Guitarist Otis Redding III Dead at 59: What Was His Cause of Death?

Guitarist Otis Redding III, the youngest son of legendary musician Otis Redding, has died. He was 59.

Initial reports revealed that Redding III died on Tuesday in Macon, Georgia. His sister, Karla Redding-Andrews, confirmed the development in a separate statement Wednesday.

Otis Redding III Dead: What Was His Cause of Death?

Redding-Andrews revealed through the Facebook page of the Otis Redding Foundation that her brother died on Tuesday evening at Atrium Health Navicent. She also confirmed Otis Redding III's cause of death, sharing that the guitarist passed away following his long battle with cancer.

"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," she said, per People.

Redding-Andrews did not disclose what type of cancer the musician suffered from. According to Cancer Research UK, not all cancers can cause death, especially when the diagnosis is detected at an early stage. The dreaded disease can only be fatal depending on its type and the body parts affected by the cancer cells.

Following the announcement of Otis Redding III's death, colleagues and fans paid tribute to him and remembered his contribution to the music industry.

Otis Redding III's Career

Redding suffered a tragic loss at a very young age when his father, Otis Redding, died with several band members following a plane crash on Dec. 10, 1967. Redding III was only 3 at that time.

He and his brother, Dexter, soon formed The Reddings and started recording albums in the 1980s.

The funk band successfully dropped hit songs that conquered the Billboard music charts. Among those singles include "Call the Law" and "Remote Control."

Despite scoring the spotlight, the Redding brothers never reached the stardom their father savored when he was still alive. Still, the band continued playing until recording its final album in 1988.

Aside from being a musician, Redding dedicated his life to his family's foundation. He organized summer camps and welcomed children who wanted to learn music.

The late guitarist also served as the Meals on Wheels' board president.

During the 2018 Otis Redding tribute concert at Carnegie Hall, Redding played his father's songs and performed in front of an audience. At that time, he expressed how grateful he felt to continue his father's legacy, although it overshadowed their efforts to create their own empire.

"No matter how hard I try to do my own thing, you know, it's like ... 'sing one of your daddy's songs,'" he told the Maine TV station, per ABC News. "So I go ahead and do what people want, and I live with it.