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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE OF OTIS CLAY, MUSIC LEGEND OF GOSPEL AND BLUES
WHEREAS, Almighty God, in His infinite wisdom, has called Otis Clay from our midst; and
WHEREAS, Otis Clay was born February 11, 1942 in Waxhaw, Mississippi; and;
WHEREAS, As a child he began to imitate what he heard and saw, church was an essential part of Otis Clay life and that is where the singing began; and
WHEREAS, in the 1950's Otis Clay relocated to Chicago, IL in which Gospel would remain his primary focus. He joined several groups which included: Golden Jubilees, Charles Bridges Famous Blue Jay Singers in 1960, the Holy Wonders, Pilgrim Harmonizers, the Gospel Songbirds, and the Sensational Nightingales; and
WHEREAS, Even as Otis Clay sang spirituals, he cut an unissued R & B session for Columbia Records with producer Carl Davis .His first hit came in 1967 with "That's How It is (When You're in Love)', which reached # 34 on the US Billboard R & B chart, followed by "A Lasting Love" # 48 on the R & B chart.; and
WHEREAS In 1968 Otis Clay contract was bought by Atlantic Records who's subsidiary label Cotillion Records released, "She's About A Mover", which was produced at the FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals; and
WHEREAS Otis Clay moved to Mitchell's Hi Records in 1971 and made many of his best known soul blues records for the label including "Trying to Live My Life without You, "If I Could Reach Out". He moved on to Kayvette Records where he had his national hit single in 1977 "All Because of Your Love" He also recorded for Elka and Rounder labels as well as his own record company Echo Records for whom he recorded the gospel album "Walk A Mile in My Shoes" and
WHEREAS, Otis Clay was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013; and
WHEREAS, Otis Clay was an active intractable person in the community, having served as Chairman of the Board of the non-profit Tobacco Road, Inc. He was extensively involved in the development, planning and ...
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