The Keyboards of Parliament-Funkadelic

“It was a child prodigy thing. I started playing Schubert’s Impromptus, a little Bach, Beethoven’s Sonatas, and a lot of Mozart. liked him, but I can never remember the Opus numbers. Classical music was all I played.”– Bernie Worrell

In numerous bands, the keyboardist is perhaps the most important member. He/she usually helps to write, arrange, and even co-produce tracks. They’re also the ones who know how to read music while everyone else is winging it. Parliament-Funkadelic flips that circumstance on its head while helping to shape the music’s multi-textured identity. The keyboardists of P-Funk reflect the impulses of classical, Jazz, and Blues. The analysis of their contributions to the music will help us understand its purpose in the universe.

MICKEY ATKINS (August 7th, 1948-March 18th, 2020) 

Though his tenure with Parliament and Funkadelic were short-lived, Mickey Atkins was featured throughout the first album Funkadelic, released in 1970. His ferocious organ work can be heard on the tracks “I Got A Thing, You Got A Thing, Everybody’s Got A Thing”, “Good Old Music” and “What Is Soul”, as well as the non-LP cut “Can’t Shake It Loose”. He can also be seen performing with the Parliaments during their appearance on the PBS series Say Brother from 1969.

BERNIE WORRELL (April 19th, 1944-June 24th, 2016)

Often referred to as a “musical technician,” Bernie Worrell arrives at the Mothership just in time for the second Funkadelic album Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow, as well as the first Parliament album Osmium, both released near the fall of 1970. From that point on, he would serve as a co-writer/arranger/producer on virtually every project that emerged from the ParliaFukadelicment Thang right up until 1980. His groundbreaking keyboard work can be heard on various P-Funk hits including “Flash Light”, “Aqua Boogie”, “P-Funk”, and “Chocolate City” In 1978, he embarked upon the next logical step: his first solo album All The Woo In The World. Bernie would also operate as the musical director of various P-Funk tours. In 1996, he would return to P-Funk along with Bootsy Collins, and Junie Morrison to lend his pieces of woo to the George Clinton/P-Funk All-Stars release The Awesome Power Of A Fully Operational Mothership.

 JOEL “RAZOR SHARP” JOHNSON (April 5th, 1953-October 3rd, 2018) 

Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, Joel Johnson joins P-Funk by way of Charm City’s proud Funk unit Madhouse (not to be confused with the band produced by Prince). Johnson joins the Funk Mob under the recommendation of fellow Madhouse member Gary “Mudd Bone” Cooper. They arrive just in time for the launching of the most successful P-Funk spin-off act, Bootsy’s Rubber Band. Razor Sharp is prominently featured on all of Bootsy’s WB projects, as well as the last single recorded for the label, “Body Slam” (number 12 on the R&B singles charts). In 1980, Razor Sharp would play a crucial role in the 1980 project, Sweat Band, the first album released on the newly formed Uncle Jam Records label.

WALTER “JUNIE” MORRISON (January 28th, 1954-January 21st, 2017)

Coming from what could possibly be described as the Funk Capital of the U.S., Dayton, Ohio’s own Walter “Junie” Morrison is one of the few musicians who can claim membership in two highly influential bands: the Ohio Players and Parliament-Funkadelic. With the Players, Junie assisted in crafting the Funk classics Pain and their first number-one R&B hit, Funky Worm.  Upon leaving the Players, Junie would record three solo albums (When We Do, Freeze, and Suzie Super Groupie). In 1977, Junie joined Parliament-Funkadelic and would play a crucial role in his very first project with the band. With the Funkadelic album One Nation Under A Groove, Junie would co-write all but one track on the album. The title cut from the album would give Funkadelic their first number-one R&B hit and their first million-selling single. On the next Funkadelic album, Uncle Jam Wants You!, Junie would take the lead in crafting their second number-one R&B hit, “(not just) Knee Deep.” In 1980, Junie departed from P-Funk to record four more solo albums from 1980 to 2004. A supreme form of recognition would come in 1997 when Junie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame along with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.

DAVID SPRADLEY (May 18th, 1954)

Born in Seoul, South Korea, David Spradley (sometimes referred to as “Chong”) possesses a resume that features a diverse collection of artists including Sly Fox, Earl Klugh, Roy Ayers, and Aretha Franklin. David would land in the P-Funk camp in 1979, making his first appearance on the Parliament release Gloryhallastoopid (Pin The Tale On The Funky). Going into the 1980s, David gradually became a prime collaborator during George Clinton’s Capitol Records era. David would serve as the co-writer and keyboardist on the number one R&B hit “Atomic Dog”, as well as “Nubian Nut”, “Double Oh-Oh” and “Bullet Proof” (under the pseudonym “St. Song”).

 

JOSEPH “AMP” FIDDLER (May 17th, 1958-December 17th, 2023)

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Joseph “Amp” Fiddler, like David Spradley, has worked with an assorted array of artists from Jamiroquai, the Brand New Heavies, Prince, and Seal. Amp’s first appearance with P-Funk would come in 1985, making his studio debut on the last album George Clinton would record for Capitol Records, R-N-B Skeletons In The Closet. He would record his first solo album With Respect under the name Mr. Fiddler.  Amp would serve as the keyboardist for the P-Funk All-Stars until 1996. Starting in 2004, Amp would record four more solo albums, as well as collaborations with Sly and Robbie and the band Will Sessions.

 

DANNY BEDROSIAN (January 8th, 1981)

A native of Lawrence, Massachusetts, Danny Bedrosian has served as the primary keyboardist for P-Funk for the past 20 years. He holds the unique distinction of not only being a member of P-Funk, but he’s also a diehard P-Funk fan. His devotion to the band’s history is exemplified in his book The Authorized P-Funk Song Reference/Official Canon Of Parliament-Funkadelic: 1956-2023. He has so far released 3 solo albums and leads his own musical unit known as the Secret Army.

 

 

As with every other instrumentalist in the Parliament-Funkadelic musical stable, an army of keyboardists have made their presence felt over numerous albums by the various spin-off acts including Jerome Rogers, Ernestro Wilson, Manon Saulsby, Gary Hudgins, and Rudy Robinson. Striking the right chords within the music of P-Funk wasn’t just their job. It was their specialty.

-Tim Kinley

Photo: Bernie Worrell (courtesy of the author)