Otis Clay was the kind of blessed, pulsating soul singer that Memphis is known for. An effortlessly funky performer, Clay found a solid home with producer Willie Mitchell at Hi Records. 1972's Trying To Live My Life Without You, his first Hi album, illustrates a no-bones funkiness that immediately established Clay as a singer of the first rank. Mitchell was the Memphis soul stirrer who made magic with Al Green, Denise LaSalle, and Ann Peebles and played a fundamental role in the development of modern soul music. Mitchell is the best compliment to Clay's talents imaginable (and vice versa). Trying To Live My Life Without You is the sort of album that set trends by presenting simple, earthy, and straightforward expressions of the most vital form of popular music around.