Otis Redding - It's Not Just Sentimental (1992)

For decades it was presumed by fans that the posthumous Otis Redding (acoustic guitar/vocals) studio platters The Dock of the Bay (1968), The Immortal Otis Redding (1968), Love Man (1969), and Tell the Truth (1970) had uncovered all the hidden and unreleased treasures from Redding's heartbreakingly brief yet appreciatively prolific career. Thankfully, archivist Roger Armstrong -- who is perhaps best known for his outstanding contributions to the U.K.-based Ace Records reissue imprint -- discovered nearly two dozen additional remnants and presents them on this single-disc anthology. As Stax Records authority Rob Bowman points out in his insightful liner notes essay, the label did not keep precise documentation concerning recording session dates and personnel. So, some detective (and possible guess) work was needed when chronologically placing a few of the lesser-known titles. That certainly doesn't detract from the experience of uncovering formerly shelved selections such as the greasy and unmistakable Memphis groove behind "Trick or Treat," or the high-octane horn punctuations on the inaugural take of "Loving by the Pound" that are clearly in the vein of what would turn up as "Respect." To demonstrate the evolutionary processes and the importance of his collaborative relationship with Steve Cropper (guitar) -- a second completely revamped approach rechristened "Pounds and Hundreds (LBs + 100s)" -- is offered midway through the compendium. Another treasure is the oft-rumored rendition of the achingly poignant "I've Got Dreams to Remember" featuring unique lyrics by Redding's wife Zelma Redding. Little Richard's influence is evident on the impassioned overhaul of "Send Me Some Lovin'," which Redding re-forms with an undeniably singular and inspired interpretation. The alternate versions of "Respect," "Open the Door," "Come to Me," "Try a Little Tenderness," and the first two attempts of Redding's swan song, "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," are arguably the most revealing moments on the entire package. Perhaps because the originals are so deeply ingrained in the psyche of Redding devotees, hearing the developmental stages or hearing the songs presented in a foreign context is nothing short of soul music manna. The one item that had been available prior to Remember Me (1992) is the concluding "Stay in School" message that was part of a larger campaign producing the promo-only Stay in School, Don't Be a Dropout long-player. It's a fun and lighthearted way to wrap up one of the best collections for R&B aficionados or the just plain curious 
consumer alike. (Lindsay Planer/AllMusic)

I seem to have forgotten to post this earlier - Any extra Otis is a real treat...so back in 1992 I was quick to grab a CD copy and indulge myself with more of one of my favourite ever vocalists. It doesn't disappoint - Here as flac or mp3@320 - Gus

Otis Redding - The Complete Stax/Volt Singles

Is it really possible that this is the first Otis Redding post? Wow, hard to believe, but I guess I would assume he's one guy EVERYONE would have a lot of. This 2013 set collects all the Stax/Volt singles; most, if not all, are the original mono versions. No matter what you already have in your collection, you still probably need this...after all, it's OTIS!!

" 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 popular music and a major artist in soul and rhythm and blues. His singing style was powerfully influential among soul artists of 1960s and helped exemplify the Stax Sound.

After appearing at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival Redding wrote and recorded the iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts after his death in a plane crash. The Dock of the Bay became the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart.

Born and raised in Georgia, United States, Redding left school at 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and performing at talent shows for prize money. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins' band, the Pinetoppers, and toured the Southern United States as driver and musician. An unscheduled appearance on a Stax recording session led to a contract and his first single, "These Arms of Mine", in 1962. Stax released Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart, two years later.

Initially popular mainly with African Americans, Redding later reached the broader American popular music audience. He and his group first played small gigs in the South, then debuted in the western United States at LA's popular Whisky a Go Go. They later performed in Paris, London and other European cities.

Redding's premature death devastated Stax. Already on the verge of bankruptcy, the label soon discovered that Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire catalog.

Redding received many posthumous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He received the honorific "King of Soul". In addition to "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are among his best known songs."

Hard To Handle - Black America Sings Otis Redding

 Now THIS is a pretty fine compilation!

"Otis Redding was simply one of the finest and most powerful soul singers of all time, and his death in 1967 at the age of 27 not only silenced a gifted artist, it halted a career that seemed poised to break through to major mainstream success after Redding had dominated the R&B charts for several years. However, Redding's considerable gifts as a vocalist and live performer have tended to overshadow his legacy as a songwriter -- he wrote nearly all his best-known tunes, and the earthy but heartfelt emotional immediacy of his songs made them powerful material in his hands, as well as those of other artists. Ace Records have made a compelling case for Otis Redding the songwriter on the compilation Hard to Handle: Black America Sings Otis Redding, which features 24 covers of Redding's compositions from 23 artists (Redding's protégé Arthur Conley gets two numbers), as well as a rare performance by Redding himself. While Aretha Franklin's recording of "Respect" is here (one of the few examples of a singer beating Otis on one of his own tunes), most of the other selections are relatively obscure, but there's plenty of top-shelf talent on deck, including Irma Thomas ("Security"), Percy Sledge ("I've Got Dreams to Remember"), Lou Rawls ("Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa [Sad Song]"), Etta James ("I Got the Will"), and the Staple Singers ("Sitting On the Dock of the Bay"). What's surprising with many of these recordings is how strongly Redding's original performances defined the songs, and how the vocalists and arrangers tend to defer to the originals, even in the case of artists who had strong styles of their own; while most of these singers find something of their own in Redding's songs, his melodic style was so distinct it's hard for anyone to sing something like "These Arms of Mine" or "Hard to Handle" without a bit of Redding showing through (though Judy Clay's transformation of "Mister Pitiful" into "Sister Pitiful" shows admirable spirit). Hard to Handle is a fine testament to the lasting importance of Otis Redding as an artist and a composer, as well as a top-notch collection of deep soul from the '60s into the '80s, indicating how powerful his legacy has been." AMG

The FAME Studios Story 1961 - 1973: Home Of The Muscle Schoals Sound

This 3 disc comp is nothing short of excellent.  The story of FAME is told through the music - from the pop side all the way to the gut bucket r&b side.

A wide range of artists worked with this legendary outfit, but one thing ties them all together... success!!

I'm sure you guys already have alot of these tracks but they made a huge effort to include some rarities;  undoubtedly for the collector types.

Enjoy!!!

Certain studios and labels occupy almost mythical stature in American musical history and FAME Studios, home of the Muscle Shoals sound, is among the elite. During the '60s and into the early '70s, the rotating crew at FAME Studios cranked out single after single, building a legacy that rivals such '60s stalwarts as Motown, Stax/Volt, and Chess, yet despite being the point of origin for such timeless 45s as Wilson Pickett's "Land of 1000 Dances," Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On," Joe Tex's "Hold What You've Got," Etta James' "Tell Mama," Clarence Carter's "Patches," James & Bobby Purify's "I'm Your Puppet," and Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," the label and studio aren't as well known as their peers. Ace's peerless three-disc box The FAME Studios Story: 1961-1973 should go a long way in firming up the label and studio's reputation in the eyes of the mass public. Anchored on those big hits, the compilation tells the story of FAME in exhaustive yet exciting detail, digging up a wealth of rarities (ranging from an unedited acoustic version of "You Left the Water Running" by Otis Redding and a version of "Another Man's Woman, Another Woman's Man" whose singer is unknown to a bunch of singles that rarely pop up on reissues), but this is hardly something for crate-diggers. This is a big, bold set filled with surprises for even seasoned record collectors and much of that has to do with context. Expertly compiled by Alec Palao, Tony Rounce, and Dean Rudland, The FAME Studios Story doesn't shy away from the moments when the Muscle Shoals sound seeped into the mainstream: very early in the set, teen idol Tommy Roe pops up with "Everybody" and toward the end the Osmonds come in with their Jackson 5 knockoff "One Bad Apple" and the revelation is how the FAME musicians gave these teenybopper stars some real swing and funk. That turns out to be the key to the FAME sound -- while Stax/Volt always had grit on the soles of their shoes, FAME was a little lighter, able to ease into slicker crossover material, something that served them well whenever they cranked out some bubblegum or backed Bobbie Gentry or, especially, when they cut effervescent pop-soul/Northern soul singles by Spooner & the Spoons ("Wish You Didn't Have to Go") and David & the Giants ("Ten Miles High"). Which isn't to say FAME didn't get down and dirty (of course they did -- witness Wicked Wilson Pickett's "Hey Jude," complete with guitar from Duane Allman), but they were versatile, adapting to the needs of either the performer or the song. And that very versatility may be part of the reason why FAME isn't as immediately recognizable a name as Motown or Stax -- the Muscle Shoals crew could cop both of those sounds, after all -- but it's also the reason why this set is such a wildly entertaining listen, in addition to being a historically necessary document housed in a very handsome hardcover book.

- Stephen Thomas Erlewine/AMG

Stax Does The Beatles

Poppachubby tells me he has things he wants to post, I'm saying "then you need to just jump in and do it son because KC is on fire baby and I can't be stopped!"

This is just a whole lot of fun and something of a tour de force for Booker T and the MG's as what really happens here is that Booker tackles The Beatles with all of Stax records at his command. Okay, I'm on board! Thanks Candy, I know that where you are now there is always a show with no sound checks and no microphones because you're standing in the middle of them baby.

"The influence of the Beatles is and has been pervasive, but in the latter half of the 1960s their music was everywhere, unavoidable even if one wanted to dodge it, and few wanted to do that anyway. Beatles songs were so well constructed, so full of brilliant melody lines and dynamic rhythms, and so adaptable that other artists constantly covered them, including the folks at Stax Records in Memphis, home of deep Southern soul. This 15-track set collects some of those Stax versions, and while nothing here really makes one forget the originals by the Beatles, it makes for a fun and at times revelatory listening experience. Among the highlights are a previously unreleased studio take of "Day Tripper" by the late, great Otis Redding, whose driving, drastic reconfiguration of the song turns it into a gritty, greasy soul sermon on the merits of love, a trick Isaac Hayes also pulls off with his epic, nearly 12-minute rendition of George Harrison's "Something." Also worth noting are Booker T. & the MG's pulsing instrumental version of "Lady Madonna" and the Bar-Kays' sweet, chiming, and nearly wordless take on "Hey Jude." It's all a lot of fun, and for those who doubt that the Beatles had soul, the proof that they did is here. Nobody made soul music better than the musicians at Stax Records, so they ought to know. Case closed." AMG

All right, He may be just a little under informed about the musicians at other labels in the R & B/Soul world but I appreciate the boy's enthusiasm.

The Complete Stax/Volt Singles 1959 - 1968

Honestly... what can I say here?!?  This collection is all you could ever want if you are a fan of the Stax sound.  This is in 320 mp3 with no booklet.  You will have to buy it if you want the real deal.  Everything has been tagged fully and correctly.  Chances are this post will be temporary, so grab it while you can!!!

At nine discs and 244 tracks, The Complete Stax-Volt Singles: 1959-1968 is far too exhaustive for casual fans, but that's not who the set is designed for -- it's made for the collector. Featuring every A-side the label released during those nine years, as well as several B-sides, the set is a definitive portrait of gritty, deep Southern soul. Many of the genre's major names -- Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Booker T. & the MG's, William Bell, Rufus Thomas, the Bar-Kays, Albert King -- plus many terrific one-shot wonders are showcased in terrific sound and augmented with an in-depth booklet. For any serious soul or rock collector, it's an essential set, since Stax-Volt was not only a musically revolutionary label, its roster was deep with talent, which means much of the music on this collection is first-rate. But if you only want the hits, you'll be better off with a smaller collection, since too much of this set will sound too similar, and sorting through the nine discs will be a monumental task if you only want to hear Otis, Rufus, Carla, and Sam & Dave.  - by Stephen Thomas Erlewhine