Frederick Waite Jr, the original drummer for British-Jamaican reggae band Musical Youth, has died at the age of 55. Show His passing was confirmed by the band on social media, writing in a statement that “we have lost a musical legend, who inspired many young musicians over the last 40 years”.
Waite died in his longtime stomping grounds of Birmingham, where Musical Youth were formed in 1979. No cause of death has been established at the time of writing, however according to a council notice for an inquest into the situation, he died more than three weeks ago, on July 20. Said inquest was formally opened last Monday (July 1), with its final hearing to be held on January 17, 2023. Born on May 23, 1967, Waite was just 12 when Musical Youth was formed. He was initially the band’s frontman, performing alongside his brother Patrick (bass) and the two Grant brothers, Kelvin (guitars and lead vocals) and Michael (keyboards). The band came together through the fathers of both families, with Waite’s father, Frederick Waite Sr, having been a member of the Jamaican reggae troupe The Techniques. In the early days of Musical Youth, he and the junior Waite shared lead vocal duties. Shortly after the band signed to MCA Records – to whom they were alerted after appearing on John Peel’s BBC Radio 1 show – both Waites stepped down from their singing roles, with Jr moving to drums and newcomer Dennis Seaton taking over on the mic. Musical Youth’s breakthrough came in 1982 with the release of ‘Pass The Dutchie’ – an amalgam of U Brown’s ‘Gimme The Music’ and the Mighty Diamond’s ‘Pass The Kouchie’ – which topped the charts in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand and Australia (and peaked just one spot shy in Germany). The song – which recently made a comeback to the spotlight thanks to its inclusion in Stranger Things 4– appeared on their debut album, ‘The Youth Of Today’ (also released in ’82) alongside other singles like the title track, ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ and ‘Heartbreaker’. The album was followed up in 1983 with ‘Different Style!’, and although that record was significantly less popular, it spawned successful singles like the Jody Watley-assisted ‘Sixteen’ and ‘007’. Musical Youth disbanded in 1985. They’d planned to reunite in the early ‘90s, however those plans were scrapped after Patrick Waite, then 24, died from a heart condition in 1993. Dennis Seaton and Michael Grant reformed Musical Youth as a duo in 2001, and released the album ‘When Reggae Was King’ in 2018. In a tribute shared on Facebook, London singer-songwriter, producer and colleague of Waite’s, Lloyd Brown, wrote: “I remember one meeting at the ‘Search For A Star’ grand final talent contest function helmed by the late Flip Fraser and the Voice newspaper where we appeared with Prince Lincoln, Sugar Minott, Winston Reedy, Aswad and The Instigators. Musical Youth were the surprise guests, and all I could hear when they walked in the place was an almighty chorus of screams inna the place….deafening lol. “We performed at a few festivals together and the respect between our bands was arguably mutual. Their international success was a beacon for us and many more young bands that came after to present day.”
One of the stars of a hit British band that produced one of the 1980s most seminal reggae songs has died at the age of 55. Frederic Waite Jr was the drummer in Birmingham band Musical Youth. The band performed their defining song, Pass the Dutchie, just days ago at the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. In 1982, the cannabis inspired anthem went to number one in the charts in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland and reached the top 10 of the US Billboard chart. It also had a recent resurgence after featuring in the hit Netflix show Stranger Things. On Wednesday, the ban announced the death of Waite Jr on social media. “We are sad to announce the passing of Musical Youth’s drummer Frederick Waite Jr. “Our thoughts go out to him and his family during this sad time. We have lost a musical legend, who inspired many young musicians over the last 40 years,” the tribute stated. “Rest in Eternal Peace”. Waite, known as “Freddie” died on July 20 in Birmingham with details only being announced now. It is not known what caused his death. The British-Jamaican band formed in the UK’s second city in 1979. They first performed for students at their own school, Duddeston High, in the city, reported website Birmingham Live. Pass the Dutchie was the first single after the group signed to a major label, in their case MCA Records. Musical Youth was the first black act to have a music video played on the then new music channel MTV. Debut album The Youth of Today, also released in 1982, was certified gold in the UK and Canada and spawned a number of further hit singles. Musical Youth also were nominated for a Grammy Award for best new band in 1984. The band disbanded in 1985. Two of the band members, Dennis Seaton and Michael Grant, resurrected the band as duo in 2001. The band came back together for the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in on July 20 as part of a celebration of Birmingham culture alongside singer Beverley Knight, the band UB40 and a TV show Peaky Blinders. However Waite did not appear with another drummer taking his place. Tributes have poured in for Waite with people saying it was “beyond sad,” and remembering his youth in Birmingham. “How incredibly sad, Freddie, you inspired so many black British teenagers in the 1980s and made them realise their dreams could come true,” one said. What Happened to Frederick Waite?A Birmingham legend who inspired young musicians over four decades spent his final days 'listening to music' before his tragic death at a mental health unit, an inquest heard. Musical Youth drummer Frederick Waite Jr died days after the band played at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.
What happened to Junior Waite?Frederick Waite Jr. (born on 23 May 1967) died in Birmingham on 20 July 2022, at the age of 55.
Are Musical Youth still going?Musical Youth recorded two albums and earned a Grammy Award nomination. Yet just months after Pass the Dutchie, their chart success was over. By 1985, the boys had had enough and went their separate ways.
Who was the lead singer of Musical Youth?Dennis SeatonMusical Youth / Lead singernull
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What Happened to Frederick Waite Jr?
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