By 1962 Redding was serving as a roadie for a popular regional band called Johnny and the Pinetoppers; when the group recorded at the famous Stax Studio in Memphis, Redding used some of their extra studio time to record some solo material of his own. Some of his cuts so impressed the studio execs that he was immediately signed to Stax/Volt as a solo artist. His 1963 debut single "These Arms of Mine" became a major hit, selling more than 800,000 copies. Over the next few years Redding recorded a slew of soulful, horn-driven R&B singles for Stax/Volt, including "Mr. Pitiful," "That's How Strong My Love Is," "Try a Little Tenderness" and "Respect," creating a style now known as the "Memphis Sound.