George Bernard Worrell, Jr. (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016) was an American

keyboardist A keyboardist or keyboard player is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instru ...

and record producer best known as a founding member of the

Parliament-Funkadelic Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American musical collective, music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton (funk musician), George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament (band), Parliame ...

collective. In later years, he also worked with acts such as

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

Bill Laswell William Otis Laswell (born February 12, 1955) is an American bass guitarist, record producer, and record label owner. He has been involved in thousands of recordings with many collaborators from all over the world. His music draws from funk, wo ...

, and

Jack Bruce John Symon Asher Bruce (14 May 1943 – 25 October 2014) was a Scottish musician. He gained popularity as the primary lead vocalist and ‍bassist ‍of Rock music, rock band Cream (band), Cream. After the group disbanded in 1968, he pursued a ...

. He is a member of the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...

, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. Worrell was described by journalist

Jon Pareles Jon Pareles (born 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.synthesizer A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...

s particularly impactful on

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...

and

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

Biography

Early life

Worrell was born in

Long Branch, New Jersey Long Branch is a beachside city in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 31,667, an increase of 948 (+3.1%) from the 2010 census count of 30,719, which in turn reflect ...

, and grew up in

Plainfield, New Jersey Plainfield is a City (New Jersey), city in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Nicknamed "The Queen City",

, where his family moved when he was eight. A musical prodigy, he began formal piano lessons by age three and wrote a

concerto A concerto (; plural ''concertos'', or ''concerti'' from the Italian plural) is, from the late Baroque era, mostly understood as an instrumental composition, written for one or more soloists accompanied by an orchestra or other ensemble. The ...

at age eight. He went on to study at the

Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became ...

and received a degree from the

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. The conservatory is located on Huntington Avenue along Avenue of the Arts (Boston), the Avenue of the Arts near Boston Symphony Ha ...

in 1967. As a college student, Worrell played with a group called Chubby & The Turnpikes; this ensemble eventually evolved into Tavares.

1970s

After meeting George Clinton, leader of a Plainfield-based

doo wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a subgenre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, ...

group called

The Parliaments The Parliaments were an American vocal quintet from Plainfield, New Jersey, United States. Originally formed in the back room of a barbershop in 1956, the quintet was named after the cigarette brand. The Parliaments initially performed doo-wo ...

, Worrell moved with Clinton, The Parliaments and their backing band, The Funkadelics, to

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

; thereafter, both groups became collectively known as

. During the 1970s the same group of musicians separately recorded under the names

Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

and

Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. As one of the two flagship groups of George Clinton's P-Funk collective, they helped pioneer the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, ...

, (among several others), but toured as P-Funk. Worrell played

grand piano A piano is a keyboard instrument that produces sound when its keys are depressed, activating an Action (music), action mechanism where hammers strike String (music), strings. Modern pianos have a row of 88 black and white keys, tuned to a c ...

Wurlitzer electric piano The Wurlitzer electronic piano is an electric piano manufactured and marketed by Wurlitzer from 1954 to 1983. Sound is generated by striking a metal reed with a hammer, which induces an electric current in a pickup. It is conceptually similar to ...

Hohner Clavinet The Clavinet is an electric clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds with rubber pads, each matching one of the keys and respo ...

Hammond B3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert, first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, sound was created ...

ARP String Ensemble The Solina String Ensemble, also marketed as the ARP String Ensemble, is a fully polyphonic multi-orchestral string synthesizer with a 49-key keyboard, produced by Eminent BV (known for their ''Solina'' brand). It was distributed in the United ...

and

Moog synthesizer The Moog synthesizer ( ) is a modular synthesizer invented by the American engineer Robert Moog in 1964. Moog's company, R. A. Moog Co., produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 2014. It was the first commercial synthesizer ...

, co-wrote, and wrote horn and rhythm

arrangement In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestr ...

s on hit recordings for both groups and other associated bands under the "Parliafunkadelicment Thang" production company, and many of his most notable performances were recorded with Bootsy's Rubber Band,

Parlet Parlet was a female spinoff group from P-Funk formed by veteran background vocalists Mallia Franklin, Jeanette Washington and Debbie Wright. Washington and Wright were the first female members in Parliament-Funkadelic Parliament-Funkadel ...

, The Brides of Funkenstein and The Horny Horns. Worrell recorded a 1978 solo album, '' All the Woo in the World'', with the musical backing of P-Funk's members. While funk musicians traditionally utilized electric keyboards, such as the Hammond organ and Fender

Rhodes electric piano The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, th ...

, Worrell was the second recipient of the Moog synthesizer created by Bob Moog. Mainly responsible for creating Parliament's futuristic sound, Worrell's use of the

Minimoog The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first popul ...

bass on the Parliament song " Flash Light", on 1977's '' Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome'', heavily influenced the sound of R&B music and served as a bridge between American R&B and the insurgence of new wave,

new age New Age is a range of Spirituality, spiritual or Religion, religious practices and beliefs that rapidly grew in Western world, Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclecticism, eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise d ...

and

techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...

. He used the

ARP Pro Soloist The ARP Pro Soloist was one of the first commercially successful preset synthesizers. Introduced by ARP Instruments, Inc. in 1972, it replaced the similar ARP Soloist (19701971) in the company's lineup of portable performance instruments. Histor ...

as well. Worrell played synthesizer and digital keyboard on P funk songs throughout the 1970s, most notably " Mothership Connection (Star Child)" and " Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" from ''

Mothership Connection ''Mothership Connection'' is the fourth album by American funk band Parliament, released on December 15, 1975, on Casablanca Records. This concept album is often rated among the best Parliament-Funkadelic releases, and was the first to feature ho ...

'' (1975) and " Aqua Boogie" from '' Motor Booty Affair'' (1978).

1980s

When Parliament-Funkadelic took a hiatus from touring in the early 1980s, Worrell was recruited, along with other musicians from differing musical genres such as guitarist

Adrian Belew Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist and singer, he is noted for his unusual approach to the instrument, his ...

, to perform and record with

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

. Worrell's experience and feel for different arrangements enhanced the overall sound of the band. Though he never officially joined Talking Heads, he was a '' de facto'' member of the group for most of the '80s: appearing on one of their studio albums, several solo albums, two tours and performing in their 1984 concert film '' Stop Making Sense''. Talking Heads officially disbanded in 1991. Worrell was later invited to perform with Talking Heads as part of their 2002 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1983, Worrell provided keyboard parts for

Mtume Mtume (pronounced ''em-tu-may'') was an American funk and soul group that rose to prominence during the early 1980s and had several R&B hits during its career. Its founder, former percussionist James Mtume, previously played and toured with Mil ...

's hit song "

Juicy Fruit Juicy Fruit is an American brand of chewing gum made by the Wrigley Company, a U.S. company that since 2008 has been a subsidiary of the privately held Mars, Incorporated. It was introduced in 1893, and in the 21st century the brand name is reco ...

". Worrell co-produced

Fred Schneider Frederick William Schneider III (born July 1, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and frontman of the rock band the B-52s, of which he is a founding member. Schneider is well known for his '' sprechgesang'', which he developed from reciting ...

's 1984 solo album ''

Fred Schneider and the Shake Society ''Fred Schneider and the Shake Society'' is the debut solo studio album by American new wave musician Fred Schneider, released in 1984 by Warner Bros. Records. It was re-released in 1991 as ''Fred Schneider''. Musicians and backing vocalists va ...

'' and played keyboards and synthesizers on some of the album's tracks. Bernie Worrell-02

In 1987 he appeared on the critically acclaimed solo release '' Casual Gods'' by

Jerry Harrison Jeremiah Griffin Harrison (born February 21, 1949) is an American musician, songwriter, producer, and entrepreneur. He began his professional music career as a member of the band the Modern Lovers, before becoming keyboardist and guitarist for ...

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

. The LP contained the US

Album Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock is a music chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States. It is an administrative category that combines the " active rock" and " heritage rock" fo ...

chart hit " Rev It Up", which reached number seven and appeared in the movie '' Something Wild''. He worked with Jerry Harrison on his other releases also.

1990s–2010s

From the late 1980s through the 2010s, Worrell recorded extensively with

, including

Sly and Robbie Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separat ...

's Laswell-produced '' Rhythm Killers'' and the 1985

Fela Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997) was a Nigerians, Nigerian musician and political activist. He is regarded as the principal innovator of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre t ...

album ''Army Arrangement''. Worrell performed with

Gov't Mule Gov't Mule (pronounced "Government Mule") is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 by guitarist Warren Haynes, bassist Allen Woody (both of The Allman Brothers Band at the time) and drummer Matt Abts (whom Haynes had worked with in ...

. Through the beginning of the 21st century, he became a visible member of the

jam band A jam band is a musical group whose concerts and live albums substantially feature improvisational "jam session, jamming". Typically, jam bands will play variations of pre-existing songs, extending them to musical improvisation, improvise ove ...

scene, performing in many large summer

music festival A music festival is a festival, community event with music, performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme such as musical genre (e.g., rock music, rock, blues, folk music, folk, jazz, classical music), nation ...

s, sometimes billed as Bernie Worrell and the Woo Warriors. He appeared on several

albums, including '' A Question of Time'', '' Cities of the Heart'', '' Monkjack'' and '' More Jack than God''. Worrell was a founding member of the

CBS Orchestra Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band is an American musical ensemble led by Paul Shaffer. It was David Letterman's house band for 33 years. The band formed in 1982 to serve as house band for NBC's ''Late Night with David Letterman'' ...

when the ''

Late Show with David Letterman ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...

'' launched in August 1993, playing lead synthesizer. Worrell departed in November when the orchestra added a horn section. In 1994, Worrell appeared on the

Red Hot Organization ''Red Hot Organization'' (RHO) is a non-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization with goals to promote diversity through equal access to healthcare through pop culture. Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors ...

's compilation album, '' Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool''. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

epidemic in the African-American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' magazine. Worrell joined the rock group Black Jack Johnson, with

Mos Def Yasiin Bey ( ; born Dante Terrell Smith; December 11, 1973), formerly known as Mos Def ( ), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. A prominent figure in conscious hip hop, he is recognized for his use of wordplay and commentary on social an ...

Will Calhoun William Calhoun (born July 22, 1964) is an American drummer who is a member of the rock band Living Colour. Career Calhoun was born in the Bronx, New York. He moved to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music, where he graduated with a mu ...

Doug Wimbish Douglas Arthur Wimbish (born September 22, 1956) is an American bassist, primarily known for being a member of rock band Living Colour and funk/dub/hip hop collective Tackhead, and as a session musician with artists such as Sugarhill Gang, G ...

and Dr. Know. He appears with the band on Mos Def's 2004 release '' The New Danger''. Worrell joined forces with bass legend

Les Claypool Leslie Edward Claypool (born September 29, 1963) is an American rock music, rock musician. He is the founder, lead singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the band Primus (band), Primus. Listed as one of the greatest bassists of all time by ...

, guitarist

Buckethead Brian Patrick Carroll (born May 13, 1969), known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist. He has received critical acclaim for his innovative and virtuosic electric guitar playing. Buckethead's extensive solo discography currentl ...

and drummer

Bryan Mantia Bryan Kei Mantia (born February 4, 1963), known professionally as Brain, is an American rock drummer. He has played with bands such as Primus, Guns N' Roses, Praxis, and Godflesh, and with other performers such as Tom Waits, Serj Tankian, Bill L ...

to form the group

Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains (C2B3) was an experimental rock supergroup featuring bassist Les Claypool, guitarist Buckethead, keyboardist Bernie Worrell and drummer Brain. History Les Claypool, bassist of many bands, including ...

. In 2009, he joined longtime Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight, bassist

Melvin Gibbs Melvin Gibbs is an American bass guitarist who has appeared on close to 200 albums in diverse genres of music. Among others, Gibbs is known for working in jazz with drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson and guitarist Sonny Sharrock, and in rock music ...

and drummer J.T. Lewis to form the band SociaLybrium. Their album ''For You/For Us/For All'' was released on Livewired Music in January 2010. Worrell appeared in the 2004 documentary film '' Moog'' with synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog and several other Moog synthesizer musicians. In 2011, he toured with

Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s before joining the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, Collins established himse ...

, another major figure from Parliament-Funkadelic. From 2011 through 2015, Worrell performed with his group, the Bernie Worrell Orchestra. The band became known for the appearance of special guests at live performances, including Bootsy Collins,

Tina Weymouth Martina Michèle Weymouth ( ; born November 22, 1950) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and a founding member and bassist of the new wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club, which she co-founded with her husband, ...

Chris Frantz Charton Christopher Frantz (born May 8, 1951) is an American musician and record producer. He is the drummer for both Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club, both of which he co-founded with wife and Talking Heads bassist, Tina Weymouth. In 2002, Frant ...

Jimmy Destri Jimmy Destri (born James Mollica, April 13, 1954) is an American musician, and the original and longest-serving keyboardist for the band Blondie. Background Destri is of Italian descent. His father was a novelist who also wrote screenplays an ...

Mike Watt Michael David Watt (born December 20, 1957) is an American bassist, vocalist and songwriter. He co-founded and played bass guitar for the rock bands Minutemen (1980–1985), Dos (1985–present), and Firehose (1986–1994). He began a solo ca ...

, Rah Digga and Gary Lucas. In 2012 and 2013, Worrell played a series of concerts with guitarist

Steve Kimock Steve Kimock (born October 5, 1955) is an American rock guitarist. He was a member of San Francisco Bay Area bands Zero and KVHW. His tone and some of his playing approach has been compared to Jerry Garcia, who was a friend of his, and he has ...

, bassist Andy Hess, and vocalist-percussionist Camille Armstrong. Kimock's son John Morgan Kimock played drums for the group in 2013. Worrell worked on the Seattle-based Khu.éex' project fusing traditional

Tlingit The Tlingit or Lingít ( ) are Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. , they constitute two of the 231 federally recognized List of Alaska Native tribal entities, Tribes of Alaska. Most Tlingit are Alaska Natives; ...

music with funk, jazz, and experimental music. The project includes Preston Singletary,

Skerik Skerik (born November 19, 1964) is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics. He is a f ...

, Stanton Moore, Captain Raab and Randall Dunn among others. In 2015, Worrell appeared in the movie '' Ricki and the Flash'' as the keyboard player in

Meryl Streep Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Known for her versatility and adept accent work, she has been described as "the best actress of her generation". She has received numerous accolades throughout her career ...

's band. The movie reunited Worrell with director Jonathan Demme, who had directed ''Stop Making Sense''. Worrell was a judge for the 12th, 13th, and 14th annual Independent Music Awards. During May 2016, the

gave Worrell, who studied at the school until 1967, an honorary

Doctor of Music The Doctor of Music degree (DMus, DM, MusD or occasionally MusDoc) is a doctorate awarded on the basis of a substantial portfolio of compositions, musical performances, and/or scholarly publications on music. In some institutions, the award is a ...

degree.

Death

In January 2016, Worrell was diagnosed with a "mild form" of prostate cancer, stage-four liver cancer and stage-four

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, is a malignant tumor that begins in the lung. Lung cancer is caused by genetic damage to the DNA of cells in the airways, often caused by cigarette smoking or inhaling damaging chemicals. Damaged ...

. He relocated from New Jersey, his long-time home, to

Bellingham, Washington Bellingham ( ) is the county seat of Whatcom County, Washington, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. It lies south of the Canada–United States border, U.S.–Canada border, between Vancouver, British Columbia, ...

. A tribute and

benefit concert A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate h ...

to raise funds for Worrell's cancer treatment, produced by the Black Rock Coalition and featuring musicians with whom Worrell has worked over his career, occurred on April 4 and 5, 2016. On May 9, Worrell's wife Judie posted an update on his condition on his Facebook page: Judie Worrell issued a statement on Facebook on June 16 to friends and family that "I was just told that Bernie is now headed 'Home'." She encouraged people close to Worrell to "visit him to say your goodbyes" and added that he is too ill to speak on the phone or text. Bernie Worrell died at his home in

Everson, Washington Everson is a city in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,888 at the time of the 2020 census. It is the fifth Largest city within the Bellingham Metropolitan Area. Everson and the nearby city of Nooksack lie near th ...

, on June 24, 2016, at the age of 72. His wife issued a statement that "Bernie transitioned Home to The Great Spirit. Rest in peace, my love—you definitely made the world a better place. Till we meet again, vaya con Dios." Following his death, guitarist

created a 21.5 minute long tribute song: 'Space Viking'. Buckethead published it on his 'Pike' series, as part of Pike 245. The song was captioned: "To Bernie Worrell, The Greatest Music Maker Of All".

Documentary

''Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth'' is a

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

about Worrell's life, music and impact. At

AllMovie AllMovie (previously All Movie Guide) is an online database with information about films, television programs, television series, and screen actors. , AllMovie.com and the AllMovie consumer brand are owned by RhythmOne. History AllMovie was ...

, critic Mark Deming wrote that the film "profiles his life and career while also examining how even a genius has to find a way to make a living".

Discography

Solo albums

*1978: '' All the Woo in the World'' *1990: '' Funk of Ages'' *1993: '' Blacktronic Science'' *1993: '' Pieces of Woo: The Other Side'' *1997: '' Free Agent: A Spaced Odyssey'' *2007: ''Improvisczario'' *2009: ''Christmas Woo'' *2010: '' I Don't Even Know'' *2011: ''

Standards Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object t ...

'' *2013: ''BWO Is Landing'' (credited as "The Bernie Worrell Orchestra") *2014: ''Elevation: The Upper Air'' *2016: ''Retrospectives'' *2024: Wave From The WOOniverse

Funkadelic

*1970: ''

'' *1970: '' Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow'' *1971: ''

Maggot Brain ''Maggot Brain'' is the third studio album by the American funk rock band Funkadelic, released by Westbound Records in July 1971. It was produced by bandleader George Clinton and recorded at United Sound Systems in Detroit during late 1970 an ...

'' *1972: '' America Eats Its Young'' *1973: ''

Cosmic Slop ''Cosmic Slop'' is the fifth studio album by Funkadelic, released in July 1973 on Westbound Records. While it has been favorably reevaluated by critics long after its original release, the album was a commercial failure, producing no chartin ...

'' *1974: '' Standing on the Verge of Getting It On'' *1975: ''

Let's Take It to the Stage ''Let's Take It to the Stage'' is the seventh album by American funk rock band Funkadelic. It was released on April 21, 1975 on Westbound Records. The album charted at number 102 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number 14 on the R&B Albums. Mus ...

'' *1976: '' Tales of Kidd Funkadelic'' *1976: '' Hardcore Jollies'' *1978: '' One Nation Under a Groove'' *1979: '' Uncle Jam Wants You'' *1996: '' Live: Meadowbrook, Rochester, Michigan – 12th September 1971'' *2008: ''

Toys A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and ...

'' (recorded 1970–74) *2014: '' First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate''

Parliament

*1970: ''

Osmium Osmium () is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Os and atomic number 76. It is a hard, brittle, bluish-white transition metal in the platinum group that is found as a Abundance of elements in Earth's crust, trace element in a ...

'' *1974: '' Up for the Down Stroke'' *1975: '' Chocolate City'' *1975: ''

'' *1976: ''

The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein ''The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein'' is the fifth album by funk band Parliament (band), Parliament, released on July 20, 1976. The album is notable for featuring horn arrangements by ex-James Brown band member Fred Wesley. The album charted at No. 3 ...

'' *1977: '' Live: P-Funk Earth Tour'' *1977: '' Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome'' *1978: '' Motor Booty Affair'' *1979: ''

Gloryhallastoopid ''Gloryhallastoopid (Or Pin the Tale on the Funky)'' is the eighth album by the American funk band Parliament (band), Parliament, released in 1979. It was their penultimate album on the Casablanca Records label, and is another concept album that t ...

'' *1980: '' Trombipulation''

Selected contributions to other albums

*1981:

, ''

The Red and the Black ''Le Rouge et le Noir'' (; meaning ''The Red and the Black'') is a psychological novel in two volumes by Stendhal, published in 1830. It chronicles the attempts of a provincial young man to rise socially beyond his modest upbringing through a c ...

'' *1982: George Clinton, ''

Computer Games A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

'' *1982:

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

, '' The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads'' *1983: Talking Heads, ''

Speaking in Tongues Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is an activity or practice in which people utter words or speech-like sounds, often thought by believers to be languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid voc ...

'' *1984: Talking Heads, '' Stop Making Sense'' *1983:

Rita Coolidge Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American recording artist. During the 1970s and 1980s, her songs were on ''Billboard'' magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary, and jazz charts, and she won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and th ...

, '' Never Let You Go'' *1984:

, ''

'' *1985:

, '' Army Arrangement'' *1985:

The Golden Palominos The Golden Palominos were an American musical group headed by drummer, producer, arranger, and composer Anton Fier, first formed in 1981. Aside from Fier, the Palominos membership fluctuated, with only bassist Bill Laswell and guitarist Nick ...

, '' Visions of Excess'' *1986:

Ginger Baker Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019) was an English drummer. His work in the 1960s and 1970s earned him the reputation of "rock's first superstar drummer", for a style that melded jazz and Music of Africa, Africa ...

, '' Horses & Trees'' *1987:

, " Casual Gods" *1987: Jesse Rae, ''The Thistle'' *1992:

Praxis Praxis may refer to: Philosophy and religion *Praxis (process), the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practised, embodied, or realised * Praxis model, a way of doing theology * Praxis (Byzantine Rite), the practice of fai ...

, '' Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis)'' *1995:

, '' Monkjack'' *1995:

Julian Schnabel Julian Schnabel (born October 26, 1951) is an American painter and filmmaker. In the 1980s, he received international attention for his "plate paintings"—with broken ceramic plates set onto large-scale paintings. Since the 1990s, he has been a ...

, '' Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud'' *1995: Third Rail (

James Blood Ulmer James "Blood" Ulmer (born February 8, 1940) is an American jazz, free funk and blues music, blues guitarist and singer. Ulmer plays a Gibson Byrdland guitar. His guitar sound has been described as "jagged" and "stinging". His singing has been ...

), '' South Delta Space Age'' *1996:

Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of "sheets of sound", San ...

, '' Message from Home'' *1998:

Robben Ford Robben Lee Ford (born December 16, 1951) is an American blues, jazz, and rock music, rock guitarist. He was a member of the L.A. Express and Yellowjackets (band), Yellowjackets and has collaborated with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harriso ...

, Tiger Walk *1998: Live... With a Little Help from Our Friends ov’t Mule*1998: Pharoah Sanders, '' Save Our Children'' *2001: Shin Terai, ''

Unison Unison (stylised as UNISON) is a Great Britain, British trade union. Along with Unite the Union, Unite, Unison is one of the two largest trade unions in the United Kingdom, with over 1.2 million members who work predominantly in public servic ...

'' *2004:

, ''

The Big Eyeball in the Sky ''The Big Eyeball in the Sky'' is the only studio album by the supergroup Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, known by fans as "C2B3", released on Les Claypool's own Prawn Song label. The song ''Junior'' was written about the Iraq War ...

'' *2004:

, '' The New Danger'' *2005: Munkeez Strikin' Matchiz, ''Wreck It'' (with

Bo Diddley Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist and singer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy ...

and Chuck D.) *2006: Gigi, ''Gold & Wax'' *2006: Baby Elephant, ''Turn My Teeth Up'' *2007: Shin Terai, ''Lightyears'' *2007: Praxis, '' Tennessee 2004'' *2008: Praxis, '' Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)'' *2008:

Science Faxtion Science Faxtion is an American experimental metal band that formed in California in 2007. Comprising multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Bootsy Collins, vocalist and guitarist Greg Hampton, guitarist Buckethead, drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia an ...

, '' Living on Another Frequency'' *2009: Eric McFadden Trio, ''Delicate Thing'' *2016: Joe Marcinek Band, ''Slink'' *2017: Jesse Rae, ''Worae''

Awards

*Independent Music Awards 2013: "Get Your Hands Off" - Best Funk/Fusion/Jam Song

References

External links

Official website of Bernie Worrell''Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth''Interview
at Artist Connection Podcast, October 2011
Bernie Worrell Interview
at NAMM Oral History Collection (January 2012) * * ; Live Music Archive
Bernie WorrellBernie Worrell and the Woo WarriorsBernie Worrell Orchestra
{{DEFAULTSORT:Worrell, Bernie 1944 births 2016 deaths African-American rock musicians American funk keyboardists American session musicians Paul Shaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band members Juilliard School alumni Musicians from Washington (state) New England Conservatory alumni P-Funk members People from Bellingham, Washington People from Hampton, New Jersey Musicians from Long Branch, New Jersey Musicians from Plainfield, New Jersey Talking Heads The Golden Palominos members The Pretenders members Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains members Praxis (band) members 21st-century American keyboardists Deadline (band) members 20th-century American keyboardists Gramavision Records artists