The #1 Funk Music Artist of All Time
George Clinton is the undisputed king of funk music. He has been churning out hits since the 1970s with his band Parliament-Funkadelic, and he shows no signs of slowing down. Clinton’s influence can be heard in the music of today’s biggest stars, and he is truly the #1 funk music artist of all time.
George Clinton
George Clinton is considered by many to be the godfather of funk music. He is the mastermind behind the bands Parliament and Funkadelic, and his unique blend of R&B, soul, and psychedelic rock has influenced countless other artists. Clinton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, and he continues to tour and record today.
Bootsy Collins
There are a lot of great funk musicians out there, but there is only one true king of funk: Bootsy Collins. Bootsy has been making funk music for over four decades and his influence can be heard in the work of many modern funk artists.
Born in 1951 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Bootsy learned to play bass guitar at an early age. He quickly developed his own unique style of playing, which incorporated elements of James Brown’s funk and psychedelic rock. In the 1970s, he became a member of Parliament-Funkadelic, one of the most influential funk bands of all time. He also played with other legendary funk musicians like George Clinton and Sly Stone.
Over the years, Bootsy has released several solo albums and collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Snoop Dogg, Musiq Soulchild, and Buckethead. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Bass Player magazine in 2010.Bootsy Collins is without question the greatest funk musician of all time.
Parliament-Funkadelic
Formed in the early 1970s, Parliament-Funkadelic was a funk and soul band that combined elements of R&B, rock, and psychedelic music. The group was led by George Clinton, who went on to become one of the most influential figures in funk music. Parliament-Funkadelic was known for their outrageous stage shows, which featured psychedelic light shows and costumes. The band’s hit songs include “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker),” “Flash Light,” and “One Nation Under a Groove.”
James Brown
From his humble beginnings in the fields of south Georgia to his status as the Godfather of Soul, James Brown’s rags-to-riches story is the stuff of legend. Brown was born in a barn on May 3, 1933, in Barnwell, South Carolina. He was one of four children born to Joe and Susie Brown. His father was a deacon in the church where Susie sang; both parents worked hard to instill a strong work ethic in their children. When James was four years old, his father left the family and moved to Augusta, Georgia, to find work. His mother soon followed with the children in tow.
The Browns settled in Augusta’s black section, known as Harlem. It was there that James began to develop his musical talents, singing in the church choir and tapping out rhythms on anything he could get his hands on—pots and pans, tabletops, even his sisters’ teeth. As a young teenager, he found work shining shoes and doing odd jobs around town. At the age of 15, he was caught breaking into a car; he served three years in prison for the crime.
It was during his stay at the juvenile detention center that James truly began to focus on music. He formed a group with some of the other inmates and they performed together for other prisoners and guards alike. When he was released from jail in 1952, James decided to pursue a career in music full time. He fronted a band called The Famous Flames and began touring with them up and down the East Coast—playing small clubs, juke joints, and anywhere else they could find work.
The Famous Flames finally landed a recording contract with Federal Records in 1956. Their first single together, “Please Please Please,” became an instant hit; it would ultimately sell over two million copies and propel James Brown to stardom. Over the next few years, The Flames would release a string of successful singles including “Try Me” (1958), “I Got You (I Feel Good)” (1965), and “Cold Sweat” (1967).
In addition to his work with The Famous Flames, James Brown also pursued a solo career; he released his first solo album,, Please Please Please ,in 1956 . Throughout his solo career ,he would release over 50 studio albums and win numerous awards including Grammy Awards , BET Awards ,and Soul Train Music Awards . In 1986 ,he was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame . In 2004 , Rolling Stone magazine ranked him #7 on their list of the greatest artists of all time .James Brown passed away on Christmas Day in 2006 at the age 73 .
