Parliament- Funkadelic Singer Fuzzy Haskins Dead at 81
Written by Logan Phillips on March 18, 2023
Former Parliament-Funkdelic singer Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins died at the age of 81 on March 17. The news was confirmed by former bandmate Bootsy Collins and George Clinton.
“Prayers going out to Clarence ‘Fuzzy’ Haskins’ family and friends,” Collins tweeted. “We lost his frequency today… We will miss u my friend, band mate and soul brother! Thank u for ur guidance in my pup years.
Haskins was one of the first member of Clinton’s doo-wop group the Parliaments, his role would become greater when the band became ‘Parliament’ and again when Clinton formed the more rock-focused ‘Funkadelic.’ Haskins decided to go solo in the late ‘70s, releasing A Whole Nother Thang in 1976 and Radio Active in 1978. In the ’80s he reformed the Funkadelic lineup with some of his former colleagues, but without Clinton. In the ‘90s four of the five original Parliaments lineup toured as Original P.
Haskins, who is credited with writing a number of classic Funkadelic tracks including “I Get a Thing” and “I Wanna Know if It’s Good to You,” eventually became a church preacher, returning to music occasionally to release gospel music. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
At this time there has been no cause of death has been confirmed, although Haskins had suffered a serious stroke in 2022.
