Otis Ray Redding, Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter,
record producer,
arranger, and
talent scout. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American
popular music and a seminal artist in
soul music and
rhythm and blues. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the
1960s. During his lifetime, his recordings were produced by
Stax Records, based in
Memphis, Tennessee, and exemplify the sound of Stax.