When Was Funk Music Invented?

Funk music is a style of music that was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is a type of soul music that combines elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, and funk.

Funk Music Origins

Funk music is a style of dance music that was created in the late 1960s. The style is characterized by a strong bassline and a funky groove. Funk music was invented by James Brown and other African American musicians.

The Funk Brothers

The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based musicians who collaborated with Motown Records on many of the label’s hit songs from 1959 to 1972. The band consisted of bassist James Jamerson, keyboardists Earl Van Dyke and Joe Hunter, guitarists Robert White and Joe Messina, percussionist Jack Ashford, and drummer Richard “Pistol” Allan.

The Funk Brothers were Motown’s house band and played on more hit records than any other group in the history of popular music. They are estimated to have played on between 60-70% of all Motown recordings. The band did not receive any formal credit on most Motown releases until the 1998 release of the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown.

The Funk Brothers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

James Brown

James Brown is often credited with being one of the originators of funk music. Funk is a genre of music that is characterized by a rhythmic groove and a drive to dance. It is often seen as a reaction against the more polished sound of soul music.

Funk songs typically have a strong bassline and focus on the groove rather than individualism. The style was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by artists such as James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and Parliament-Funkadelic.

The Rise of Funk Music

Funk music originated in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was a style of music that was a mix of soul, R&B, and rock. Funk music was created by African American musicians who were looking for a new sound. They wanted to create something that was different from what was currently popular.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic

George Clinton is the mastermind behind the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and is considered one of the most important figures in funk music. His bands combined elements of James Brown’s R&B with psychedelic rock, creating a unique and signature sound that would influence generations of musicians.

Clinton was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, in 1941. He moved to Plainfield, New Jersey, as a teenager and started his first band, The Parliaments, in 1955. The Parliaments had some success with their single “I Wanna Testify,” but it wasn’t until Clinton recruited additional members and renamed the band Parliament-Funkadelic that they truly began to make their mark on the music industry.

Over the next few decades, Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic released a number of groundbreaking albums including “Mothership Connection” (1975), “One Nation Under a Groove” (1978), and “Electric Spanking of War Babies” (1981). They also pioneered the use of elaborate stage shows and costuming, which became a hallmark of funk concerts.

In Funkadelic’s song “(Not Just) Knee Deep,” George Clinton samples DeBarge’s “I Like It” to create one of the most well-known examples of sampling in pop music history.

Sly and the Family Stone

Sly and the Family Stone was a pivotal force in the development of funk music. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band heard elements of psychedelic rock, soul, and rhythm and blues, which they blended into their own informed sound. The brainchild of singer-songwriter-producer Sly Stone, the band featured his sibling Rose on vocals, Larry Graham on bass guitar (and later vocals), Cynthia Robinson on trumpet, Jerry Martini on saxophone, and Gregg Errico on drums. Guitarist Freddie Stone joined soon after the group’s formation.

The released their debut album A Whole New Thing in 1967. The record was buoyed by the danceable hit “Dance to the Music.” The following year they returned with Dance to the Music (1968). The album’s title track again helped them cross over to pop audiences; it charted in the Top Ten and became their first million-selling single. With Stand! (1969), Sly and the Family Stone became counterculture heroes. Some of its tracks — “I Want to Take You Higher” in particular — were electric experiments that anticipated latter-day disco; others — particularly “Everyday People” — powerfully commented on social issues without sacrificing their funky essence.

Sly Stone continued experimenting with longer pieces of music on There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971). The record was a commercial disappointment upon its release but has since been regarded as one of the strongest statements of funk; it is now considered one of rock’s all-time great albums. Several cuts from There’s a Riot Goin’ On — particularly “Family Affair” and “(You Caught Me) Smilin'” — became radio staples, but Sly & the Family Stone never regained their earlier commercial momentum or artistic form; 1974’s Small Talk failed to return them to prominence despite featuring several strong tracks.

The Legacy of Funk Music

Funk music was invented in the late 1960s by James Brown and George Clinton. This new type of music was a combination of rhythm and blues, soul, and African-American music. It was created as a way to make people dance and feel good. The first funk song was “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” by James Brown.

Funk Music Today

Though it has been around for over 50 years, funk music is still as popular as ever. In fact, it has undergone something of a renaissance in recent years, thanks in part to the popularity of shows like “The Get Down” and “Atlanta.”

But what is funk music, exactly? Put simply, it’s a style of music that emphasizes rhythm and groove above all else. Funk songs are often built around a “groove” that encourages listeners to dance; they typically feature prominent basslines and electric guitar riffs, as well as horns and keyboards.

While funk music has its roots in the African-American community, it has been adopted by musicians of all backgrounds. In the 1970s, for example, white rock bands like Parliament-Funkadelic and Los Lobos helped to bring the style to a wider audience. Today, there are funk artists from all over the world, making the genre stronger than ever.