Famous for his work with funk and soul legends Parliament-Funkadelic, Bernie Worrell was one of music's true visionaries who constantly pushed the boundaries of sound until his death in 2016.
Born in New Jersey, Worrell was a musical prodigy from a young age, exceptional skilled at playing classical piano and had written a concerto by the age of eight. He attended private lessons at the world-renowned Juilliard School of Performing Arts in New York, eventually graduating with a degree from the New England Conservatory of Music.
Having met George Clinton in his hometown of Plainfield, New Jersey, they joined forces to start Parliament-Funkadelic. Worrell established himself as the musical director, as well as performing an array of different instruments, but mainly centred around keyboards and synthesizers. Worrell was only the second musician ever to receive the original Moog synthesizer, along with the Minimoog, which was a key component in his band's revolutionary sound. Backed by P-Funk's members, Worrell released his debut solo record in 1978, 'All the Woo in the World'.
After the band took a hiatus from touring in the 1980s, Worrell joined forces with legendary new wave group Talking Heads and, although never officially joining, appeared on their 'Speaking in Tongues' (1983) album, and on their live album and film 'Stop Making Sense' (1984).
Throughout the '80s, '90s and '00s, Worrell collaborated with a myriad of different artists from a wide range of genres, including rapper Mos Def, rock group Black Jack Johnson and cult bassist Les Claypool on Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains.
Having been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 with Parliament-Funkadelic and being given an honorary Doctor of Music degree from his alma mater the New England Conservatory of Music in 2016 in recognition of his services to music, Worrell passed away in June 2016 after a short battle with prostate, liver and lung cancer.
