MACON, Ga. — Today marks the 55th anniversary of the death of recording legend Otis Redding. But the music and legacy of the Georgia native lives on through the Otis Redding Foundation. Since 2007, the foundation has provided summer camps for children to learn how to produce, write, sing and record music.
Now, plans are underway to build a 9,300-square-foot state-of-the-art center for the arts in Redding's name in his hometown of Macon. The Otis Redding Center for the Arts will offer private lessons for children ages 5-18 in a variety of instruments, as well as songwriting workshops.
The foundation also offers the Otis Music Camp, a virtual experience for students to learn about music and the arts, and Camp DREAM, a week-long creative arts camp for students ages 5 to 11. The foundation also has a bi-weekly podcast called the DREAM Cast, featuring stories and conversations with exceptional artists worldwide.
Redding was best known for his hit "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" before his death in a plane crash in Wisconsin. His music and foundation continue to inspire and educate young people in the arts. For more information, visit the Otis Redding Foundation's website.