Otis Redding
Although the late, great Otis Redding passed away tragically in a plane crash when Curtis was only 6 years old, he obviously had a huge influence on Curtis' singing style.
Despite having many hits, such as "These Arms of Mine" (which got him a record deal in the first place), "I've been loving you too long" and "Try a little tenderness", the only hit to actually become a number one in his short-lived career, was "Sittin' on the dock of the bay".
A little known fact is that Otis actually wrote and performed both "Respect" before the amazing Aretha Franklin immortalized it... and he also recorded "Satisfaction" with a much bluesier sound to it than the "Rolling Stones" original version.
Curtis performs quite a few of Otis' songs on a regular basis along with "Hard to Handle" - often noting... "Not to be confused with the Black Crowes version."
So, this week, we pay homage to one of Curtis' favorite artists, and wish that there could have been so much more of him - he showed us so much in so little time - just think of what could've been!!
To read a full bio on Otis Redding, please click here.