Zelma Atwood is the former wife of the famous American musician and producer Otis Ray Redding Jr., often known as Redding. On December 10, 1967, Redding tragically passed away in Lake Monona, Madison, Wisconsin, in the United States.
He was the child of Fannie Redding and Otis Redding, Sr. Otis Redding became a well-known singer and songwriter. He released 48 songs and ten albums during his successful music career.
In 1958, Redding joined Johnny Jenkins’ group, the Pinetoppers, and they performed together in various Southern states as a singer and driver. A surprising moment during a 1962 Stax recording session led to a contract and his first hit song, “These Arms of Mine.”
When Redding was 18, he started a romantic relationship with Zelma Atwood. They had their first child, Dexter, before getting married in 1961. After their other three children were born, Zelma and the kids lived in Macon, Georgia, while Otis moved to Los Angeles.
They got married after their son Dexter was born in the summer. In the mid-1960s, Otis moved to Los Angeles with his sister Deborah, leaving Zelma and the children in Macon, Georgia. Redding and his wife had four children: Dexter, Demetria, Karla, and Otis III.
In 1967, after Redding bought a ranch, Zelma stayed outside Macon, Georgia. After Otis passed away, Zelma faced many challenges while raising her kids. However, she managed to enroll in business programs and earn a high school equivalency degree. Later, she joined Phil Walden, who used to manage Redding, at his booking agency.
Zelma then opened a nightclub and record store beside her booking business. She learned about the music industry and its workings by studying successful people.
Zelma, Redding’s widow, founded the Otis Redding Foundation in 2007 and is actively involved in charity work. The foundation supports arts and music education in Macon. Otis, Dexter, and their cousin Mark Lockett later formed a band called the Reddings, which Zelma managed. She also worked as a booking agency representative, managed a nightclub, and was a housekeeper for Maids over Macon.
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