Frederick Waite Jr, the drummer for reggae band Musical Youth — best known for the hit song Pass the Dutchie — has died, aged 55.
The band Waite announced his death on Twitter.
“Our thoughts go out to him and his family during this sad time,” the post said.
“We have lost a musical legend, who inspired many young musicians over the last 40 years.”
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A notice for an inquest into his death listed by the Birmingham City Council says he died on July 20.
The cause of Waite’s death was not announced by the band.
Waite was just 15 years old when Pass the Dutchie became a hit.
More than 4 million copies of the single were sold, according to a biography on All Music.
Musical Youth was formed in Birmingham, England in 1979.
Its members, Waite’s brother Patrick Waite, Dennis Seaton, Michael Grant and Kelvin Gran, were all students at Duddleston Manor School.
They made two albums, The Youth of Today in 1982 and Different Style in 1983, before disbanding in 1985.
However, Seaton and Micheal Grant reformed as a duo and have been performing together since the early 2000s.
Musical Youth gathered to play Pass the Dutchie at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham last week.
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