Photo via Ramsey Lewis’ official Facebook

Legendary jazz pianist and composer Ramsey Lewis, known for his hit songs “The In Crowd” and “Wade in the Water,” died yesterday morning, Sept. 12, at his home in Chicago. He was 87 years old.

Over his life and career, he recorded over 80 LPs, three won Grammy Awards, and five went gold. The cause of death has yet to be reported, but his official Facebook page states that he “died peacefully.”

Born Ramsey E. Lewis Jr. in Chicago on May 27, 1935, Lewis grew up in the Cabrini Green housing project. By age 4, he began taking piano lessons and started performing by playing piano at church, where his father was the choir director. His father, Ramsey Lewis Sr., was a jazz fan who enjoyed Duke Ellington and Art Tatum and took his son to jazz concerts with the hope his son would embrace that music.

When Lewis was a freshman at Wells High School, a fellow church musician, saxophonist and pianist Wallace Burton asked him to join his band, the Clefs. Lewis swiftly familiarized himself with bebop and other jazz styles to adjust to the septet’s style. In a twist of fate, the military draft following the start of the Korean War claimed several members of the Clefs, including Burton. The three members who didn’t get drafted — Lewis, bassist Eldee Young, and drummer Redd Holt— congealed into what would become known as the classic Ramsey Lewis Trio.

In 1956, the trio released their first album, Ramsey Lewis and His Gentlemen of Jazz, via Chess. Just three years later, in 1959, Lewis performed with the trio at Birdland in New York. The three-week stint led to performances at the Newport Jazz Festival and the Village Vanguard and recording sessions with Clark Terry, Max Roach, and Sonny Stitt.

Then, in 1965 Lewis did something incredible, he broke through the charts – with jazz. His Grammy-winning song “The In Crowd” was followed by two more chart-topping singles, “Wade in the Water” and “Hang on Sloopy.” Following the success, Young and Holt departed from Lewis to start their own group while he continued with the trio format welcoming Cleveland Eaton and Maurice White – who would go on to play with Earth, Wind & Fire – on drums.

Throughout his life Lewis continued to write and record in multiple settings and genres, touching upon Latin music, gospel, and R&B and working with Grover Washington Jr., Earl Klugh, and Dave Koz as the Urban Knights in the ’90s. He went on to receive five honorary doctorate degrees, an NAACP Image Award, won the Stellar Gospel Music Award for Best Gospel Instrumental Album, “The In Crowd” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and his memorabilia now reside at the Smithsonian Institution. In 2007 he was given the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award, which rightfully placed him among piano legends like Chick Corea, Dr. Billy Taylor, Ahmad Jamal, Cecil Taylor and Ahmad Jamal.

Even in his 80s, Lewis connected and inspired through music. He created a monthly Saturday Salon livestream series which was produced by his wife Janet Lewis, and a resulting album entitled, The Beatles Songbook: The Saturday Salon Series, Volume One, will be released Nov. 11 via Steele Records. He also spent the last year of his life writing a memoir, Gentleman of Jazz, with his co-writer Aaron Cohen. The book is expected to be released via Blackstone publishing sometime next year.

Janet shared a heartfelt message on social media following his passing. She wrote, “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.”

Lewis is survived by his wife, Janet; sons Kendall Kelly Lewis, Frayne Lewis and Bobby Lewis; daughters Denise Jeffries and Dawn Allain; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.