This Thursday, September 9, would’ve been late soul legend Otis Redding‘s 80th birthday, and to commemorate the milestone, his home state of Georgia will declare that day to be “Otis Redding Day.”
The official proclamation will be announced during an event Thursday at The Otis Redding Museum in Macon, Georgia. The museum also will unveil a new collection of Redding memorabilia that day that will celebrate the singer’s life, legacy and his influence on the world. The display will feature handwritten notes, rare photos and more. More information about the exhibit can be found at OtisReddingFoundation.org.
Meanwhile, coinciding with Redding’s 80th birthday on Thursday, new immersive Dolby Atmos mixes of seven of Otis’ popular recordings — “These Arms of Mine,” “Pain in My Heart,” “Love Man,” “That’s How Strong My Love Is,” “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember” and the classic holiday covers “Merry Christmas Baby” and “White Christmas” — will be available on high-res streaming platforms.
Also on Thursday, DJ D-Nice will host a Redding birthday celebration as part of one of his Club Quarantine virtual parties on Instagram, starting at 8 p.m. ET. In addition, for his support of Redding’s legacy, D-Nice will receive the Award of RESPECT from The Otis Redding Foundation, a charitable organization that was established in 2007 by Otis’ widow, Zelma.
In other news, a series of special remixes of classic Redding songs created by various artists will be released this fall. The first of the series, which will arrive this Thursday, will be a remix of Otis’ classic 1967 duet with Carla Thomas, “Tramp,” by Australian electronic duo Korky Buchek.
Redding died in a December 10, 1967, plane crash, just three days after he finished recording his enduring soul ballad “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay.” He was 26.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.