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Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins (1941–2023), Parliament-Funkadelic cofounder

by Linnea Crowther

Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins was a singer who cofounded the legendary funk collective Parliament-Funkadelic.

Musical career

Haskins was one of the five founding members of the Parliaments, the doo-wop group that would evolve into Parliament-Funkadelic. Singing tenor, Haskins also came to play drums and guitar, as well as writing for the group as their style changed to funk. He co-wrote songs including the early hits “I Wanna Know if it’s Good to You,” “Up for the Down Stroke,” and “I Got a Thing,” the latter of which was one of the P-Funk songs that featured Haskins’ vocals. He left P-Funk in 1977, having started his solo career the previous year with the album “A Whole Nother Thang.” A second solo album, “Radio Active,” followed in 1978. In later years, he gathered with some former members of the Parliaments to perform as Original P. When P-Funk was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, Haskins was one of the 15 members included.

Tributes to Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins

Full obituary: NPR

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