Otis Redding’s son, Otis Redding III, died at the age of 59. Redding had become a celebrated artist in his own right after following his father into music.
Videos by American Songwriter
Redding’s family confirmed that cancer was the cause of his death earlier this week. “It is with heavy hearts that the family of Otis Redding III confirms that he lost his battle with cancer last evening at Atrium Health Navicent in Macon, Ga,” Redding’s sister, Karla Redding-Andrews, wrote on Facebook. “Otis was 59 years old. Please keep our family in your prayers at this time and please respect our privacy as we consume this huge loss. Arrangements will be announced at a later date.”
Redding was most known for the funk outfit he formed with his brother, Dexter, called The Reddings. The band garnered success in the ’80s, earning 11 chart entries across the decade. Their biggest hit, “Remote Control,” peaked at No. 6 on the Hot Black Singles Chart (now known as the R&B chart). The vocal group also delivered a beloved cover of their father’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.”
Elsewhere he played guitar in the backing band of fellow Stax artist Eddie Floyd. Aside from his own musical pursuits, Redding worked closely with his family’s foundation to hold music-centric summer camps for children.
Like most children of musical icons, Redding’s work was somewhat overshadowed by his father’s contributions. Instead of pushing against his father’s legacy, the younger Reddings leaned into it, bringing his biggest hits back to audiences all over the country.
“I go ahead and do what people want, and I live with it,” he once told WCSH-TV in Portland, Maine (per The New York Times). “I don’t put myself mentally under any pressure to go begging for record deals.”
He reiterated that sentiment in the publicity material for The Redding’s debut album, writing, “We can be walking down the street and meet someone. An ordinary meeting, you know. Then we tell them our last name and they say ‘No, that can’t be. You’ve got to be kidding.’
“Then after half an hour of explaining that we are who we say we are, it takes another 30 minutes for the person to tell us about seeing or hearing our father and how much it meant to them,” he continued. “It doesn’t bother us. We’re proud of it. It just means we have a standard to live up to.”
Photo by Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.