Otis Redding III dead: Son of legendary soul singer tragically dies of cancer aged 59
Otis Redding III, the son of the legendary singer-songwriter once labelled the "King of Soul", has died aged 59.
Otis Redding III, one of four children that the Try A Little Tenderness star shared with wife Zelma Atwood, sadly "lost his battle" with cancer at the age of 59.
The sad news was confirmed by sister Karla on her Facebook page, where she mourned the talented performer who had been following in his father's musical footsteps.
She also posted the sad news on his official Instagram page, writing: "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.
"Please keep our family in your prayers at this time and please respect our privacy as we consume this huge loss."
She added that funeral arrangements will be announced shortly.
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His dad had enjoyed huge notoriety over the course of his career, releasing no fewer than 48 singles across 10 albums.
However, not content to merely be the King of Soul's son, Otis Redding III carved out a successful musical career of his own.
The youngest child of the bluesy singer played guitar in funk band The Reddings along with his brother Dexter and their cousin Mark Lockett, confirming that music is very much in the family's DNA.
They were managed by mum Zelda, who raised her kids at the 300-acre Big O Ranch, where Otis is buried.
He died in a plane crash when Otis III was just three years old, leaving him to be one of the surviving carriers of his father's legacy.
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Otis III and the group released six albums and had success on the Billboard charts, but their final release had been in 1988.
However, he continued to be a presence on the music scene and thirty years on, he performed at a special tribute concert at Carnegie Hall in his father's honour.
He also played a valuable part in the Otis Redding Foundation, which his mother founded to help teach kids to play music at specially organised summer camps.
Meanwhile, he remained forever humble about his role in relation to his late father, who also part-inspired Christina Aguilera's 2006 track 'Back In The Day'.
He asked the Telegraph: "Who can live up to Otis Redding? I mean, I had his name, I got a little bit of talent, but you know, nobody can really live up to the King of Soul!"
