Ramsey Lewis, Legendary Jazz Pianist, Dies At 87
Jazz musician Ramsey Lewis, widely known for his tracks “The In Crowd” and “Wade in the Water,” has died. He was 87.
According to Variety, Lewis passed away on Monday morning (Sept. 12) at his home in Chicago. An official post was uploaded to Lewis’ official Facebook page, sharing that he “died peacefully.” Currently, no cause of death has been revealed.
“Ramsey’s passion for music was truly fueled by the love and dedication of his fans across the globe. He loved touring and meeting music lovers from so many cultures and walks of life. It was our family’s great pleasure to share Ramsey in this special way with all those who admired his God-given talents. We are forever grateful for your support,” his wife Janet Lewis wrote in the Facebook post.
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Lewis was born and raised in Chicago in the mid-1930s and 1940s. He later joined a college jazz group, the Clefs, as a freshman at Wells High School. The musical group later transformed into the Ramsey Lewis Trio, with Lewis, Eldee Young, and Redd Holt.
In 1956, the group released their first album Ramsey Lewis and His Gentleman of Jazz. The trio climbed the music charts with their Grammy award-winning songs “Hang on Sloopy” and Wade in the Water.” Their track “The In The Crowd” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009.
In 2007, Lewis received a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award.
Lewis is survived by his wife, Janet; daughters Denise Jeffries and Dawn Allain; sons Kendall Kelly Lewis, Frayne Lewis, and Bobby Lewis.
