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George Clinton's Bio From All Music Guide
By 1980, George Clinton began to be weighed down by legal difficulties arising from Polygram's acquisition of Parliament's label, Casablanca. Jettisoning both the Parliament and Funkadelic names (but not the musicians), Clinton signed to Capitol in 1982 both as a solo act and as the P.Funk All-Stars. His first solo album, 1982's Computer Games, contained the Top 20 R&B hit "Loopzilla." Several months later, the title track from Clinton's Atomic Dog EP hit #1 on the R&B charts; it stayed at the top spot for four weeks, but only managed #101 on the pop charts. Clinton stayed on Capitol for three more years, releasing three studio albums and frequently charting singles "Nubian Nut," "Last Dance," "Do Fries Go with That Shake" in the R&B Top 30. During much of the three-year period from 1986 to 1989, Clinton became embroiled in legal difficulties (resulting from the myriad royalty problems latent during the '70s recordings of over 40 musicians for four labels under three names). Also problematic during the latter half of the '80s was Clinton's disintegrating reputation as a true forefather of rock; by the end of the decade, however, a generation of rappers reared on P-Funk were beginning to name-check him.
In 1989, Clinton signed a contract with Prince's Paisley Park label and released his fifth solo studio album: The Cinderella Theory. After one more LP for Paisley Park (Hey Man... Smell My Finger), Clinton signed with Sony 550. His first release, 1996's T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. ("the awesome power of a fully operational mothership"), reunited the funk pioneer with several of his Parliament/Funkadelic comrades from the '70s. Clinton's Greatest Funkin Hits (1996) teamed old P-Funk hits with new-school rappers such as Digital Underground, Ice Cube, and Q-Tip. John Bush
Parliament's Bio From All Music Guide
By the time his on-the-move family settled in New Jersey during the early '50s, George Clinton (b. July 22, 1941, Kannapolis, NC) became interested in doo wop, which was just beginning to explode in the New York-metro area. Basing his group on Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers, Clinton formed the Parliaments in 1955 with a lineup that gradually shifted to include Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, Grady Thomas, Raymond Davis, and Calvin Simon. Based out of a barbershop backroom where Clinton straightened hair, the Parliaments released only two singles during the next ten years, but frequent trips to Detroit during the mid-'60s where Clinton began working as a songwriter and producer eventually paid off their investment.
After finding a hit with the 1967 single "(I Wanna) Testify," the Parliaments ran into trouble with Revilot Records and refused to record any new material. Instead of waiting for a settlement, Clinton decided to record the same band under a new name: Funkadelic. Founded in 1968, the group began life as a smoke screen, claiming as its only members the Parliaments' backing band guitarist Eddie Hazel, bassist Billy Nelson, rhythm guitarist Lucius "Tawl" Ross, drummer Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood, and organist Mickey Atkins but in truth including Clinton and the rest of the former Parliaments lineup. Revilot folded not long after, with the label's existing contracts sold to Atlantic; Clinton, however, decided to abandon the Parliaments name rather than record for the major label. One previously recorded Parliaments single, "A New Day Begins," was licensed to Atco in 1969 and became a number 44 hit that May. By 1970, George Clinton had regained the rights to the Parliaments name: he then signed the entire Funkadelic lineup to Invictus Records as Parliament. The group released one album 1970's Osmium and scored a number 30 hit, "The Breakdown," on the R&B charts in 1971. With Funkadelic firing on all cylinders, however, Clinton decided to discontinue Parliament (the name, not the band) for the time being.
Though keyboard player Bernie Worrell (b. April 19, 1944, Long Beach, NJ) had played on the original Funkadelic album, his first credit with the conglomeration appeared on Funkadelic's second album, 1970's Free Your Mind...And Your Ass Will Follow. Clinton and Worrell had known each other since the New Jersey barbershop days, and Worrell soon became the most crucial cog in the P-Funk machine, working on arrangements and production for virtually all later Parliament/Funkadelic releases. His strict upbringing and classical training (at the New England Conservatory and Juilliard), as well as the boom in synthesizer technology during the early '70s, gave him the tools to create the synth runs and horn arrangements that later trademarked the P-Funk sound. Two years after the addition of Worrell, P-Funk added its second most famed contributor, Bootsy Collins. The muscular, throbbing bass line of Collins (b. October 26, 1951, Cincinnati, OH) had already been featured in James Brown's backing band (the J.B.'s) along with his brother, guitarist Catfish Collins. Bootsy and Catfish were playing in a Detroit band when George Clinton saw and hired them.
Funkadelic released five albums from 1970 through early 1974, and consistently hit the lower reaches of the R&B charts, but the collective pulled up stakes later in 1974 and began recording as Parliament. Signing with the Casablanca label, Parliament's "Up for the Down Stroke" (number ten R&B, number 63 pop) appeared in mid-1974 and reflected a more mainstream approach than Funkadelic, with funky horn arrangements reminiscent of James Brown and a live feel that recalls contemporary work by Kool & the Gang. It became the biggest hit yet for the Parliament/Funkadelic congregation. "Testify," a revamped version of the Parliaments' 1967 hit, also charted in 1974. One year later, Chocolate City continued Parliament's success: the title track reached number 24 R&B, and "Ride On" also charted.
Clinton & co. ushered in 1976 with the April release of the third Parliament LP in as many years: Mothership Connection. Arguably the peak of Parliament's power, the album made number 13 on the pop charts and went platinum, sparked by three hit singles: "P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" (number 33 R&B), "Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk)" (number five R&B, number 15 pop), and "Star Child" (number 26 R&B). In addition to Bootsy Collins, the album featured two other James Brown refugees: horn legends Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley. Just six months after the release of Mothership Connection, Clinton had another Parliament album in the can, The Clones of Doctor Funkenstein. Though it only reached gold status, the LP spawned the number 22 R&B hit "Do That Stuff" and the number 43 "Dr. Funkenstein."
Several internal squabbles during 1977 apparently didn't phase Clinton at all; the following year proved to be the most successful in Parliament's history. In January, "Flash Light" from the Parliament album Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome became the collective's first number one hit. It topped the R&B charts for three weeks, and was followed by the number 27 single, "Funkentelechy." The LP reached number 13 on the pop charts and became Parliament's second platinum album. Early in 1979, Parliament hit number one yet again with "Aqua Boogie," from its eighth album, Motor-Booty Affair. The LP, which stalled at number 23, nevertheless became the group's fifth consecutive album to go gold or better. Parliament's ninth album, Gloryhallastoopid (Or Pin the Tale on the Funky), was released later in 1979 and showed a bit of a slip in the previously unstoppable Clinton machine. The group charted in the R&B Top Ten twice during 1980 ("Theme From 'The Black Hole'" and "Agony of Defeet"), but Clinton began to be weighed down that year by legal difficulties arising from Polygram's acquisition of Casablanca. Jettisoning both the Parliament and Funkadelic names (but not the musicians), Clinton began his solo career with 1982's Computer Games. He and many former Parliament/Funkadelic members continued to tour and record during the '80s as the P-Funk All Stars, but the decade's disdain of everything to do with the '70s resulted in the neglect of critical and commercial opinion for the world's biggest funk band, especially one which in part had spawned the sound of disco. During the early '90s, the rise of funk-inspired rap (courtesy of Digital Underground, Dr. Dre, and Warren G) and funk rock (Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers) re-established the status of Clinton & co., one of the most important forces in the recent history of black music. John Bush
Funkadelic's Bio From All Music Guide
In the grand soul tradition of a backing band playing support before the star takes the stage, Funkadelic began life supporting George Clinton's doo wop group, the Parliaments. After having performed for almost ten years, the Parliaments had added a rhythm section in 1964 for tours and background work consisting of guitarist Frankie Boyce, his brother Richard on bass, and drummer Langston Booth; two years later, the trio enlisted in the Army. By mid-1967, Clinton had recruited a new backing band, including his old friend Billy "Bass" Nelson (b. January 28, 1951, Plainfield, NJ) and guitarist Eddie Hazel (b. April 10, 1950, Brooklyn, NY). After several temporary replacements on drums and keyboards, the addition of rhythm guitarist Lucius "Tawl" Ross (b. October 5, 1948, Wagram, NC) and drummer Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood (b. May 23, 1944, Philadelphia, PA) completed the lineup.
The Parliaments recorded several hits during 1967, but trouble with the Revilot label backed Clinton into a corner. He hit upon the idea of deserting the Parliaments' name and instead recording their backing group, with the added vocal "contributions" of the former Parliaments same band, different name. Billy Nelson suggested the title Funkadelic, to reflect the members' increased inspiration from LSD and psychedelic culture. Clinton formed the Funkadelic label in mid-1968 but then signed the group to Detroit's Westbound label several months later.
Released in 1970, Funkadelic's self-titled debut album listed only producer Clinton and the five members of Funkadelic Hazel, Nelson, Fulwood, and Ross plus organist Mickey Atkins but also included all the former Parliaments plus several Motown sessionmen and Rare Earth's Ray Monette. Keyboard player Bernie Worrell also appeared on the album uncredited, even though his picture was included on the inner sleeve with the rest of the band.
Worrell (b. April 19, 1944, Long Beach, NJ) was finally credited on the second Funkadelic album (1970's Free Your Mind...And Your Ass Will Follow). He and Clinton had known each other since the early '60s, and Worrell soon became the most crucial cog in the P-Funk machine, working on arrangements and production for most later Parliament/Funkadelic releases. His strict upbringing and classical training (at the New England Conservatory and Juilliard), as well as the boom in synthesizer technology during the early '70s, gave him the tools to create the horn arrangements and jazz fusion-inspired synth runs that later trademarked the P-Funk sound. Just after the release of their third album, Maggot Brain, P-Funk added yet another big contributor, Bootsy Collins. The throbbing bass line of Collins (b. October 26, 1951, Cincinnati, OH) had previously been featured in James Brown's backing band, the J.B.'s (along with his brother, guitarist Catfish Collins). Bootsy and Catfish were playing in a Detroit band in 1972 when George Clinton saw and hired them.
The Clinton/Worrell/Collins lineup premiered on 1972's America Eats Its Young, but soon after its release several original members left the camp. Eddie Hazel spent a year in jail after a combination drug possession/assault conviction, Tawl Ross left the band for medical reasons relating to an overdose of LSD and speed, and Bill Nelson quit after more financial quarrels with Clinton. Funkadelic hired teenaged guitar sensation Michael Hampton as a replacement, but both Hazel and Nelson would return for several later P-Funk releases.
Funkadelic moved to Warner Bros. in 1975 and delivered its major-label debut, Hardcore Jollies, one year later to lackluster sales and reviews. The same year, Westbound raided its vaults and countered with Tales of Kidd Funkadelic. Ironically, the album did better than Hardcore Jollies and included an R&B Top 30 single, "Undisco Kidd." In 1977, Westbound released The Best of the Early Years while Funkadelic recorded what became its masterpiece (and arguably the best P-Funk release ever), 1978's One Nation Under A Groove.
During the most successful year in Parliament/Funkadelic history, Parliament hit the charts first with "Flash Light," P-Funk's first R&B number one. "Aqua Boogie" would hit number one as well late in the year, but Funkadelic's title track to One Nation Under A Groove spent six weeks at the top spot on the R&B charts during the summer. The album, which reflected a growing consistency in styles between Parliament and Funkadelic, became the first Funkadelic LP to reach platinum (the same year that Parliament's Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome did the same). In 1979, Funkadelic's "(Not Just) Knee Deep" hit number one as well, and its album (Uncle Jam Wants You) reached gold status.
At just the point that Funkadelic appeared to be at the top of its powers, the band began to unravel. As is sometimes the case, commercial success began to dissolve several old friendships. In 1977, original Parliaments members Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas had left the P-Funk organization to record on their own. In early 1981, they hit the R&B charts with a single called "Connections and Disconnections," recorded as Funkadelic. To confuse matters more, the original Funkadelic appeared on the charts at the same time, with the title track to The Electric Spanking of War Babies.
During 1980, Clinton began to be weighed down by legal difficulties arising from Polygram's acquisition of Parliament's label, Casablanca. Jettisoning both the Parliament and Funkadelic names (but not the musicians), Clinton began his solo career with 1982's Computer Games. He and many former Parliament/Funkadelic members continued to tour and record throughout the '80s as the P-Funk All Stars, but the decade's disdain of everything to do with the '70s resulted in critical and commercial neglect for the world's biggest funk band, especially one which in part had spawned the sound of disco. During the early '90s, the rise of funk-inspired rap (courtesy of Digital Underground, Dr. Dre, and Warren G) and funk rock (Primus and Red Hot Chili Peppers) re-established the status of Clinton & co., one of the most important forces in the recent history of black music. John Bush
Bootsy's Bio From All Music Guide
Signing to Warner Bros., he enjoyed the first of his 15 R&B singles-chart entries in 1976 with "Stretchin' Out (In a Rubber Band)." His most successful singles were "The Pinocchio Theory" (1977) and the chart-topping "Bootzilla" (1978). He also released six albums on Warners through 1982, including the gold-sellers Ahh...The Name Is Bootsy Baby (1977) and Bootsy? Player of the Year (1978), then took a six-year recording hiatus, and returned on Columbia in 1988 with the appropriately named What's Bootsy Doin'? In 1989, Bootsy was a member of the Bootzilla Orchestra on Malcolm McLaren's album Waltz Dancing. In 1990, Bootsy was a featured guitarist and bassist with the dance music trio Deee-Lite. Bootsy's New Rubber Band released Blasters of the Universe on August 2, 1994. Straight Outta P University followed four years later. William Ruhlmann
Bernie Worrell's Bio From All Music Guide
Raymond Davis' Bio From All Music Guide
Official Site: George Clinton
The Parliaments:
(Formed 1956)
~Original~
George Clinton (Born July 22, 1941 in Kannapolis, NC)
Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins
Grady Thomas
Raymond Davis (Born March 29, 1940, in Sumter, SC - Died July 5, 2005 (respiratory complications))
Calvin Simon
Frankie Boyce (Member 1964-1966 (Joined the army))
Richard Boyce (Member 1964-1966 (Joined the army))
Langston Booth (Member 1964-1966 (Joined the army))
Billy "Bass" Nelson (Born January 28, 1951 in Plainfield, NJ)
Eddie Hazel (Born April 10, 1950 in Brooklyn, NY)
Lucius "Tawl" Ross (Born October 5, 1948 in Wagram, NC)
Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood (Born May 23, 1944 in Philadelphia, PA)
George Clinton (Born July 22, 1941 in Kannapolis, NC)
Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins
Grady Thomas
Raymond Davis (Born March 29, 1940, in Sumter, SC - Died July 5, 2005 (respiratory complications))
Calvin Simon
Billy "Bass" Nelson (Born January 28, 1951 in Plainfield, NJ)
Eddie Hazel (Born April 10, 1950 in Brooklyn, NY)
Lucius "Tawl" Ross (Born October 5, 1948 in Wagram, NC)
Ramon "Tiki" Fulwood (Born May 23, 1944 in Philadelphia, PA)
Mickey Atkins
Ray Monette
Bernie Worrell (Born George Bernard Worrell, Jr., April 19, 1944 in Long Beach, NJ)
Bootsy Collins (Joined 1972) (Born William Collins, October 26, 1951, Cincinnati, OH)
Catfish Collins (Joined 1972) (Born Phelps Collins)
Maceo Parker (Joined 1976)
Fred Wesley (Joined 1976)
The Pacesetters (1968)/The J.B.s (1969-1971):
Bootsy Collins (Born William Collins, October 26, 1951, Cincinnati, OH)
Catfish Collins (Born Phelps Collins)
Frankie "Kash" Waddy
Philippe Wynne
(Formed 1976)
Bootsy Collins (Born William Collins, October 26, 1951, Cincinnati, OH)
Catfish Collins (Born Phelps Collins)
Frankie "Kash" Waddy
Joel "Razor Sharp" Johnson
Gary "Mudd-Bone" Cooper
Robert "P-Nut" Johnson
Mos Def (A.K.A. Pretty Flaco, The Mighty-Mighty Mos, Black Dante & Mos Definite) (Born Dante Terrell Smith, December 11, 1973 in Brooklyn, NY)
Will Calhoun (of Living Colour) (Born William Calhoun, July 22 1964, Brooklyn, NY)
Doug Wimbish (of Living Colour) (Born September 22, 1956 in Hartford, CT)
Dr. Know (of Bad Brains) (Born Gary Miller, September 15, 1958 in Washington, D.C.)
Bernie Worrell (Born George Bernard Worrell, Jr., April 19, 1944 in Long Beach, NJ)
George Clinton - Computer Games
George Clinton - You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish
George Clinton - Hey Man...Smell My Finger
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic - Music From PCU
George Clinton - A Fifth Of Funk
George Clinton - Greatest Funkin' Hits
George Clinton And The P-Funk All-Stars - T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.
George Clinton And The P-Funk All-Stars - Dope Dogs
George Clinton - Greatest Hits
Bootsy Collins - Ahh...The Name Is Bootsy Baby
Bootsy Collins - Back In The Day: The Best Of Bootsy
Bootsy Collins - Play With Bootsy
Bootsy Collins - Christmas Is 4-Ever
Funkadelic
Funkadelic - Free Your Mind...And Your Ass Will Follow
Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic - Music For Your Mother
Parliament - Mothership Connection
Parliament - The Clones Of Dr. Funkenstein
Parliament - Greatest Hits: The Bomb
Parliament - The Best Of Parliament: Give Up The Funk
Parliament - The Best Of Parliament: The Millennium Collection
Baby Boy (Bootsy Collins)
Digital Underground - Sons Of The P (George Clinton)
Daz Dillinger - Tha Dogg Pound Gangsta LP (George Clinton)
D.P.G.C. - The Remix Album (George Clinton)
Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg - Nuthin' But A G Thang (Thug Radio Mixtape) (George Clinton)
Friday (Bootsy Collins & Bernie Worrell)
Hi-Tek - Hi-Technology²: The Chip (Bootsy Collins)
How To Be A Player
Ice Cube - Lethal Injection (George Clinton)
Ice Cube - Featuring... (George Clinton)
Ice Cube - Greatest Hits (George Clinton)
Ice Cube - Cali Untouchable Radio 11 (George Clinton)
Jon B - Bonafide (Bootsy Collins)
K-Dee - Ass, Gas Or Cash (No One Rides For Free) (Bootsy Collins)
Mr. Kane - Pain Killerz (George Clinton & Malia Franklin)
Lords Of The Underground - Keepers Of The Funk (George Clinton)
Merry Fucking Christmas 5: Christmas Carols For Jesus (Thug Radio Mixtape) (Bootsy Collins)
Millennium Funk Party
OutKast - Aquemini (George Clinton)
Panther
The PJs (George Clinton)
Prince - Graffiti Bridge
- Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic (Maceo Parker)
Pure Funk
RBX - The Shining (Malia Franklin)
Redman - Malpractice (George Clinton)
RZA As Bobby Digital - Digi Snacks (George Clinton)
Society Of Soul - Brainchild (George Clinton)
Snoop Dogg - Tha Last Meal (George Clinton)
Snoop Dogg - R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece (Bootsy Collins)
Snoop Dogg - Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (George Clinton)
Thug Radio Mixtape 15: Hard As Steel (George Clinton)
Too $hort - Gettin' It (Album Number Ten)
Too $hort - Chase The Cat (George Clinton)
Too $hort - What's My Favorite Word? (George Clinton)
2Pac - All Eyez On Me (George Clinton)
2Pac - Rare & Unreleased (George Clinton)
VH1 8-Track Flashback: Classic '70s Soul
Warren G - Return Of The Regulator (George Clinton)
Wu-Tang Clan - 8 Diagrams (George Clinton)
The mastermind of the Parliament/Funkadelic collective during the 1970s, George Clinton broke up both bands by 1981 and began recording solo albums, occasionally performing live with his former bandmates as the P.Funk All-Stars. Born in Kannapolis, North Carolina on July 22, 1941, Clinton became interested in doo wop while living in New Jersey during the early '50s. He formed the Parliaments in 1955, based out of a barbershop back-room where he straightened hair. The group had a small R&B hit during 1967, but Clinton began to mastermind the Parliaments' activities two years later. Recording both as Parliament and Funkadelic, the group revolutionized R&B during the '70s, twisting soul music into funk by adding influences from several late-'60s acid heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Sly Stone. The Parliament/Funkadelic machine ruled black music during the '70s, capturing over 40 R&B hit singles (including three number ones) and recording three platinum albums.
Inspired by Motown's assembly line of sound, George Clinton gradually assembled a collective of over 50 musicians and recorded the ensemble during the '70s both as Parliament and Funkadelic. While Funkadelic pursued band-format psychedelic rock, Parliament engaged in a funk free-for-all, blending influences from the godfathers (James Brown and Sly Stone) with freaky costumes and themes inspired by '60s acid culture and science fiction. From its 1970 inception until Clinton's dissolving of Parliament in 1980, the band hit the R&B Top Ten several times but truly excelled in two other areas: large-selling, effective album statements and the most dazzling, extravagant live show in the business. In an era when Philly soul continued the slick sounds of establishment-approved R&B, Parliament scared off more white listeners than it courted.
Though it often took a back chair to its sister group Parliament, Funkadelic furthered the notions of black rock begun by Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, blending elements of '60s psychedelia and blues plus the deep groove of soul and funk. The band pursued album statements of social/political commentary while Parliament stayed in the funk singles format, but Funkadelic nevertheless paralleled the more commercial artist's success, especially in the late '70s when the interplay between bands moved the Funkadelic sound closer to a unified P-Funk style.
Bootsy (born William Collins, October 26, 1951, Cincinnati) is a funk/R&B bassist/singer/bandleader. He formed his first group, the Pacesetters, in 1968, featuring Phelps "Catfish" Collins (his brother; guitar), Frankie "Kash" Waddy (drums), and Philippe Wynne. From 1969 to 1971, the group functioned as James Brown's backup band and was dubbed the JB's. In 1972, Bootsy joined George Clinton's Parliament/Funkadelic. He launched Bootsy's Rubber Band as a spin-off of P-Funk in 1976, the band including his brother Phelps, Waddy, Joel "Razor Sharp" Johnson (keyboards), Gary "Mudd-Bone" Cooper (drums), and Robert "P-Nut" Johnson (vocals), along with "the Horny Horns." (He was sometimes billed alone as Bootsy, and sometimes as William "Bootsy" Collins.)
Raised in Plainfield, NJ, Worrell was a classically trained pianist at three years old. Throughout his childhood he played with symphonies and orchestras, and even wrote his own concerto at the age of eight. Slowly, he listened to the radio and discovered sounds other than classical, and when he went to college, he played with a number of bar bands, including The Tavares (who were known as Chubby & The Turnpikes back then). It was also around this time that Worrell met George Clinton, who was the vocalist for a Motown-influenced group called the Parliaments. The Parliaments soon split up and moved to Detroit, where Clinton re-formed them into a new group, called Parliament. Clinton then formed another side band, called Funkadelic, several of whose members had been in Parliament but were now performing under the new name due to contractual glitches. Worrell joined Funkadelic in 1970, beginning with their album Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow. He was an essential part of the P-Funk mob and continued to play with them right up until the early '80s. He then joined The Talking Heads as a session man and went on tour with them throughout the '80s, basically working with David Byrne and the band right up to their split in early 1992. Besides his solo career, Worrell continues to work with members of the P-Funk, including Bootsy Collins. His work on such songs as "Flashlight," "(Not Just) Knee Deep," and "Cosmic Slop" influenced not only other R&B/soul artists but also many rap groups, who continue to sample his work in their own songs. John Book
Raymond Davis co-founded the Parliaments, the doo wop group that would later evolve to become the psychedelic funk juggernaut Parliament-Funkadelic, lending his distinctive bass vocals to R&B classics like "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucka)," "One Nation Under a Groove," and "Flashlight." Born March 29, 1940, in Sumter, SC, Davis was raised in Plainfield, NJ, teaming with high school classmates George Clinton, Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, Calvin Simon, and Grady Thomas to form the Parliaments. The group began recording in 1956 but did not trouble the charts until 1967, when "(I Wanna) Testify" ascended to number three R&B and number 20 pop. Inspired by Sly & the Family Stone and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Clinton soon began steering the Parliaments in the direction of psychedelic rock, in 1970 dropping the plural to create the horn-powered Parliament as well as its guitar-oriented sister project, Funkadelic. P-Funk would emerge among the most original groups of the decade, its groundbreaking fusion of rock, funk, and gospel proving profoundly influential on multiple generations of hip-hop artists. When Clinton dissolved Parliament in 1980, Davis largely dropped from view, rarely participating in subsequent P-Funk reunion projects. In the mid-'90s, he assumed bass vocal duties for the Temptations following the death of Melvin Franklin, and in 1998 began touring with original Parliaments Haskins and Thomas. Davis died July 5, 2005, from respiratory complications at the age of 65. - Jason Ankeny
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