Otis Clay

"What a great voice that is!" 
Otis Clay (February 11, 1942 – January 8, 2016) was an American R&B and soul singer: AllMusic remarked that he "never had a major pop hit, but he was a periodic visitor to the R&B charts and an enduring presence in the world of blues and vintage soul, while also enjoying a long career in spiritual music." In 1965 Clay signed with One-derful! Records in Chicago, to make secular recordings. After releasing a series of gospel-tinged soul records, his first hit came in 1967 with "That's How It Is (When You're In Love)", which reached # 34 on the US Billboard R&B chart, followed by "A Lasting Love" (# 48 R&B). In 1968 the record company folded and his contract was bought by Atlantic Records, who launched their subsidiary Cotillion label with Clay's version of the Sir Douglas Quintet hit, "She's About A Mover", produced at the FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. The record became Clay's biggest pop hit, reaching # 97 on the Billboard Hot 100 (# 47 R&B). However, follow-ups on Cotillion, including "Hard Working Woman" produced by Syl Johnson, and "Is It Over?" produced by Willie Mitchell in Memphis, were less successful.
Clay moved to Mitchell's Hi Records in 1971, and made many of his best known soul blues records for the label. His biggest hit came in late 1972 with "Trying To Live My Life Without You," a #102 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, #70 on Cash Box, and #24 R&B, which he followed up with "If I Could Reach Out". "Tryin' To Live My Life Without You" was later covered by Bob Seger, whose version hit #5 on the pop chart in 1981. After several more Hi singles and the album I Can't Take It, Clay moved to Kayvette Records, where he had his last national hit single in 1977, "All Because Of Your Love" (#44 R&B). He later recorded for the Elka and Rounder labels, as well as his own Echo Records for whom he recorded the original version of "The Only Way Is Up" in 1980.... (Read more)
==Links to Peel==
John commented, on playing Clay's You Can't Keep Running From My Love in 1987, that it was typical of much excellent product that was not being adequately covered on Radio 1, despite the fact that Andy Kershaw and Janice Long also played soul extensively:"You need to hear lots of that stuff, because it's all very good." As can be seen below, JP was not the only one to appreciate Clay's vocal talents: Sheila overheard and praised one of his records. 
Although Clay never recorded a session for Peel's show, Kershaw's show featured him in 1995, which John can be heard encouraging listeners to hear "what he sounds like now", following an airing for his most frequently played track. 
== Festive Fifty Entries ==
*Noneright|335 px
== Sessions ==
*None
== Other Shows Played ==
*28 July 1987: I Die A Little Each Day (LP - Trying To Live My Life Without You) Hi
*18 August 1987: 'You Can't Keep Running From My Love (LP - Trying To Live My Life Without You)' (Hi)
*08 September 1987: 'Too Many Hands (LP–Trying To Live My Life Without You)' (Hi)
*02 June 1995: ‘You Can't Keep Runnin' From My Love (LP-Trying to Live My Life Without You)’ (London)
*10 June 1995: 'Home Is Where The Heart Is (LP-Trying To Live My Life Without You)' (London)
*05 August 1999: 'I Die A Little Each Day (7")' (Hi Recording Corp)
*12 August 1999: 'You Can't Keep Running From My Love (LP-Trying To Live My Life Without You)' (Hi)
*12 August 1999 (Radio Eins): I Die A Little Each Day (7”) Hi Recording Corp 
*07 August 2001: 'That's How It Is (When You're In Love) (LP-Deep Soul Inferno)' (Goldmine) (JP: 'When I played that at home this afternoon the Pig came in and said "great record" and of course she was right.')
*17 April 2002: 'That’s How It Is (When You're In Love) (7")' (One-derful)
*16 May 2002 (Radio Eins): 'Heavy Soup (2xLP-Handcream For A Generation)' (Wiiija) with Cornershop
*16 May 2002 (Radio Eins): 'Let Me Be The One (7")' (Hi)
== External Links ==
*Wikipedia
*Official site
*Discogs
*AllMusic
Category:Artists