Otis Redding Commemorative Stamp

This stamp was issued June 16, 1993 as part of a set of seven 29-cent commemorative stamps honoring music legends from the fields of rock & roll and rhythm & blues. In addition to Redding, featured in the set were stamps recognizing Elvis Presley, Bill Halley, Clyde McPhatter, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, and Dinah Washington. The set of stamps was printed as a souvenir sheet of 35 stamps and in booklets of 20 stamps.

The stamps were released with first day of issue ceremonies at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio at noon on June 16th. Three hours later, a second first day of issue ceremony was held on the pier at Santa Monica, Calif., with Dick Clark master of ceremonies. Subsequently, encore first day of issue ceremonies were held in Macon, Ga. (Redding's birth place), as well as other cities of significance to the individual musicians. Also, the Postal Service released the set of stamps nationwide on the first day of issue.

Otis Redding was born in Dawson, Ga. on Sept. 9, 1941, though he was raised in Macon. Among his hit songs were "Respect," "Try a Little Tenderness," "[Sittin' on] The Dock of the Bay," and the 1966 album, "Dictionary of Soul." Redding's career ended in a Dec. 10, 1967 plane crash near Madison, Wisconsin.

For more information on Redding, click here.

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