Rogelio Douglas Jr. Sings: Try a Little Tenderness

We've blogged here before about our fascination with the Forever 27 Club.

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The 27 Club' or 'Club 27' is the colloquial name given to a group of influential rock musicians who died at the young age of 27. There are a few "members" who are always listed in "27 Club" groupings—such as Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain—and members to come later like Amy Winehouse.    

Members of The 27 Club - Ranker. 

Otis Redding

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Otis Redding

On a cold winter day in December, the byline of the paper read;

"The singer dies in a plane crash at 26 years old."

Images of Buddy Holly spring to mind. But this story was about another musical legend, gone too soon.

 The Crown Prince of Soul is dead. 

Otis Redding, 26 years old, a former well-driller from Macon, Georgia, died in a plane crash in an icy Wisconsin lake on December 10. With him were the five teen-age members of the Bar-Kays, a group which made the popular instrumental, “Soul Finger,” and who backed Otis on his recent tours and appearances." 

Rolling Stones issue January 20, 1968 

If Holly's plane crash was 'the day rock-n-roll music died', soul perished with Otis Redding. He was one year short of the Forever 27 Club age. He was voted posthumously into  the top 100 Greatest Artists and top 100 Greatest Singers. But when he died, he was on the verge of even greater things.

"In 1967 he replaced Elvis Presley as the world’s top male vocalist in the Melody Maker poll, a position Presley had held for eight years.(ibid)

Try A Little Tenderness 

Otis Redding

• Otis Redding: I've Been Loving You Too Long (here)
• Otis Redding: Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay (here)
• Otis Redding: A Change is Gonna Come (here)

Rogelio Douglas Jr., Brenna Whitaker
 Try a Little Tenderness 
(Otis Redding cover)