Otis Redding Family

The family of Otis Redding has preserved his legacy for three generations through shared family values and entrepreneurial prowess

Athletes and entertainers face unique wealth management opportunities, considerations and challenges. The athletes and entertainers we interviewed shared their personal stories and perspectives to highlight the need for more financial education in the sports and entertainment world. We thank them for being strong advocates of financial literacy.

Redding Family advice

"Focus on achieving long-term, multigenerational wealth and your legacy. It’s not about how much money you make, it’s about what you do with the money that you have."

One of the greatest artists of all time

Otis Redding’s legendary song “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay” was released in January 1968, becoming the singer-songwriter’s first Billboard® Number One single. Tragically, the 26-year-old artist had passed away a month earlier when his plane, en route to a performance in Madison, WI, crashed into the icy waters of Lake Monona.

Otis, known as “The King of Soul,” is ranked as one of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. He topped the charts with the two soul ballads, “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and “Try A Little Tenderness,” later sampled by Jay-Z and Kanye West on their song “Otis.” A prolific songwriter, Otis also penned the lyrics for “Respect,” Aretha Franklin’s iconic signature anthem.

He was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and honored with a Lifetime Achievement GRAMMY® Award in 1999.

Shared family values

Offstage, Otis was a family man who cared deeply about his community and was also a talented entrepreneur. His wife, Zelma, and their children and grandchildren have carried on his philanthropic and business endeavors, preserving multigenerational wealth through shared family values. “We are upholding the legacy of someone who left so much for us. It’s not just about the music. My dad was philanthropic. He was a supporter of education and all things that improve the lives of children. We uphold what my dad was already doing,” noted daughter Karla Redding-Andrews.


If you manage your money the right way, you have more freedom to do what you want.

A music phenom

Otis grew up in Macon, GA where he sang in the Vineville Baptist Church choir. He won the local talent show at the Douglass Theater 15 times in a row, until he was no longer allowed to compete. A 1962 recording session at Stax Records in Memphis led to the single “These Arms of Mine.” His fame continued to rise over the next five years. Otis was invited to perform at the Apollo Theater in New York City, followed by sold-out concert tours across the US, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean. He was in the prime of his career, with appearances slated at the New York Philharmonic and Washington’s Constitution Hall, before his untimely death in 1967.

Start here

Together, we can help establish the legacy you want to leave.

Browse more profiles


Disclosures

This white paper has been prepared by UBS Financial Services Inc. (“UBS”) and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It should not be construed as a solicitation or an offer for the purchase or sale of any securities, investments, strategies or products that may be mentioned herein, including estate planning strategies, or to participate in any particular strategy. Persons included in this report may or may not be clients of UBS but were not selected for inclusion based on any existing or prospective relationship with UBS. The recipient should not construe the contents of this report as legal, tax, accounting, regulatory or other specialist or technical advice, or services or investment advice, or a personal recommendation. No representation or warranty, either express or implied, is provided in relation to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information contained herein, nor is it intended to be a complete statement or summary of the matters or developments referred to in this report. This report should not be regarded by recipients as a substitute for the exercise of their own judgment. Any opinions expressed in this report are those of the respective persons and not of UBS or any of its subsidiaries and/or affiliates, and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by other business areas or groups of UBS as a result of using different assumptions and criteria. In addition, the information is current as of the date indicated and is subject to change without notice. UBS is under no obligation to update or keep current the information contained herein, and past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. UBS and its affiliates do not provide legal or tax advice. Clients should consult with their legal and tax advisors regarding their personal circumstances. Neither UBS nor any of its affiliates, or their respective directors, officers, employees or agents accept any liability for any loss or damage arising out of the use of all or any part of this report or reliance upon the information contained herein.

All opinions and views expressed in this paper are those of the author or respective persons and do not represent—and may differ or be contrary to—the views and opinions of UBS or its affiliates. The individuals profiled in this document were selected based on their experiences and professional history. Neither UBS nor any of its employees or affiliates participated in any of the professional trajectories, corporate formations, capital funding, financing, sales, deals, transitions or other events discussed in this paper. This paper is not intended to be and should not be considered or construed to be a testimonial or endorsement of UBS or any UBS product or service. The individuals profiled make no representation regarding any experience or satisfaction with UBS or any UBS product and service. This material does not constitute an endorsement, recommendation or offer for the purchase or sale of any security and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. UBS, its employees, and/or clients may hold positions in the securities discussed in this paper.

As a firm providing wealth management services to clients, UBS Financial Services Inc. offers investment advisory services in its capacity as an SEC-registered investment adviser and brokerage services in its capacity as an SEC-registered broker-dealer. Investment advisory services and brokerage services are separate and distinct, differ in material ways and are governed by different laws and separate arrangements. It is important that clients understand the ways in which we conduct business and that they carefully read the agreements and disclosures that we provide to them about the products or services we offer. A small number of our financial advisors are not permitted to offer advisory services to you, and can only work with you directly as UBS broker-dealer representatives. Your financial advisor will let you know if this is the case and, if you desire advisory services, will be happy to refer you to another financial advisor who can help you. Our agreements and disclosures will inform you about whether we and our financial advisors are acting in our capacity as an investment adviser or broker-dealer. For more information, please review the PDF document at ubs.com/relationshipsummary.

GRAMMY is a trademark of National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Inc. Billboard and Hot 100 are the trademarks of Billboard IP Holdings, LLC. Rolling Stone is a trademark of Rolling Stone, LLC. The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame is a trademark of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. Other marks are the trademarks of their respective owners.

UBS specifically prohibits the redistribution or reproduction of this brochure in whole or in part without the written permission of UBS, and UBS accepts no liability whatsoever for the actions of third parties in this respect.

© UBS 2021. The key symbol and UBS are among the registered and unregistered trademarks of UBS. All rights reserved. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. Member FINRA/SIPC.