Quick Facts
- Date: September 9, 1941
- Birthplace: Dawson, Georgia
- Memphis connection: Unscheduled audition and first recordings at Stax Records (Memphis) in October 1962; debut hit was “These Arms of Mine”
- Key figures: Otis Redding; Jim Stewart (Stax co-owner); Stax house band Booker T. & the M.G.’s
- Milestone performance: Monterey Pop Festival, 1967
- Died: December 10, 1967, near Madison, Wisconsin
Main Story
In Memphis history, few birthdays resonate like September 9, 1941—the day Otis Ray Redding Jr. was born in Dawson, Georgia. Redding’s road to the 901 ran through an unplanned moment at 926 E. McLemore Avenue. In October 1962, after driving guitarist Johnny Jenkins to a session at Stax Records, Redding was invited to use the remaining studio time. Backed by the Stax crew, he sang “These Arms of Mine,” a performance that secured his recording contract and launched a run of era-defining Memphis soul sides. The single’s success introduced a voice whose sincerity, grit, and gospel-inflected phrasing became central to the Stax sound—and to the identity of the Bluff City.
Working with Booker T. & the M.G.’s and the Stax horn players, Redding recorded a string of charting releases through the mid-1960s. His stature grew beyond R&B audiences to international acclaim, culminating in a breakthrough set at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. Though his life ended tragically that December, his recordings—cut in Memphis—continued to reach new listeners, affirming Stax’s place alongside Beale Street as a pillar of American music culture.
Legacy
Redding’s birthday is a reminder that Memphis soul is a collaborative craft rooted in community—artists, producers, and musicians who forged something singular on McLemore Avenue. His records remain staples of the city’s soundtrack and a touchstone for visitors exploring Soulsville U.S.A., Beale Street, and the wider 901. The Stax Museum and its educational programs keep that legacy active, connecting new generations to the sound Redding helped define—and to the civic story it tells about Memphis, the Bluff City.
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