A Brief History of Funk Music

A Funk music blog that discusses the history and evolution of the Funk genre.

The Origins of Funk

Funk is a genre of music that was created in the mid-1960s by African American musicians. It is a style of music that is characterized by a heavy groove and a focus on the rhythm section. Funk music was created as a response to the overly-formal and polished sound of soul music. It is a style of music that is raw, gritty, and unpretentious.

The Funk Brothers

The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing tracks for many Motown recordings from 1959 to 1972. The group was composed of some of the most talented and versatile studio musicians of the time, and their contributions helped define the Motown sound.

The core members of the group were James Jamerson (bass), Earl Van Dyke (piano), Joe Hunter (keyboards), Robert White (guitar), and Uriel Jones (drums). They were supplemented by a rotating cast of other instrumentalists, including guitarist Dennis Coffey, saxophonist Hank Crawford, trombonist Richard “Pistol” Allen, and percussionist Jack Ashford.

The Funk Brothers’ signature sound was a groovy blend of soul, R&B, and pop that helped to launched the careers of many Motown artists, including Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and Diana Ross. Though they never received formal credit on Motown records, their work was essential to the label’s success.

In 2002, the surviving members of the Funk Brothers were featured in the documentary Standing in the Shadows of Motown, which brought renewed attention to their contributions to popular music. The film also features interviews with some of the biggest names in funk and R&B, including Bootsy Collins, George Clinton, and Chaka Khan.

James Brown

James Brown is often cited as the creator of funk music, although the genre had already been taking shape for some time before he made his mark. Funk is a style of music that is based on a strong groove and emphasizes the use of rhythm instruments, often with a heavy backbeat. The genre developed out of soul music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and Brown’s own style was strongly influenced by African music.

Brown’s contribution to funk was to take the existing sound and make it more danceable, adding elements of funky syncopated rhythms and using his signature “funk bass” sound. His hit songs “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” and “Super Bad” are considered classic examples of funk, and he continued to release new funk tracks throughout his career.

Other important figures in the development of funk include Sly Stone, George Clinton, and Parliament-Funkadelic. These artists took the sound in different directions, adding elements of psychedelic rock, R&B, and even disco. Funk would go on to have a major influence on other genres of music, including hip hop, disco, and electronic dance music.

The Rise of Funk

Funk music emerged in the late 1960s as a result of the melding of various genres including soul, R&B, rock, and African music. The result was a new style of music that was characterized by a heavy beat and often sexually suggestive lyrics. Funk music quickly gained popularity with both black and white audiences and became one of the most popular genres of the 1970s.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic

Clinton’s philosophy of “One Nation Under a Groove” took on religious overtones as the band became more popular in the 1970s. They were known for their outrageous stage shows, which featured Clinton dressed in an array of outrageous costumes, and for their songs with explicit sexual lyrics. The band was also one of the first to extensively use synthesizers and studio effects to create their unique sound.

Parliament-Funkadelic’s popularity peaked in the mid-1970s with the release of several hit singles, including “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker),” “Flash Light,” and “Aqua Boogie (A Psychedelic Anthymn).” The band continued to be popular in the 1980s and 1990s, although they never achieved the same level of mainstream success as they did in the 1970s.

George Clinton is widely credited as being one of the pioneers of funk music, and Parliament-Funkadelic is considered one of the most influential bands in funk history.

Bootsy Collins

Bootsy Collins is a legendary bass player, singer and songwriter who helped define the sound of funk music. He first came to prominence in the late 1960s as a member of James Brown’s backing band, The J.B.’s. He went on to play with Parliament-Funkadelic and other famed funk bands before embarking on a successful solo career. Collins is widely considered to be one of the greatest bass players of all time, and his influence can be heard in the work of many subsequent funk and R&B artists.

Sly and the Family Stone

Sly and the Family Stone were one of the most successful and important bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their unique blend of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music brought them popularity among all types of audiences, and their social commentary helped to make them one of the most influential groups of their time.

The band was led by singer, songwriter, and producer Sly Stone (born Sylvester Stewart). He formed the group in 1967 with his brother Freddie (bass), sister Roselyn (keyboards), Larry Graham (guitar), Cynthia Robinson (trumpet), and Jerry Martini (saxophone). They quickly became one of the most popular acts on the San Francisco music scene with their racially integrated lineup and their infectious blend of soul, funk, and psychedelic rock.

The band released their debut album, A Whole New Thing, in 1967. Its follow-up, Dance to the Music (1968), featured the hit title track as well as the classic “Everyday People”. These two albums laid the groundwork for the band’s masterpiece, Stand! (1969), which contained such timeless songs as “I Want to Take You Higher”, “Somebody’s Watching You”, and “Stand!”.

By this time, Sly and the Family Stone were one of the biggest bands in America. They shared billing with The Beatles at Shea Stadium in 1965, headlined Woodstock in 1969, and won three Grammy Awards in 1970. But despite their success, drug use began to take its toll on the band; Sly was arrested for possession of cocaine in 1970, and Graham left the group to form his own successful band, Graham Central Station.

The rest of the 1970s was a turbulent time for Sly and the Family Stone; they released a string of uneven albums while fighting legal problems and addictions. The group finally dissolved in 1983 after a final show at San Francisco’s Reunion Arena.

Sly Stone continued to struggle with addiction for many years but made a surprising comeback in 1993 when he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has since toured sporadically with various incarnations of The Family Stone. The original members have also reunited on occasion; most notably for a performance at Bill Clinton’s inauguration festivities in 1993.

The Legacy of Funk

Funk is a music genre that originated in the late 1960s. It is a blend of African-American music styles such as soul and R&B with rock and roll. Funk is characterized by a strong bassline and complex rhythms. The genre was popularized by James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic.

Hip-hop

Funkadelic, led by the revolutionary guitarist George Clinton, began incorporating aspects of hip-hop into their performances in the early 1980s. Clinton had been a fan of DJ Kool Herc and the block parties he threw in the Bronx, and saw similarities between the two genres of music. Clinton began to experiment with rapping on Funkadelic albums such as 1981’s “Maggot Brain” and 1982’s “Computer Games,” but it was not until Parliament released the album “Trombipulation” in 1986 that hip-hop elements became a permanent part of their sound. Clinton would go on to produce tracks for some of hip-hop’s most iconic figures, including Ice Cube, De La Soul, and Redman.

While Clinton was fusing funk and hip-hop, another group was taking a similar approach to disco. The group Chic, led by guitarist Nile Rodgers, were one of the most successful disco acts of the late 1970s. They began incorporating elements of hip-hop into their music in the early 1980s with tracks like “Le Freak” and “Good Times.” Rodgers would go on to produce tracks for several hip-hop artists, including Sister Sledge, Ofra Haza, and Madonna.

Contemporary funk artists

There are many contemporary funk artists keeping the spirit of funk alive today. Some notable contemporary funk artists include Bruno Mars, Lettuce, Vulfpeck, George Clinton, Parliament-Funkadelic, and D’Angelo.

Bruno Mars is a pop and R&B singer-songwriter who has incorporated elements of funk into his music. His hits “24K Magic” and “Uptown Funk” feature a funky bassline and horns, reminiscent of classic James Brown tracks. Lettuce is a contemporary jazz-funk band formed in 1992. The band commonly features a horn section and emphasizes groove and improvisation in their music. Vulfpeck is an American funk band formed in 2011. The band’s music is largely instrumental and features complex arrangements with tight melodic playing. George Clinton is a legendary Parliament-Funkadelic musician who has been active since the 1950s. Parliament-Funkadelic is a collective of musicians led by Clinton that pioneered the development of funk music in the 1970s. D’Angelo is an R&B singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who has been active since the early 1990s. D’Angelo’s album “Voodoo” features heavy use of groove and syncopation, drawing heavily from classic Funkadelic records.