At just 22 years of age, Otis Redding showed incredible maturity in his distinctive gravelly voice that became the vocal benchmark of Soul music. His very first album Pain In My Heart (1964) contained his first hit from 1962, “These Arms Of Mine”. His versatility shows in the diverse selection of material, like “The Dog” by Rufus Thomas, “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King, “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke and “Lucille” by Little Richard.

Backing him up are the rhythm section from Stax house band Booker T. & The MG’s and the horn players from The Mar-Keys. The album promised a wonderful career of Redding, which unfortunately would only last a mere 3 years later.

Pain In My Heart is available on audiophile black vinyl.