Former Parliament-Funkadelic singer Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins died on the age of 81 on March 17. The information was confirmed by former bandmates Bootsy Collins and George Clinton.
“Prayers going out to Clarence ‘Fuzzy’ Haskins’ household and pals,” Collins tweeted. “We misplaced his frequency at this time… We are going to miss u my buddy, bandmate and soul brother! Thank u for ur steering in my pup years.”
Haskins was an early member of Clinton’s doo-wop group the Parliaments, changing into a number one function of the band when it grew to become Parliament and once more when Clinton shaped the extra rock-focused Funkadelic. He went solo within the late ‘70s, releasing A Complete Nother Thang in 1976 and Radio Lively in 1978. Within the ’80s he shaped a Funkadelic lineup with some former colleagues however with out Clinton. Within the ‘90s 4 of the 5 authentic Parliaments lineup toured as Authentic P.
Haskins, who’s credited with writing various traditional Funkadelic tracks together with “I Get a Factor” and “I Wanna Know if It’s Good to You,” finally grew to become a church preacher, returning to music often to launch gospel music. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame in 1997 and acquired a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
“We didn’t have, like, a black radio station on the time – I feel one got here on perhaps like late at evening [for] an hour or so,” Haskins recalled in a video interview (obtainable under). “All I listened to was nation and [yodelling]. …We harmonized; we simply did it. Nobody taught us find out how to harmonize. I purchased a three-string guitar from a man for about three {dollars}… and taught myself find out how to play.” He added: “I met George round 1960, in my final yr in highschool … the remainder is historical past.”
Take heed to the Parliaments’ ‘I Wanna Testify’
In his 2017 memoir Brothas Be, Yo Like George, Ain’t That Funkin’ Kinda Laborious On You? Clinton wrote: “I believed cigarettes had been cool as an emblem, slightly harmful, slightly grownup, and Parliament was an enormous model, so we grew to become the Parliaments. Personnel shifted round a bit in that first yr or two – some guys went out, different guys got here in – however fairly quickly we had a extra steady lineup: me, Calvin Simon, Grady Thomas, Fuzzy Haskins, and Ray Davis.
“Every of us had a particular fashion… I went for a Smokey Robinson factor, with perhaps slightly little bit of Pookie Hudson thrown in there. Fuzzy, who was second lead, was a soulful tenor with all of the bluesy inflections, like Wilson Pickett, actual tough. We began singing extra severely in and across the space, and that attracted the eye of a number of the extra established teams close by.”
On the later success of the P-Funk tasks – which noticed him whip up reside audiences to a frenzy, normally in tight-fitting garments and outlandish masks – Haskins stated: “The coincidence of us coming collectively, it was simply meant to be. … It’s been plenty of pleasure, lot of enjoyable. We had setbacks, issues, nevertheless it was enjoyable. It was what we wished to do. Lots of people are like, ‘What do I do?’ Hold doing what you’re doing. … Don’t attempt to do nothing like me. You do what you do and simply preserve doing it. Hold asking questions… We reside within the now.”
No explanation for loss of life was confirmed, though Haskins had suffered a serious stroke in 2022.
Watch Funkadelic Carry out ‘I Obtained a Factor’
Watch a Fuzzy Haskins Interview
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