What it’s about
Otis Redding, the greatest of all soul singers, is remembered by friends, family, colleagues, and the backing musicians who helped him shape his timeless sound at Stax Records in the early ’60s. Through their testimony, we hear the story of how Redding went from being a chauffeur to cutting his first hit single, “Pain in My Heart,” followed by a long, chart-topping career that ended—sadly and all too suddenly—with a fateful plane crash.
Why we love it
Packed with archival videos, clips of Redding’s many TV appearances, rare photos, and lots of great music, this doc pays tribute to a legendary singer whose voice still gives me goose bumps. Apart from seeing energetic live performances of “Try a Little Tenderness,” “Respect,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” and of course “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” we hear the stories behind the songs and learn from Stax Records founder Jim Stewart and longtime collaborator Steve Cropper that Redding was a smart, gentle man, loved and admired by everyone who knew him.