One of the pillars of Georgia’s musical community was honored for her life’s work.
Zelma Redding, the widow of soul music legend Otis Redding, was given an honorary doctor of humanities degree during commencement ceremonies at Mercer University in Macon.
Left with three small children in 1967 after her husband died in a plane crash, Redding mastered the music business to wrestle back her husband’s royalties and laid the groundwork for music education programs for young people before receiving her honorary degree, flanked by her daughter Karla Redding-Andrews and Mercer University Interim Provost Penny Elkins.
“Dr. Zelma Redding,” Redding repeated backstage after receiving the degree. “It feels really good. I feel like I’ve accomplished something in life that I never had before. So that makes me feel really good about myself, my family, the legacy that my husband left me.”
This summer, the Redding foundation’s camp for budding musicians and music executives moves into the newly opened Otis Redding Center for the Arts in downtown Macon, fronted by the Zelma Redding Amphitheatre.
