Redd Holt, a legendary drummer known for his unique blend of funk and jazz beats, passed away at the age of 91 due to complications from lung cancer. Holt’s most significant achievement came as a member of pianist Ramsey Lewis’s trio, where he played on “The ‘In’ Crowd,” a live album whose title track was an R&B cover by Dobie Gray. The group’s version of the song hit No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won a Grammy for best instrumental jazz performance by a small group or soloist. However, the group later disbanded due to disagreements over creative direction and finances, with Holt forming his own group, Young-Holt Unlimited. The group continued to create pop-friendly tunes such as “Soulful Strut,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and “Wack Wack,” which reached No. 40 on the charts. Holt grew up in Rosedale, Mississippi, where he discovered his love for drumming at a young age. He moved to Chicago as part of the Great Migration and spent the rest of his life there, performing regularly until the pandemic began. Holt was survived by his wife, Marylean Green, and three sons, Isaac, Ivan, and Reginald.
