If you need a musical diversion...(aka An Otis Redding kind of night)

[Docreed2003]

I've spent the evening listening to "Otis Redding at Whisky A Go Go: The complete recordings" a boxed set my wife gave me for Christmas. It's amazing and it has given me great comfort this evening.

Here's a taste:

Hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

[Skittles]

1. oh how I love Otis

thanks to you, I know what music I will play tomorrow

my Otis Redding, The Definitive Soul collection

I've got it ready to play when I wake up; yes INDEED

[Docreed2003]

2. Love him as well...his voice and emotion poured into every note

Is like manna to the soul! If you can get your hands on the box set I mentioned it's phenomenal....as each night passes, his voice is a little more raspy but no less powerful. A great musical compilation!

[Skittles]

5. it sounds wonderful

last year I was walking around Half-Priced Books when These Arms of Mine came on - I was quietly singing along with him, and young folk asked me, "Who *IS* that?"......yes indeed

[Docreed2003]

6. It's funny how a voice can be so mesmerizing to those who haven't been exposed...

To me, that's the real power in the legacy of Otis Redding. People remember "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay", his biggest hit, but most have no clue that the man himself never heard the final mix of the song due to his untimely death. At the end of the day, you can't manufacture authenticity and soulfulness. It's either there or it's not, and people are capable of picking up on that difference.

[Skittles]

7. my dad was a huge fan

he would play Otis to get me to go to sleep

we were living in Madison when Otis was killed; my dad was heartbroken

[Docreed2003]

10. Wow, such a great story...

My dad, likewise, introduced me to Otis, but he was a Beatles fan at heart. When he would put me to bed at night, he'd play "Blackbird" on his guitar. When he was dying from the effects of Type 1 diabetes, he could barely respond to us at the end, but the night he passed, I put headphones on him and played him "Blackbird" and saw him smile for the last time.

My seven year old son was brought into our lives the year after my dad's death. We've always put music on in his room every night to help him sleep, going back to when he was an infant. The one song he has to hear every night before bed is "Blackbird". It's like his thing now. I was more of a singer than a guitarist, but how I wish I could play that song for my son like my dad did for me.

[Skittles]

17. oh wow

what a bittersweet memory

[Cracklin Charlie]

9. I love all Otis Redding songs...

And it's not really my favorite Otis Redding song, but that Dock of the Bay song is Great!

Pure, pure soul!

[DFW]

3. I need something farther away

[Docreed2003]

4. Thank you for sharing.....

Excellent song, thank you! Music has always been my own therapy and I think it is/can be for everyone.

[DFW]

16. Leo has been a somewhat unappreciated legend for decades

Those guitar players among us know him as being as iconic to the 12 string guitar as Clapton and Hendrix are to the electric 6 string guitar. He can sing, too, but it's his uninhibited imagination on the 12-string that has deified him in the eyes of acoustic guitarists for well over 40 years now:

For something a little closer to home, go to http://www.jango.com/music/The+Freedom+Toast and click on "Canyonlands"

[Cracklin Charlie]

8. Love Otis!

I think it may just be an Otis weekend!

We can throw in some Aretha, Marvin, Percy, Nina, Staples, Etta, Wilson...

Great idea!

[Docreed2003]

11. Excellent musical choices! All of them will certainly be playing in our house!

[Glamrock]

12. One of my biggest vocal influences

What a voice

[Docreed2003]

13. One of the best of the 20th century in my book!

[Glamrock]

14. Mine too

Second only to the late, great Steve Marriott! (In my book anyway)

[Judi Lynn]

15. No one even close to him. Thank you.