Frederick Waite Jr. Dead at 55: Musical Youth Drummer Played on ‘Pass the Dutchie’

Musical Youth drummer Frederick Waite Jr., the ’80s music legend behind the hit song “Pass the Dutchie,” which recently featured on Stranger Things Season 4, has died. Waite passed away in Birmingham, where Musical Youth were formed in 1979, on July 20, according to a city council notice. His cause of death is not known. Waite was 55.

The famed musician’s passing was announced by Musical Youth. In a statement shared to Facebook, the band wrote, “We are sad to announce the passing of Musical Youth’s drummer Frederick Waite Jr. Our thoughts go out to him and his family during this sad time.” Musical Youth went on to share, “We have lost a musical legend, who inspired many young musicians over the last 40 years. Rest in Eternal Peace.”

Born on May 23, 1967, Waite was just 12 when Musical Youth was formed. Waite served as the band’s frontman alongside his brother Patrick (bass), Kelvin Grant (guitars and lead vocals) and Michael Grant (keyboards). Waite’s father, Frederick Waite Sr, a member of the Jamaican reggae troupe The Techniques, also shared lead vocal duties, according to NME. Shortly after the band signed to MCA Records, Waite to drums, with newcomer Dennis Seaton taking over lead vocals as Waite Sr. stepped down.

The band had their big break in 1982, when the members were between the ages of 11 and 15, with the release of their hit song “Pass The Dutchie.” A cover of the Mighty Diamond’s 1981 hit song “Pass the Kutchie,” the song went on to sell more than five million copies worldwide and topped the charts in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The song, which appeared as a track on the band’s debut album The Youth Of Today, recently made a major comeback after it was heavily featured in the most recent season of Netflix’s Stranger Things.

Following The Youth Of Today, Musical Youth went on to release Different Style! In 1983. The album included singles like “Sixteen” and “007.” Musical Youth disbanded in 1985, and plans to reunite in the ’90s never came to fruitition following the death of Patrick Waite in 1993. In 1002, Seaton and Michael reformed Musical Youth as a duo, releasing the album When Reggae Was King in 2018.

Remembering Waite in a statement, per BBC, Seaton said Waite could be classed as the “best drummer in the world for his age,” adding that he “led the band with commitment and hard work.” Reggae and Brummie band UB40 paid tribute to Waite by writing, “R.I.P JR. How sad to hear this news. Our thoughts go out to his family and Musical Youth.”