PRESS RELEASE: The Estate of Otis Redding Marks the 60th Anniversary of Otis Redding's Album "The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads"

Macon, GA (March 31, 2025) – The Estate of Otis Redding marks a milestone as March comes to a close, with this month marking the 60th Anniversary of Otis Redding’s sophomore album “The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads.” Celebrating

60 years since its release in March 1965, Redding’s second studio album displays Redding’s soulful artistry that have been a hallmark of the enduring legacy of his career.

Available via Warner Music’s Rhino Records on all major digital music providers, “The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads” is a 12-track soul classic. Originally released in 1965 on both Atlantic Records’ ATCO label and Volt, Redding’s second album was his

first release for the newly formed Stax sublabel Volt. The album features original works written by Redding and others from the Stax roster, as well as Redding’s performances of some classic soul standards. Among these ballads are Redding’s first Top 10 single

“Mr. Pitiful,” “I Want to Thank You,” “Come To Me,” Sam Cooke’s “Nothing Can Change This Love,” and more.

Called the King of Soul, Otis Redding’s thrilling performances and songs have continued to influence generations of listeners around the world, with a musical catalog of performances that includes “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” “These Arms of Mine,” “Mr.

Pitiful,” “Try a Little Tenderness,” “Respect,” “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long,” among many others. March also marked a milestone for “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” with March 16th marking 57 years when the song hit No. 1 on the charts and became the

first posthumous No. 1 single in American music history. Also this March, the Otis Redding Foundation marked a milestone in continuing the work of Otis Redding, expanding upon his legacy of giving back with the grand opening of the long-awaited Otis Redding

Center for the Arts (ORCA), with its official ribbon-cutting held on March 18th.

Serving students ages 5-18 in music and arts education, ORCA is a testament to the enduring legacy of Otis Redding, who was not only one of the greatest musical artists in the world, but was also a philanthropist committed to giving back to his community and

enriching young people through the arts and education. The state-of-the-art facility in downtown Macon, GA has plans for programming that will also serve toddlers and senior citizens later this year. A bronze statue of

Otis Redding, honoring “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay,” will be installed as part of the Zelma Redding Amphitheater on the Center campus later this spring.

Visit the Otis Redding site at https://otisredding.com/.

For more details on the Otis Redding Foundation and the Otis Redding Center for the Arts, its team and upcoming programs such as the Otis Music Camp, visit https://www.otisreddingfoundation.org and www.orcamacon.org.