Otis Clay is one of the leading singers of our time. Now known as one of the best representatives of the deep soul tradition that began in the early 60's with such greats as Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett, Clay began singing in church at age four in his hometown of Waxhaw, Mississippi.

Otis moved to Chicago in 1957, singing his way through a host of jubilee and hard gospel groups. He was signed to CBS Records in 1962, but the songs he recorded were never released. The following year he recorded with the Gospel Songbirds and then became the lead singer of the famous Sensational Nightingales in 1964. It was in that same year, at age 22, that Otis Clay made the switch to the secular field, signing to One-der-ful, an R&B label. Clay recorded a number of singles that fused his gospel feel with the emerging soul sound, including his initial nationwide hit, "That's How It Is," as well as "I'm Satisfied" and "Got To Find A Way."

With the demise of One-der-ful in 1968, Clay's contract was sold to Atlantic's new Cotillion subsidiary, where he got to record with the same group of Muscle Shoals players and producers that launched the careers of Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin and Etta James. He cut a version of the Sir Douglas Quintet's song "She's About A Mover" and several other singles.

In 1971, the move to Willie Mitchell's Hi Records would lead to Clay's most commercially successful period. Working with the same rhythm and horn sections that enriched Al Green's mega-hits of the era, Otis Clay released his first album, "Trying To Live My Life Without You," which included the hit single of the same name. The second single from that album, "Precious, Precious," also did very well on the R&B charts. Clay's second album, I Can't Take It, was released on the Hi Cream label in 1977.

When disco and funk swept America in the mid-70's, Clay's style fell out of favor with radio programmers. While most soul singers were following the disco trend, Otis Clay vehemently remained a standard bearer of the raw, emotion-packed ideals of deep soul. In 1975 Clay started his own record company, Echo Records, giving him the freedom to record and produce his own gospel and soul records, including the first version of Z.Z. Hill's smash "Cheatin' In The Next Room." Other successful Echo releases were "Messing With My Mind," "Victim of Circumstances" and "If I Could Open Up My Heart."

While the disco craze continued in America, soul was finding new audiences in Europe and Japan. Beginning in 1978, Otis Clay embarked on a series of successful tours of Japan, becoming one of the most popular entertainers there. Clay's first Japanese release, "Live: Otis Clay" on JVC, was an album of most of the songs he recorded while under contract to One-der-ful. The One-der-ful studio tracks were released in 1979 as "Otis Clay: The Beginning" on the P-Vine label. In 1982 JVC released an album entitled "The Only Way Is Up."

The energy of Otis' live show was captured during his 1983 tour and issued as an album entitled "Soul Man: Live In Japan," which brought him a whole new American audience when it was released in the U.S. in 1985.

In 1989 Otis Clay recorded an album for the Waylo label entitled "Watch Me Now." His 1992 release, "I'll Treat You Right," was hailed as one of the best R&B albums of the year.

Through the years Otis Clay never forgot his gospel roots. His popularity on the gospel circuit lead him to release a 12" gospel single, "When the Gates Swing Open," on Jewel Records in 1985. The song, which reached #14 on Billboard's Spiritual Chart, is included on his gospel release for Blind Pig, entitled "The Gospel Truth."

Otis Clay continues to maintain a dual career, headlining gospel shows in between his travels on the soul/blues club and festival circuits. As Otis observes, "Gospel is more peaceful; it's like coming home."

Hit songs include ---

• Trying to Live My Life Without You
• That's How It Is (When You're In Love)
• All Because of Your Love
• A Lasting Love
• It Was Jealousy
• If I Could Reach Out

Otis Clay may be available for your next special event!

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