Clarence ‘Fuzzy’ Haskins, vocalist and authentic 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 reason behind dying has been disclosed.
Born in Elkins, West Virginia, in 1941, Haskins received 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 referred to as Parliament-Funkadelic. Along with writing and co-writing early P-Funk classics like ‘I Acquired A Factor’ and ‘I Wanna Know If It’s Good to You’, “He was a superb drummer as properly, as he proved on ‘Can You Get To That,’ which he additionally co-wrote,” in accordance with a biography on Clinton’s web site. “A few of Fuzzy’s finest 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 dropped at P-Funk. He was identified, throughout reside 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 means of the 1976’s Hardcore Jollies and briefly rejoined the group on their Reside Earth Tour the next yr. “By this time, he claimed he was by means of with singing all of the ole soiled songs and started learning the Lord’s Phrase,” Clinton’s website states. He issued his first solo album, A Entire Nother Thang, in 1976, adopted by Radio Lively in 1978. Later in life, Haskins grew to become a preacher and centered 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 traditional albums like Mothership Connection and Maggot Mind, and set a futuristic tempo for Black music,” Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame spokesperson Daybreak Wayt stated in a press release. “However Clarence ‘Fuzzy’ Haskins stored issues related 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 gifted singer & musician, he was a frontrunner & staff participant,” P-Funk member Bootsy Collins wrote in an e mail to NPR. “He was at all times a lightweight on the get together, the reveals or wherever he would go. He commanded consideration on stage & off. Not in a boastful manner, however simply being his pure Werewolf self. He may have performed the Wolfman. That was an inside joke that received 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 & mates however anyone that knew Fuzzy is aware of that he would give u the shirt off his again. He can be missed dearly. R.I.P. my pal.”
