Personnel: Otis Redding (vocals); Johnny Jenkins (guitar); Charles "Packy" Axton (tenor saxophone); Floyd Newman (baritone saxophone); Wayne Jackson, Sammy Coleman (trumpet). Booker T. & The MG's: Booker T. Jones (organ, keyboards); Steve Cropper (guitar, piano, background vocals); Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass); Al Jackson Jr (drums). Recorded between February 1964 and January 1965. Originally released on Volt (411). Includes liner notes by Paul Ackerman. Digitally remastered by Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch (DigiPrep). Otis Redding's second album SINGS SOUL BALLADS found him abandoning his usual upbeat material for songs of yearning and heartbreak. Over the course of 12 songs, Redding establishes himself as one of the greatest soul singers by tapping into these universal feelings with his smoldering delivery and his mastery of vocal nuance. His effective call-and-response with Packy Axton's tenor sax on "A Woman, A Lover, A Friend" is spine-chilling, while his pleading is accentuated by a full horn section on "Your One And Only Man." Redding's talents as a songwriter were blossoming on material such as "Chained And Bound," "Your One And Only Man" and "I Want To Thank You." His choice of covers is also inspiring as he gives loving readings of songs by Chuck Willis ("It's Too Late"), Jerry Butler ("For Your Precious Love") and hero Sam Cooke ("Nothing Can Change This Love.")

• Genre: Pop
• Format: Vinyl
• Released: 09/10/13