Otis Redding lost his life in a tragic plane crash in 1967, but his music lived on to set a new mark on the charts.

On February 3, 1968 Otis Redding’s “Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay” hit the charts. The earnest tune about a lost love rose to #1 on both the R&B and Pop charts becoming the first posthumous number-one single in U.S. chart history.

The song enjoyed success overseas, topping charts in teh UK as well. It has since been covered by several artist across many genres. Michael Bolton’s cover version reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1988.

Otis Redding . Soul This Day in Soul