His records are timeless.  After Ray Charles discovered Soul music, Otis Redding made R&B burn with same intensity. He elevatated R&B from pop to art.  What's truly remarkable is that he sang with such depth and authority and yet was only 26 years old when he died.

One of the all time greats.  It was so amazing how that voice, and those songs came from a man in his mid twenties.  No R&B singer of today comes close.

The emotion was incomparable.  He was the only man that could bring me to tears; which says a lot since I am a man.  "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" was very atypical of a Soul artist but he pulled it off.  Then, there was his cover of  the Rolling Stone's "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" which he took to a new level.  "Try a Little Tenderness" was as sweet a song as a man can sing.  The man only recorded for 5 years, but what a body of work!

One of the greatest American vocalists ever.He put a lot of energy and emotion into his singing,and he was also a very good song writer.

greatest soul singer of all time period

Quite simply, one of the greatest singers ever, with a timeless body of work. Amazing stuff, a legend, a true Hall of Fame level performer.

Giving credit where it's due. Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay is a classic. Makes you think of nice sunny days. It's awful he had to die in a plane crash. I don't know, but them planes...

That voice, makes you think about everything you've ever loved, every girl you've looked at across the room and dared go speak to. The best bourbon you ever drank, a kiss on a balmy Southern night, maybe more. Your first joint. The time you and your friends were the last ones standing at a party. Something erotic, something tat hasn't even happened yet. That's Otis, that was his songs.

Quite simply, Otis was the greatest soul singer to ever grace this planet. Every time I listen to Otis sing songs like Try a Little Tenderness or I've Been Loving You Too Long I say to myself it doesn't get any better than this. Otis Redding was in a class by himself.

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'Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay' is one of those signature tunes that only gets better the more you listen to it.Unfortunately his great talent couldn't match his bad break.;he died in a plane crash the year 'Sittin' came out.

One of the greatest, Otis was one the best r and b singers to ever walk the earth.

What a voice. . ."These Arms of Mine" is a wonderful song.

Quite simply, he changed the way people sing.

My dream radio station --- WOTS: ALL OTIS, ALL THE TIME! To hear the real gut-bucket, juke-joint deep-southern soul, check out his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival! Then give a listen to his Whiskey A Go Go CDs (vol 1 & 2). Then pop in Live in Europe. If you aren't convinced after that, have the doctor check your pulse; because you might be dead.

He sounded absolutely terrible! The best thing closest to a compliment that Etta James could come up with in her autobiography was" When it came to singing, Otis definitely brought something unique to the table. " That's for sure! Like a mountain goat being tortured, that's what he sounded like! Lawd have mercy!

No other male R&B singer can top the vocal talents of this guy. What a shame this guy passed before he got truly popular.

He actually wrote the song "Respect." Overall, a fair artist. Otis Redding is a great vocalist and has made several good songs.

Otis was, and is, the epitome of "Sweat Soul Music". The era of Stax/Volt recordings were some of the best R&B on the airways, then and now. The live records are "priceless" and the younger Hip Hop "semi-musicians" should at least accknowldge Otis and his comtemporaries. Back then the musicains actually played live. Very few, if any, overdubs. His music sounded, live, just like the recordings. None of the new R&B "acts" can reproduce their recordings without the aid of "sync-tracks". Listen to anything "live" on TV today. There is no such animal except maybe the Rock scene. And that's not much more than "volume" as opposed to quality and musicianship. Otis Redding and band brought the Soul Music era to it's height. The drive of the rhythm section and the "obvious" horn licks are classic. Just the sound of a trumpet and 2 tenor saxs playing a unison phrase over a Funk/Soul rhythm defines the Cool and Hipness of Soul Music. It seems as tho Soul Music these days is way too polarized and it "has no Soul." Dock of the Bay was not one of my favorite tunes. Check out "Otis Redding in Europe" with the Stax review. Amazing and Soulfull. 5 stars.

The man was a genius. He had it all, songwriting, voice, and looks. Dock of the Bay would've been a great new phase in his career. Those who don't think that he wasn't influential on anyone should check out Pearl Jam's version of Dock of the Bay!!! I am only 26 yrs old but I consider him at the top of my list!!!

i think he sucks really bad he cant sing worth a hoot!!!

Sittin on the Dock of The Bay didn't get enough attention....and I know it got LOTS...but it should have been the quintessential single released for makin sweet looooove....:o)

WELL AIN'T GOT MUCH TO SAY ABOUT OTIS EXCEPT" MAYBE YA SHOULD HAVE LEARNED TO SWIM" AND YOU WOULD STILL BE HERE WITH US!!

A tragically short life with great success. Writer of masterpieces like "Respect" and "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay". He put all his emotion into the music in performances. Great show at the Monterey Pop Festival with crossing over and enriching the hippies with his wonderful music.

His voice just makes you want to close your eyes and nod your head. It seems so effortless, yet carries every emotion to new heights.

A very good soul singer. Had he lived, he might have recorded the Barry Gibb-Robin Gibb composition "To Love Somebody" which was written for him.

"Cigarettes & Coffee"..."Try A Little Tenderness"..."These Arms Of Mine"...man, if Ray Charles was the Genius Of Soul & Aretha Franklin was the Queen Of Soul, then surely Otis was its King.

Extremly talented song writter!! "Sitting on the dock of the bay" is simply perfect.