Acclaimed Music Funk Artists You Need to Know
There’s no denying that funk music is having a moment right now. If you’re looking to get into the genre or just want to expand your musical horizons, check out these acclaimed funk artists you need to know.
George Clinton
Considered by many to be the Godfather of Funk, George Clinton is a versatile musician who has been active in the music industry since the 1950s. He is best known for his work with Parliament-Funkadelic, a group he co-founded, which had a major impact on the development of funk music. Clinton’s unique style of music has influenced many other artists, and he is widely considered to be one of the most important figures in funk music.
His work with Parliament-Funkadelic
American musician George Clinton was the creative mind behind the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s. His bands were some of the most acclaimed funk groups of all time, as well as being forerunners in the development of the genre. Over the course of his career, Clinton has released dozens of albums and has collaborated with a number of other artists, including his work with Parliament-Funkadelic.
His work as a solo artist
While Parliament-Funkadelic was his main meal ticket, Clinton also released a number of solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s. His debut, 1976’s The Brides of Dracula, was a concept album about—you guessed it—vampires, and featured Parliament members Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell, among others. It didn’t make much of a dent on the charts but is considered an underground classic by many Clinton fans. He followed it in 1977 with Clint Eastwood Presents: a New Score by George Clinton, which had nothing to do with the actor Clint Eastwood; instead, it was a companion piece to the documentary film Wattstax. The soundtrack to the film Hairspray was next, followed by You Shouldn’t-Nuf Bit Fish in 1978.
Bootsy Collins
If you’re a fan of funk music, then you’ve probably heard of Bootsy Collins. He’s a renowned bassist, singer, and songwriter who has been influential in the funk music scene for decades.Collins has worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, and his own solo career has been incredibly successful. Let’s take a look at some of his most popular songs.
His work with James Brown
Collins began his musical career in the mid-1960s, playing guitar with Freddie King and later joining The Pacemakers, a Cincinnati R&B band that also included Philip Paul on drums and future parliament-funkadelic bass guitarist William “Bootsy” Collins. In early 1967 he was recruited by Darrell Banks’s road manager to join Brown’s band the Famous Flames. Collins replaced cabaret singer Bobby Byrd on bass guitar, playing alongside Brown, Joseph “Joe” Foglesong (baritone saxophone), St. Clair Pinckney (tenor saxophone), Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis (alto saxophone), and Eldee Williams (tenor saxophone).
Collins became recognized for his “slap bass” technique, in which he slapped the strings with his thumb and pulled them back with his index finger to produce a popping sound. He used this approach when recording such songs as James Brown’s “Give It Up or Turnit a Loose” (1968) and “Mother Popcorn” (1969). During his time with Brown, Collins appeared in several of the musician’s concert films including Black Caesar (1973) and SlaughtaHouse (1973).
His work with Parliament-Funkadelic
Bootsy Collins is a world renowned Funk artist who has worked with some of the biggest names in the genre, including Parliament-Funkadelic.
Collins was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and began his musical career as a teenager, playing bass with James Brown. He then went on to play with Parliament-Funkadelic, and later formed his own band, Bootsy’s New Rubber Band.
Collins has been credited with helping to create the distinctive sound of Funk music, and his work has influenced many other artists. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, and he continues to perform and record today.
His work as a solo artist
Though Bootsy has been credited as a solo artist on numerous occasions over the years, his first album to be released under his own name was The One Giveth, the Two Taketh Away in 1982. The record was something of a return to his roots, with the bulk of the tracks being recorded using the same small band that he had used on his debut album (with the addition of Fred Wesley on trombone). The results were impressive, and though it didn’t sell in great numbers, The One Giveth was well-received by critics and led to a resurgence of interest in Collins’ work.
In recent years, Collins has continued to tour and release new music at a prolific rate. In 2010, he released Tha Funk Capital of the World, an album that saw him reunited with many of his former collaborators from Parliament-Funkadelic, including George Clinton and Bernie Worrell. The album was another critical success, and Collins shows no signs of slowing down; he is currently working on a new solo album slated for release in 2017.
Sly and the Family Stone
Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelia. Headed by singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone, and featuring a rotating line-up of talented musicians, the band released a string of hit singles and albums.
Their work in the 1960s and 1970s
Sly and the Family Stone was an American rock, soul, and funk band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, the group was headed by singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone. It was the first major American rock group to have an “interracial, mixed gender” lineup. In the 1970s, the band transitioned from a collection of individualists who wrote their own material to become a “self-contained entity” dominated by Stone.
The work of Sly and the Family Stone in the 1960s and early 1970s played an important role in the development of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelic music. Their albums The Essential Sly & The Family Stone and Greatest Hits are widely considered among the best in those genres. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Their influence on other artists
Sly and the Family Stone’s music has been very influential on other artists. Their unique mix of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelia has been an influence on many other artists in many genres. Sly Stone was one of the first African American artists to use electronic instruments in his music. He was also one of the first to use a talk box in his songs.
The group’s influence can be heard in the work of such artists as George Clinton, Parliament-Funkadelic, Funkadelic, Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Lenny Kravitz, Living Colour, Public Enemy, and many more.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Though the band has been through several lineup changes, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have been entertaining audiences since 1983. The group’s fusion of punk and funk has made them one of the most popular and acclaimed bands of the past few decades. If you’re a fan of funk music, you need to check out the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Their work in the 1980s and 1990s
The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group’s musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk rock and psychedelic rock. When playing live, the band incorporated improvisation and jamming, which allowed them to stretch their songs during concerts.
The Chili Peppers were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and 1990s. Their first two albums, “Red Hot Chili Peppers” (1984) and “Freaky Styley” (1985), were huge critical and commercial successes. The band’s next album, “The Uplift Mofo Party Plan” (1987), was another critical and commercial success. The album contained the hit single ” Give It Away”. In 1991, the band released their breakthrough album, “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”. The album topped the charts in several countries and contained the hit singles “Under the Bridge” and “Give It Away”.
Following the overwhelming success of “Blood Sugar Sex Magik”, the Chili Peppers experienced internal tension due to creative differences. Frusciante left the band mid-tour in 1992 and was replaced by Arik Marshall. The band’s next album, “One Hot Minute” (1995), was a commercial disappointment. Frusciante rejoined the Chili Peppers in 1998 and the band released their seventh studio album, “Californication”, in 1999. The album became one of their most successful albums, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide. It contained the chili pepper’s biggest hit to date, “Scar Tissue”.
Their influence on other artists
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group’s musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk rock and psychedelic rock. When played live, their music incorporates elements of jam band due to the improvisation of much of their performances.
The band has won seven Grammy Awards, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. They have sold over 80 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling groups of all time. In 1985, they released their first album, Freaky Styley; it marked the beginning of a long collaboration with producer George Clinton, with whom they would later record Mother’s Milk (1989) and Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991).
