Musical Youth star Frederick Waite Jr who drummed on the band’s 1982 megahit Pass the Dutchie has died aged 55. Waite passed away on July 20 in Birmingham, with the British-Jamaican reggae band announcing his death today. Musical Youth was founded in 1979 and became the first black act to have a music video played on MTV. They were best known for their number one hit single Pass The Dutchie as well as Youth of Today, Never Gonna Give you Up and a collaboration with Donna Summer on a track titled Unconditional Love.
Legions of fans have paid tribute to Waite, with one tweeting: ‘R.I.P. Frederick. The very first record I ever bought was Pass The Dutchie. I was 11 years old & I saved up my 25p a week pocket money, my Grandad gave me on a Friday and I went to Rumbelows in Bromsgrove & bought it myself. Thank you for the childhood memories.’
Another wrote: ‘So sorry to hear this, thoughts are with everyone who knew him. Very proud of this band from Birmingham, so talented.’
Musical Youth formed in 1979 and became the first black act to have a music video played on MTV.
They were best known for their number one hit single Pass The Dutchie as well as Youth of Today, Never Gonna Give You Up and a collaboration with Donna Summer on a track titled Unconditional Love.
Pass the Dutchie was a remake of Pass The Kouchie by Jamaican act The Mighty Diamonds, which was a reference to passing around the cannabis pipe.
The band had been put together by Waite’s father Frederick Waite Sr, who had himself been in a reggae band. Waite’s brother Patrick played bass, while Waite Sr sang vocals until he decided they needed a younger frontman and gave the job to Dennis Seaton. Brothers Kelvin and Michael Grant completed the line-up.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL