19 JUNE 1966
'My Lover's Prayer' from Otis Redding was climbing to a peak US Billboard Hot 100 chart position of #61. It also hit #10 and the R&B charts, and #37 in the UK.
While Redding is (rightly) seen as a soul legend now, his records generally only enjoyed middling success prior to his tragic death in late 1967. His biggest hit in the US had been 'I've Been Loving You Too Long', which was #21 in early 1965, while in the UK he had a #11 later that year with 'My Girl'. Most of his singles during 1965-67 charted in the 20s-60s. He didn't have a #1 in the US until 'Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay' was released after the plane crash that took his life (it reached #3 in the UK).
'My Lover's Prayers' was a slow-burner written by Redding himself and sung with his trademark intensity and classic Stax studio backing.
