for their own gain. Black musicians were kept on the R&B charts, and those who were able to reach white audiences made up a small, profoundly talented group. American music has been greatly influenced by Black musicians, even if they were not always at the limelight. For example, we can connect the influences of Motown music to artists such as Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones, or the influences of gospel on Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Simply put, had Otis Redding lived and continued the momentum of his career, he would have crossed the racial barrier that existed in music at the time and would have become even more famous than he is now.

At the time of his death due to a plane crash in 1967, Otis, having overcome the racial obstacles that made his rise to fame difficult, was on the brink of, “superstardom” with both white and Black audiences, as seen from his success at the Monterey Pop Festival, critical acclaim in the international press, and a secret deal with Atlantic Records with unprecedented pay and artistic control for a Black musician. Otis Redding’s career was special because of his achievements and potential, but also because of what he means to the greater history of Black music in America. By observing Otis Redding’s career, one can observe the macros and micros of the music industry in the Jim Crow south that are often only analyzed on a large scale.

Graphic and playlist featuring Otis Redding’s works by Abby Smith

While we’ll never know what could have been due to the tragic events of Otis Redding’s life, I would say that I have seen first-hand that in death he has been a success as well. The impact of the music programs founded in his honor in my community cannot be understated. The Otis Redding Foundation has helped revitalize the downtown of Macon, Georgia and has supported Black-owned businesses. It has put on cultural events honoring Redding and his musical peers and has introduced children and teenagers in the community to music, raising a new generation of talented musicians and empowering them to navigate the music industry in a way that protects them from being taken advantage of as other artists living in Otis Redding’s time may have been, so I encourage readers to check out the Foundation’s website and donate if they can. While I will always wish the whole world got to know Otis Redding the way my community and I do, I rejoice in knowing his legacy continues in such a positive and constructive way in his home of Macon, Georgia.

Yours,

Abby

 

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