Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Zelma Atwood |
| Also known as | Zelma Redding |
| Hometown | Macon, Georgia, USA |
| Known for | Steward of Otis Redding’s estate; founder and president of the Otis Redding Foundation |
| Spouse | Otis Redding (m. August 1961 – d. December 10, 1967) |
| Children | Dexter Redding; Karla Redding-Andrews; Otis Redding III (1963–2023); adopted daughter Demetria |
| Occupations/roles | Philanthropist; estate executor; community leader; business owner |
| Notable initiatives | Otis Redding Foundation (founded 2007); Otis Music Camp; development of the Otis Redding Center for the Arts |
| Residence/roots | Longtime ties to Macon and Middle Georgia |
| Date of birth | Not publicly disclosed |
Early Years and a Meeting that Changed Music
Before the lights of fame reached their brightest glow, Zelma Atwood and Otis Redding were simply two determined teenagers in Macon, Georgia, whose orbits crossed around the turn of the 1960s. She was practical and steady, with a backbone of resolve; he was a thunderhead of talent just beginning to break open. Their partnership formed early and decisively. In August 1961, they married, and what followed was a brief but intense chapter of shared dreams, long stretches of touring, and a home life built with care and thrift.
The stage and the kitchen table both mattered. While Otis carved out a relentless schedule—studio dates, club gigs, the rising arc of chart success—Zelma kept the household stitched together, balancing young children, bills, and the fragile logistics of a musician’s life. Their union was not simply romantic; it was operational, strategic, grounded.
Marriage, Home, and Children
The Redding home grew quickly. Dexter came first. Karla followed. Then Otis Redding III arrived in December 1963. Years later, the family would welcome Demetria through adoption. The house hummed with music, but also with the ordinary business of life—school, neighbors, Sunday routines—made extraordinary by Otis’s exploding fame and absence on the road.
| Family Member | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Otis Redding | Spouse | Soul singer; died in a plane crash on Dec 10, 1967 |
| Dexter Redding | Son | Musician; performed with family projects including The Reddings |
| Karla Redding-Andrews | Daughter | Executive leader at the Otis Redding Foundation; active in community work |
| Otis Redding III | Son | Musician (1963–2023); co-founded The Reddings; performed for decades |
| Demetria | Adopted daughter | Joined the family after Otis’s death |
This was a family that fused grief and grit into momentum. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dexter and Otis III helped form The Reddings, a band that translated a storied surname into its own grooves and hits. Karla stepped steadily into leadership, becoming a public voice for the Foundation and the family’s educational mission.
December 1967: Loss and Resolve
The crash that killed Otis Redding on December 10, 1967, severed a rising career and rearranged Zelma’s life in an instant. She was suddenly a widow with young children and a legacy to shepherd. In the months after, when (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay became a posthumous No. 1, it carried not only the sound of Otis’s whistled refrain but the weight of Zelma’s emerging responsibility. She became executor, archivist, negotiator—quietly keeping the lighthouse of his music shining through legal, business, and cultural weather.
Resolve replaced shock. She guarded the catalog, protected the name, and insisted on dignity—a stance that would define the next decades of stewardship.
Guardian of a Catalog, Builder of a Foundation
In 2007, Zelma Atwood transformed private stewardship into public mission by founding the Otis Redding Foundation. If the estate preserved legacy, the Foundation multiplied it—into classrooms, rehearsal spaces, and scholarships. Anchored in Macon, its signature Otis Music Camp assembles young musicians to write, collaborate, and perform, guided by professionals and family members who understand both the joy and discipline of the craft. The Foundation has also driven the development of the Otis Redding Center for the Arts, a home base for year-round programs and a cultural heartbeat for the community.
This work is hands-on. It is budgets and lesson plans; it is mentorship and microphones. Zelma, alongside Karla and a dedicated team, has translated the romance of a legend into the daily work of youth development. The result is practical magic: students discovering themselves through music, and a city seeing its own history reinvested in its future.
Work, Business, and Community Ties
Beyond philanthropy, Zelma has long engaged in business and civic life. Over the years she and Karla operated local retail and participated in boards, ceremonies, and civic initiatives that celebrate Middle Georgia’s arts and history. These endeavors kept the family’s presence visible not only in archives and playlists but in storefronts and neighborhoods. The through line is unmistakable: create opportunity, honor the past, and keep the next generation at the center.
The Family’s Ongoing Beat
The Reddings—the band formed by Dexter and Otis III with cousin Mark Lockett—found success on their own terms, paying homage without becoming a museum piece. Meanwhile, Karla’s leadership in the Foundation turned remembrance into programming that is alive and evolving. The family faced sorrow again in 2023 with the passing of Otis Redding III, a musician who carried his father’s tone in his fingers and toured tirelessly. Zelma’s familiar posture—fortitude laced with warmth—remained. What she has modeled since 1967 is not simply endurance, but curation: the art of choosing what to carry forward and how to share it.
Milestones and Timeline
| Year/Date | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 1959–1960 | Zelma and Otis meet as teenagers in Macon, Georgia |
| August 1961 | Marriage of Zelma Atwood and Otis Redding |
| 1960s | Births of Dexter, Karla, and Otis Redding III (Dec 1963) |
| Dec 10, 1967 | Otis Redding dies in a plane crash; Zelma assumes stewardship of the estate |
| 1979–1980s | Dexter and Otis III perform with The Reddings |
| 2007 | Zelma founds the Otis Redding Foundation in Macon |
| 2010s–present | Otis Music Camp and year-round programs expand the Foundation’s reach |
| Apr 18, 2023 | Passing of Otis Redding III |
| 2024 | Biopic “Otis & Zelma” announced, reflecting renewed public focus on the couple’s story |
Why Her Story Matters
Zelma’s story is the quieter twin of a famous narrative—the studio triumphs, the charts, the mythos of a voice. But families are where legacies live or fade. She turned a profound personal loss into a decades-long project of care: for a catalog, for a city, and for thousands of young people who needed a stage and a guide. In a culture that prizes the spotlight, she built the scaffolding. In a business that can be extractive, she insisted on integrity and education. Her name may not be on the records, but it’s in the room.
FAQ
Who is Zelma Atwood?
She is the widow of soul legend Otis Redding and the longtime steward of his estate, as well as the founder and president of the Otis Redding Foundation.
Why is she also known as Zelma Redding?
After marriage she was commonly referred to as Zelma Redding, especially in family, foundation, and public contexts.
When did she marry Otis Redding?
They married in August 1961 in Georgia.
How many children does she have?
Four: Dexter, Karla, Otis Redding III (1963–2023), and adopted daughter Demetria.
What happened after Otis Redding’s death in 1967?
Zelma managed the estate, raised their children, and preserved and advanced Otis’s legacy through business and philanthropic work.
What is the Otis Redding Foundation?
Founded in 2007, it provides youth music education, mentorship, and performance opportunities, including the annual Otis Music Camp.
Did she remarry?
No; she focused on her family, the estate, and the Foundation’s work.
What role did the children play in music?
Dexter and Otis III co-founded The Reddings; Karla leads major initiatives at the Otis Redding Foundation.
Is there a film about Zelma and Otis?
A biopic titled “Otis & Zelma” has been announced, spotlighting their relationship and early years.
Where is her work centered?
Macon, Georgia—home to the Foundation, its programs, and the developing Otis Redding Center for the Arts.
