- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Griffin; Reprint edition (Sep 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0312302975
- ISBN-13: 978-0312302979
- Product Dimensions: 23.3 x 15.5 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,273,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I'm giving this a five because there don't seem to be too many other books about Otis out there and this is a pretty good read.
The writer gives his take on Otis' life coming from Macon Georgia, the same town where Little Richard and James Brown were born.
Like Carla Thomas says in 'Tramp!', 'You from the Georgia woods!'
Otis grew up on the streets. His father was preacher, had been a sharecropper. They lived in tough neighbourhoods until Otis got money.
According to Freeman Otis was pretty much a saint except about money, where he could be mean.
Most, or a lot of Freeman's information seems to come from the people Otis grew up with and played with, all of whom had a very high regard for him as a person as well as a musician, although a number of them flagged up his ability to be tough on the street, and hardnosed attitude to business.
However it seems like he always loved to be around his family and friends from home, although towards the end his life got very hectic.
There's a lot of speculation about where Otis' life was going around the time he was killed. There's a lot of stuff about the high regard he was held in by many other musicians including the Beatles, Dylan and most of all Janis. Well, why wouldn't they?
Highlights for me include Freeman's willingness to take a sidetrack here and there to explore the lives of players in Otis' life, especially Johnny Jenkins. Another key character would be Steve Cropper, seemingly the guy that held Stax together for many years at least in terms of personalities and the music. No surprise there.
There are a number of terrific stories in here, and I won't spoil the book, but the best one would be when James Brown invaded a gig where Joe Tex was playing with the Pinetoppers because he didn't like the way Tex took him off.
Like I said, a good read, and it leaves some unanswered questions, but when you're talking about a man who re corded one of the best albums ever made, by anybody, in any genre, I don't mind a little mystery.
The writer gives his take on Otis' life coming from Macon Georgia, the same town where Little Richard and James Brown were born.
Like Carla Thomas says in 'Tramp!', 'You from the Georgia woods!'
Otis grew up on the streets. His father was preacher, had been a sharecropper. They lived in tough neighbourhoods until Otis got money.
According to Freeman Otis was pretty much a saint except about money, where he could be mean.
Most, or a lot of Freeman's information seems to come from the people Otis grew up with and played with, all of whom had a very high regard for him as a person as well as a musician, although a number of them flagged up his ability to be tough on the street, and hardnosed attitude to business.
However it seems like he always loved to be around his family and friends from home, although towards the end his life got very hectic.
There's a lot of speculation about where Otis' life was going around the time he was killed. There's a lot of stuff about the high regard he was held in by many other musicians including the Beatles, Dylan and most of all Janis. Well, why wouldn't they?
Highlights for me include Freeman's willingness to take a sidetrack here and there to explore the lives of players in Otis' life, especially Johnny Jenkins. Another key character would be Steve Cropper, seemingly the guy that held Stax together for many years at least in terms of personalities and the music. No surprise there.
There are a number of terrific stories in here, and I won't spoil the book, but the best one would be when James Brown invaded a gig where Joe Tex was playing with the Pinetoppers because he didn't like the way Tex took him off.
Like I said, a good read, and it leaves some unanswered questions, but when you're talking about a man who re corded one of the best albums ever made, by anybody, in any genre, I don't mind a little mystery.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
11 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
No Depth
28 Aug 2006
Format:Paperback
Don't get me wrong, it's a good biography of Otis, but it lacks a certain depth. It is somewhat one-sided and could have done with a lot more research and more interviews. As previous reviewers have already mentioned, would have been nice to hear from more people.
What is also completely lacking is the role that Otis played in American music, american history and what he meant for the black population. There are some hints towards it, but it is never fully explored. It could have been about any artist, there is no real sense that Otis was one of the most gifted and most important soul stars.
In that sense it's a little dissappointing, but to get a good overview of his life, the album is worth giving a look.
What is also completely lacking is the role that Otis played in American music, american history and what he meant for the black population. There are some hints towards it, but it is never fully explored. It could have been about any artist, there is no real sense that Otis was one of the most gifted and most important soul stars.
In that sense it's a little dissappointing, but to get a good overview of his life, the album is worth giving a look.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Freeman Does A Fine Job!
2 Feb 2002
Format:Hardcover
Everything I have ever read about Otis Redding portrays him as perfect. He was a great singer, a great performer, and everybody loved him. Scott Freeman does a good job of showing a more complete Otis Redding. Sometimes Otis is surprising. He once got in complete a gun fight! The best part of the book is the research Scott Freeman did into the music scene that Otis lived in. Freeman played guitar in an R & B band in Macon, Georgia in the 1980's while writing for the Macon Telegraph and News. Many of the old musicians were still active and would sit in with the band. Freeman interviewed many of the old timers for this book, and their memories fill in the details of those times. This is a valuable book for Otis Redding fans!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Freeman Does A Fine Job!
2 Feb 2002
Format:Hardcover
I have enjoyed Otis Redding's music for a long time, but I never realized how little I actually knew about him. Everything I have ever read about Otis Redding portrays him as close to perfect. He was a great singer, a great performer, and everybody loved him. That's nice, but what was he really like? Scott Freeman does a good job of showing a more complete and therefore more human Otis Redding. There are some definite surprises. Did you know that Otis once got in a gun fight? Scott Freeman did some nice research into the musical world that Otis lived in. He started this research almost by accident. Freeman played guitar in an R & B band in Macon, Georgia in the 1980's while writing for the Macon Telegraph and News. Many of the old musicians from Otis' times were still active and would sit in with the band. They were still playing great, and Freeman got interested in them. He wound up interviewing many of the old timers for this book, and their memories fill in the details of those times. This is a valuable book for Otis Redding fans!
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