Otis Redding III, Musician Son of Iconic Singer, Dead at 59

Singer and guitarist Otis Redding, the namesake youngest child of the legendary 1960s soul singer Otis Redding, has died. The musician’s sister, Karla Redding-Andrews, confirmed her brother’s passing in a statement shared to the Facebook page of the Otis Redding Foundation, revealing that Redding died of cancer Tuesday in Macon, Georgia. He was 59.

“It is with heavy hearts that the family of Otis Redding III confirms that he lost his battle with cancer last evening at Atrium Health Navicent in Macon, Ga.,” Redding-Andrews wrote. “Otis was 59 years old. Please keep our family in your prayers at this time and please respect our privacy as we consume this huge loss. Arrangements will be announced at a later date.”

Otis Redding III, the son and namesake of the celebrated 1960s soul singer, who made a name for himself as a singer and guitarist, died on Tuesday. He was 59. https://t.co/RTWNDK66FH

— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 20, 2023

Born in December 1963, Redding was just 3 years old when his father and four members of the Bar-Kays band died in a plane crash outside Madison, Wisconsin on Dec. 10, 1967. At the time, per Deadline, Otis, 26, was one of the most popular and influential soil singers of the era, with his hit song “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay” released posthumously. Following his father’s death, Redding and his three siblings were raised by their mother Zelma on the 300-acre Big O Ranch where their father was buried.

Redding eventually followed in his father’s musical footsteps. In 1980, he and his brother Dexter, along with a cousin named Mark Lockett, formed the funk group The Reddings. Together, the band released six albums. Otis played guitar, with Dexter on bass, and Lockett on keyboards. Speaking to PEOPLE in 1981, Redding said of his musical career, “Daddy is gone, but his spirit is fresh in our minds. Some people expect to hear Otis Redding in our music, but this is a different day.”

The Reddings would release their final album in 1988, with Redding going on to continue his musical career, even appearing onstage at Carnegie Hall for a 2018 tribute concert in honor of his father. He was once hired for a European tour as guitarist for soul singer Eddie Floyd, who helped Redding grow comfortable with performing “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay” and other songs of his famous father. In a 2018 interview with WCSH-TV in Portland, Maine, Redding recalled, “He said, ‘You can play guitar with me, but you’re going to have to sing a few of your dad’s songs.’ I was like, ‘Huh? I don’t sing,’ you know. And he was like, ‘Well, you’re going to sing “Dock of the Bay” with me tonight.’”

Redding also worked with The Otis Redding Foundation, which was founded by his mother. The organization aims to organize summer camps that teach children to play music. He was also the board president for the local chapter of Meals on Wheels, according to the Associated Press.