Singer and guitarist Otis Redding III, the son of the legendary 1960s soul singer Otis Redding, has died from cancer at age 59.
Redding III was just 3 years old when his father, Otis Redding, aged 26, along with several band members lost their lives in a plane crash on Dec. 10, 1967.
Over a decade later, the younger Redding and his brother, Dexter, formed the funk band The Reddings, which recorded six albums in the 1980s.
Though The Reddings released their final album in 1988, Redding continued to play music, and appeared onstage at Carnegie Hall for a 2018 tribute concert in honor of his father.
Redding III worked with his family’s foundation to organize summer camps that teach children to play music and served as board president for the local chapter of Meals on Wheels.
Redding III was once hired for a European tour as guitarist for soul singer Eddie Floyd, under whose guidance the younger Redding became comfortable performing “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay” and other songs of his famous father.
In a 2017 interview with The Telegraph, Otis Redding III intimated that his dad’s boots was a big one to fill.
Redding III noted in the same interview that he believed his father’s legacy was “timeless,” and hoped that younger artists would be inspired by all that his father accomplished despite a short life.