Clarence ‘Fuzzy’ Haskins, vocalist and unique member of Parliament-Funkadelic, has died on the age of 81. His former bandmates revealed the information on social media, writing, “Resting on the verge of getting it on, Clarence Eugene “Fuzzy” Haskins (born June 8, 1941-March seventeenth, 2023) of Parliament-Funkadelic!” No explanation for dying has been disclosed.
Born in Elkins, West Virginia, in 1941, Haskins acquired his begin singing within the ’50s and ’60s in New Jersey within the doo-wop vocal group the Parliaments, which was led by producer George Clinton and later grew to become often called Parliament-Funkadelic. Along with writing and co-writing early P-Funk classics like ‘I Received A Factor’ and ‘I Wanna Know If It’s Good to You’, “He was a great drummer as nicely, as he proved on ‘Can You Get To That,’ which he additionally co-wrote,” in keeping with a biography on Clinton’s web site. “A few of Fuzzy’s greatest vocals appeared on Funkadelic’s 1972 LP America Eats Its Younger, most notably on ‘Ms Lucifers Love.’ However singing wasn’t the one factor that Fuzzy delivered to P-Funk. He was recognized, throughout stay P-Funk reveals, to don skin-tight bodysuits and gyrate towards the microphone pole as he whipped the gang right into a frenzy, particularly after they carried out ‘Standing on the Verge of Getting it On.’”
Haskins remained a full-time member of P-Funk by way of the 1976’s Hardcore Jollies and briefly rejoined the group on their Stay Earth Tour the next 12 months. “By this time, he claimed he was by way of with singing all of the ole soiled songs and commenced finding out the Lord’s Phrase,” Clinton’s web site states. He issued his first solo album, A Complete Nother Thang, in 1976, adopted by Radio Lively in 1978. Later in life, Haskins grew to become a preacher and targeted on recording gospel music.
Haskins was inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame together with different core members of Parliament-Funkadelic in 1997. “Parliament-Funkadelic pushed boundaries additional and additional on basic albums like Mothership Connection and Maggot Mind, and set a futuristic tempo for Black music,” Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame spokesperson Daybreak Wayt mentioned in a press release. “However Clarence ‘Fuzzy’ Haskins stored issues linked to their avenue nook concord roots.” In 2019, Haskins acquired a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy for his contribution to P-Funk.
“Fuzzy was not solely a proficient singer & musician, he was a frontrunner & crew participant,” P-Funk member Bootsy Collins wrote in an e-mail to NPR. “He was at all times a light-weight on the social gathering, the reveals or wherever he would go. He commanded consideration on stage & off. Not in a boastful approach, however simply being his pure Werewolf self. He may have performed the Wolfman. That was an inside joke that acquired on the market within the environment. Fuzzy was a lot enjoyable to hang around with. However on stage is the place he gave his full consideration to entertaining the viewers. He was devoted to his household & buddies however anyone that knew Fuzzy is aware of that he would give u the shirt off his again. He will likely be missed dearly. R.I.P. my pal.”
Parliament-Funkadelic Vocalist Fuzzy Haskins Dead at 81
