Dreams to Remember: Otis Redding, Stax Records, and the Transformation of Southern Soul

by Mark Ribowsky

A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year (Nonfiction)
Finalist for the Marfield Prize, National Award for Arts Writing “Evokes the fire of Redding.... Ribowsky tells the story with nonstop energy, while always probing for the larger social and musical pictures.” ― New York Times Book Review When he died in one of rock's string of tragic plane crashes, Otis Redding was only twenty-six, yet already the avatar of a new kind of soul music. The beating heart of Memphis-based Stax Records, he had risen to fame belting out gospel-flecked blues in stage performances that seemed to ignite not only a room but an entire generation. If Berry Gordy's black-owned kingdom in Motown showed the way in soul music, Redding made his own way, going where not even his two role models who had preceded him out of Macon, Georgia―Little Richard and James Brown―had gone. Now, in this transformative work, New York Times Notable Book author Mark Ribowsky contextualizes his subject's short career within the larger cultural and social movements of the era, tracing the crooner's rise from preacher's son to a preacher of three-minute soul sermons. And what a quick rise it was. At the tender age of twenty-one, Redding needed only a single unscheduled performance to earn a record deal, his voice so "utterly unique" ( Atlantic ) that it catapulted him on a path to stardom and turned a Memphis theater-turned-studio into a music mecca. Soon he was playing at sold-out venues across the world, from Finsbury Park in London to his ultimate conquest, the 1967 Monterrey Pop Festival in California, where he finally won over the flower-power crowd. Still, Redding was not always the affable, big-hearted man's man the PR material painted him to be. Based on numerous new interviews and prodigious research, Dreams to Remember reintroduces an incredibly talented yet impulsive man, one who once even risked his career by shooting a man in the leg. But that temperament masked a deep vulnerability that was only exacerbated by an industry that refused him a Grammy until he was in his grave―even as he shaped the other Stax soul men around him, like Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave, and Booker T. and The MG's. As a result, this requiem is one of great conquest but also grand a soul king of truth, a mortal man with an immortal voice and a pain in his heart. Now he, and the forces that shaped his incomparable sound, are reclaimed, giving us a panoramic of an American original who would come to define an entire era, yet only wanted what all men deserve―a modicum of respect and a place to watch the ships roll in and away again. 8 pages of photographs

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Biography, History

416 pages, Paperback

Published May 17, 2016

About the author

Mark Ribowsky is the author of seven books, including the New York Times Notable Book Don't Look Back: Satchel Paige in the Shadows of Baseball. He lives in Plainview, New York.

Reviews

[Cold Cream 'n' Roses · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found Dreams to Remember repetitive. Despite the subtitle Otis Redding, Stax Records, and the Transformation of Southern Soul, this book is not really about Stax Records. If you want to read the story of Stax Records, read Respect Yourself: Stax Records and the Soul Explosion. Dreams to Remember would have been more interesting had it explored in more detail the social backdrop of Macon, Georgia, from where Otis Redding, Little Richard, and James Brown emerged.

[Ben Schwind · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm torn in reviewing this between being really interested in the subject matter and being turned off by the way it's written. This book is filled with a lot of good information and stories but is equally filled the writers unecesarry "hot takes" about other musicians - many times with a very weak connection to what's currently going on in the book.

[Dkolacinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where was I on December 10, 1967? What part of me died? What part of me still clings to the dreams I remember? That was another time. That was another day. I used to believe that Otis Redding was the reincarnation of Buddy Holly. Otis sang sad songs happy; Buddy, happy songs sad. (OK, ignore physical time. It doesn't exist anyway.) Sing on brother...

[Lindsay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a huge fan of the bro-y language and tone that pops up every once in a while, and it is super clear that the reader on the audio has never listened to soul music for all his mispronunciations. DNF at 45%. Too bad because Otis is my man. I'll find his story elsewhere.

[Chris Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not quite as masterful as the most thorough of biographies (Ribowsky is careful to neither ire nor unduly adulate the prickly Redding estate, which necessitates a certain level of carefulness in how he writes about the musician which also means it can never be really authoritative), it’s a sterling effort in capturing the mercurial rise and fall of both Redding and Stax records. It’s a testament to the skill of all three recent books on soul music that none of them ever contradict each other (and indeed Cosgrove subtly hints at some of the reasons why Loretta Williams wrote such an angry book about Redding), but instead complement each other. Not as clever and erudite as Cosgrove, but as well written as Guralnick (but without his ability to weave sundry strands of history together), it’s an excellent book. But it gets several bonus points for dumping quite rightly on one of my least favourite people ever, Visiting Professor for Plop and Tripe, Robert “Chuckles” Christgau. A ridiculous man and one who Ribowsky provides several much appreciated digs at. You’re always going to get bonus points from me for that

[Malum · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Ribowsky's Dreams to Remember is the more informative Otis Redding biography, Jonathan Gould's Otis Redding, an Unfinished Life is a better written and more entertaining read.

[Rick Elinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am very happy that Ribowsky has written a book about Otis Redding, a favorite singer of mine. My college roommate was into R&B, so he wanted to go to an Otis Redding concert spring 1967 in Baltimore. Three white guys and an Asian were a peculiar-looking group there, but it was memorable!
Ribowsky's book is odd. He writes in popular culture style, but wants to be a historian. The book is larded with facts about recording sessions, contract arrangements, record company histories, and concerts, including names of all of the people involved. Eventually this documentation got tiresome and interfered with an appreciation of Redding. Perhaps Ribowsky should read several of David McCullough's books to see how to write history for popular reading. On the other hand, maybe the only appreciation of Redding can come from listening, not from reading.

[Dan Shonka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. Mark Ribowsky gives a solid and detailed story of Otis Redding's short but talent-ladened life. He does an especially good job of giving the reader the good and the bad of Otis Redding's life and career. However, Mr. Ribowsky states throughout the book that Redding changed the music scene. He presents several events as evidence, and in my opinion, the case he makes falls short of convincing. Did Redding have an impact on the music? Sure. Did he set a trend? I think he fell short of that. Did the tragic early end to Redding's life lessen his impact? Probably.

Anyway, this is a good story that'll give you an inside look at the music world and the creative process that was at work at the Stax label. If you enjoy classic R&B, you'll enjoy this interesting and very readable book.

[Keith Luckenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, I loved this book. While it certainly may interest only those of a certain age, it's a magnificent piece of scholarship. Ribowsky seems to have interviewed every single person alive who lived through those days and meticulously researched those who weren't.

They're all here: the Memphis Horns, the Ertegun brothers, Sam and Dave, Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Booker T. Jones, et al.

Nothing is left out, including the jealousies, resentments, and other negative feelings that inevitably occur between co-workers.

The book is so well written and researched, I'm on the lookout for other works by the author.

[Mark Singer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book more than I expected based on the other reviews. I found it to be a solid addition to the Stax books "Respect Yourself" and "Soulsville", with a more Otis centric focus.

I especially liked the way he handled the Loretta Williams "allegations" against Otis. Presenting them, but presenting them as her story, as opposed to solid story recognizing that there is really no way to know what exactly happened.

[Jeffrey Bumiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic read for any music fan. Ribowsky's writing is very good, but sometimes the level of detail is suffocating. Perhaps this book could have used another edit? Regardless, if you are an Otis Redding fan, this is a must read.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting stories.

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love music biography's but this one felt lacking to me. It wasn't solely about Otis Redding (only about 95% him.....) and talked a lot about Stax Records and a few other soul singers (but only in relation to Otis). It was very clinical and skimmed over a lot of Otis' life in favor of talking about his recording sessions, rumors about his infidelities and death, and his managers and music companies. This book lacked soul. It was flat, one dimensional, and unexciting. Which is a shame, it's the Big O for crying out loud! I would much rather check out some other Otis Redding biographies. Something with a little more heart.

[Ben Ricketts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot.

This book succeeds as a biography of Redding and a deep look into Stax Records and the dynamics of the label in the wider soul music market of the 1960s. The only thing that kept me from giving it a full five stars is that Ribowsky’s writing is sometimes confusing or just odd. But overall, his work here is fantastic.

I recommend this book to fans of modern popular music history, Stax Records, and Otis Redding!

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains a very detailed history of Otis Redding's life, and also about Stax history. I know a lot more about him now and wish I had been around for his performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival. What a cool guy he must have been.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting read. I was in Memphis last week, so my head was full of music and stories of the heyday of the Memphis sound when I read it. Very good. Thanks to Goodreads!

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

While interesting, the premise of the book is unsustainable. Viz., that Otis was essentially solely responsible for the creation of the Memphis sound.

The narrative is excellent however.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an interesting exercise to read this book so close in time to when I read Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life since they are both about Otis Redding. There are overlaps between the two books with details of his life. While Unfinished Life focused more on the history of the music and civil rights, Dreams is more about Otis the artist. One books shows a Redding who is struggling to find his way in the world and the other portrays a supremely confident man who always got what he wanted. I enjoyed both and would recommend both to a Redding fan.

[Retha Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just completed reading Dreams To Remember, and I have to say that it was one of the most enjoyable and informative books I have encountered in some time. Mark Ribowsky gives us an in depth look at the life and career of Otis Redding. We get to understand his childhood and relationship with his father, and we learn how this shaped him into the man he would become. His journey in the music world, and his talents as a songwriter and as what amounts to a producer and arranger are well detailed. This was a man who had a vision of a sound and a specific idea of what his music should be. Throughout the book we get to see Otis transforming himself and evolving his sound, leaving us to wonder where he might have gone next had he not died so tragically young. Perhaps even more importantly, we get to hear from numerous people who worked with and knew Otis intimately. Their stories of the man and his times bring him to life for me in a way that I never previously experienced. Otis Redding becomes more than a legendary singer who died young. He becomes a flesh and blood man, who lived, loved, struggled, succeeded and touched many, while impacting music for years to come. But this is not all this book has to offer. In addition to the detailed study of Otis Redding, we also get a thorough account of the history of Stax Records. We learn how this small company was born and how it operated and became the hit producing label that every fan of Soul Music is familiar with. I strongly advise anyone that has an interest in Otis Redding, Soul Music, Stax Records, or American culture of the 60s to read this book. You will certainly come away with a better understanding of all of these things once you do.
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The basis of this book is clearly many in depth interviews which provides narrative grounding, pace and authenticity. To the author's credit he mostly avoids the trap of having a fragmented, patchy, stitched feel. He also does a good job of locating Stax and Redding's story within the context of the time. He allows the stories to collectively paint the portrait of a complicated man at the cusp of historic racial changes in the US. It was always going to be a haunting story and a tragic one. The big question is would Redding have gone on to greater success or been unable to stay relevant, would he have left the local label for a bigger profile or stayed behind? I did appreciate all the post-Otis Stax history although it is brief and hasty. This is mostly the Otis story. It made me think about the parallels between Otis and Marvin Gaye. This was a solid book. My only complaint is that a good editor might have pulled out some of the loose language and asides to tighten up and keep objectivity.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

XXX I received a copy of Dreams to Remember by Mark Ribowsky on August 11 as a Goodreads Giveaway from W.W. Norton & Company. Otis is one of my heroes - thank you so much for sharing this biography with me!

Because he died so young, there was little information out there about Otis Redding and his family. I was pleased to be able to fill in the blanks of the life of a gentleman who shared such talent with his listeners, and fronted some of the changes in Blues and Rock through the 1960's.

This book covers some of those changes very well. I would recommend it to anyone who loves the Blues, R &B and classic rock. It is interesting to see how much of that growth of R & B and Country Rock, the birth of Southern Blues, took place in Macon, Georgia - one thinks of Chicago and New York as being the soul of Blues.

[EllenZReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting book about Otis Redding's journey to stardom (and his untimely death at age 26), Stax Records, and the early soul music scene. I knew very little of Otis Redding beyond "Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay," I don't even think I knew that it was released posthumously. I also didn't realize how many of his songs were covered by other artists so I thought they were written by others. While I really liked this book, I felt like it didn't go into his personal life as deeply as I would have liked (although there are surely other biographies of him out there for that purpose), and there were so many different players in the soul music scene that were mentioned, after a while it was really difficult for me to keep track of who was who and who did what. Recommended especially for soul music aficionados.

[Jennifer Jowsey]

Won this from a goodreads giveaway. The book sounded good, so I entered the giveaway with the intent to give this to a friend who loves all kinds of music. Did not read it myself, but it made a great gift.

[Matt Carton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable. Otis's music has played a major part in my life. As I was reading the book, and it was inching closer to December 1967, I was hoping it would slow down. But alas.

11/21: Downgraded this to 3 stars after completing Robert Gordon's "Respect Yourself."

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this a lot, though there are inherent problems in writing about a short life, especially one at the center of dispute over a legacy, like in this case. Stax is much loved, and Otis Redding even more. I want to listen to Otis again now.

[Bonnie M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably best for varsity-level fans -- but there are many far worse things to be.

[Christy Faucheux · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about one of my favorite artists, Otis Redding. Although it was a bit repetitive at times, I still loved it. Great book!

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and researched by an author with a great vocabulary. Sometimes a bit repetitive and adulatory though...

[Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read about Otis Redding and Sax Records. Fits well with other books about soul music and the south.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and entertaining read, almost as good (in my opinion only) as the author's previous bio on Howard Cosell.