PRODUCER'S NOTES:This is the first full-length DVD of Otis Redding, undisputedly one of the  greatest soul singers of all time. To be given the honor to produce this  release was an awesome responsibility. Zelma Redding, Otis' widow, has  faithfully maintained her husband's legacy for the last 40 years and it was  our desire to create a DVD that would both live up to and pay tribute to  that legacy. Of the 30-plus DVDs that we've produced over the last few  years, we feel this is some of our best work.For our last two Motown DVDs (Temptations: Get Ready and Smokey Robinson &  The Miracles: The Definitive Peformances) we filmed new interviews with the  artists to include between the performances. However this time because Otis  is not here to tell his story we relied on people that knew him best to  provide perspective on his life and work. As with all of the Motown  releases in our "Definitive" DVD series, along with the in-depth interview  material you get complete unedited performances. With our Marvin Gaye DVD,  (The Real Thing In Performance) there were a number of televised interviews  with Marvin that we were able to  use in between the songs because Marvin's career had lasted 23 years.  Unfortunately because Otis' career was cut tragically short and he gave  very few interviews, it made it very difficult to bring his voice to this  project. Thankfully we found a short interview from American  Bandstand in 1967 and also an interview recorded for BBC radio in the fall  of `66 which provided two great soundbites for the film (one of which is  heard during the opening segment of the DVD.)To tell the story properly, we chose to interview not only Otis Redding's  wife (Zelma) and daughter (Karla) but also some of the key people who  created the music with him. Along with his family, the interviews consist  of  Steve Cropper who wrote many songs with Otis and played guitar on  virtually every track that he recorded at Stax; Wayne Jackson, the trumpet  player for the Mar-Keys/Memphis Horns who played on all of his records and  Jim Stewart, the  founder of Stax Records. The interview with Jim is really unique because  since the demise of Stax Records in 1975, Jim has given only five in-depth  interviews and we're honored that he agreed to sit down and speak with us  after turning down requests from everyone else for the last 15 years. Rob  Bowman co-producer of this program and author of  Soulsville U.S.A. The  Story Of Stax Records (considered to be the definitive book on Stax)  conducted these  interviews, and it's because of the love and respect that they all have for  Rob and his work, that he was able to get such relaxed, in-depth  content.One of the unique clips in this DVD is a newly made video for the song  "(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay". Because the song wasn't finished until  after his death there is no  footage of Otis performing the song so we hired Bob Sarles of Ravin' Films  to make a three minute film. While Bob was filming scenes of San Francisco  and the docks of Sausalito  (where Otis wrote the song on a houseboat in August of '67) a fortunate  thing occurred. He met Anne Garfield who bought that houseboat back in  1968. She no longer owns it but was  able to show Bob photos (seen in the video) and point out to him the exact  spot where it was docked. As a result, there are a few scenes that show  virtually the same view that Otis had as he was writing what many consider  to be one of most beloved songs in history.December 10, 2007 will mark the 40th anniversary of the tragic death of  Otis Redding and in honor of his legacy and music we are proud to have  released both this DVD and The Stax/Volt Revue Live In Norway 1967, a  75-minute concert from the famed 1967 European tour which includes a  stunning five song set by Otis as well as performances by Sam & Dave, Eddie  Floyd, Arthur Conley, The Mar-Keys and Booker T. and The MGs.Together these two DVDs paint a portrait of an artist whose music remains  as powerful and influential as it was 40 years ago.David Peck & Phillip GallowayReelin' In The Years ProductionsJuly 2007