Otis Redding III, Musician and Son of Legendary Soul Singer, Dead at 59

Otis Redding III, the musician who shares a name with his iconic 1960s soul singer father, has died following a battle with cancer, his family said on Wednesday. He was 59.

Redding's sister, Karla Redding-Andrews, shared the news in a statement via The Otis Redding Foundation Facebook page.

"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."

Redding's father -- Otis Redding, nicknamed "The King of Soul" -- died in a plane crash on Dec. 10, 1967 when Redding was just three years old. He grew up to form the funk band The Reddings with his brother, Dexter, and cousin, Mark Locket, in the 1980s. Their biggest hit was "Remote Control."

Redding continued playing guitar and performing after the band released its final album in 1988.

"No matter how hard I try to do my own thing, you know, it’s like ... 'sing one of your daddy’s songs,'" he said in a 2018 interview with WCSH-TV in Portland, Maine. "So I go ahead and do what people want, and I live with it. But I’m not under any pressure and I don’t put myself mentally under any pressure to go begging for record deals."

According to his website, Redding performed his father's music at weddings and private parties, as well as a high-profile 2018 appearance at Carnegie Hall for an Otis Redding tribute concert. He also offered custom shout-out and songwriting services.

Redding gave back to his community in Georgia, working with his family's charity foundation to offer musical education to young people and serving as the board president for his local chapter of Meals on Wheels.

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