US jazz pianist: Ramsey Lewis died at 87

The American jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis is dead. His band, the Ramsey Lewis Trio, became known worldwide in 1965 with the hit “The In Crowd”.

Jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, best known for hits like “The In Crowd”, “Hang on Sloopy” and “Wade in the Water”, has died at the age of 87. The three-time Grammy winner died peacefully at his home in Chicago on Monday, according to his management.

Lewis learned to play the piano when he was a toddler. As a student, he joined the jazz band The Clefs, which formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio in the 1950s. The band achieved worldwide fame in 1965 with the single “The In Crowd”. Her cross-genre style also mixed soul, blues and pop elements.

Life’s work of over 80 albums

In 2007, the musician was honored for his life’s work with the renowned jazz prize “National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award”. Lewis recorded more than 80 albums in total.

According to his management, he was most recently working on a new album, which is due out in November. In 2023 his memoirs entitled “Gentleman of Jazz” are to be published.