Michael James Worrell

Michael James "Duzac" Worrell was born on March 29, 1960 in Dade City, Florida, to Harold Sr. and Betty Lamar Worrell. He departed this life on September 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
As a child, growing up in Levittown, PA, Michael showed an early interest in art and music. Even as a Cub Scout, his arts and crafts projects were always a notch above those of everybody else's, remembers his childhood friend and fellow scout, Ed Wiley III. And during his high school years, his sketch books were the talk of the art department. They were rife with beautiful pencil and charcoal drawings of the icons of African and African-American music and culture: Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Earth Wind & Fire, Egyptian symbolism, Black women and children with mesmerizing features often so real that it seemed one could peer into their souls. His new self-described moniker was "Duzac," and this is how he would sign all of his future works.
By his senior year, Michael purchased a bass, determined to either start a band or join one. After just a couple weeks of practice, he approached friends in a neighborhood group and asked if he could join. When they told him they already had a bass player, Michael quickly pointed out that he also sings. But after singing a few bars of George Benson's "Masquerade," they said they didn't need a vocalist. Michael's head was bowed, but he surely wasn't broken. He showed up to the band's rehearsal the following week with a new instrument, one he knew nobody else had. It was a small wooden box, with several flexible blades bridging a hole in the middle. Everyone was fascinated. "What the heck is that," they wanted to know. "It's called a kalimba," Michael said proudly, as he began plucking the blades with his long thumb nails. "Earth, Wind & Fire uses it on their records." Suddenly, Michael was the most knowledgeable person in the room and the band's new kalimba player.
After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High in Levittown, in 1978, Michael continued his education at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he earned a bachelor's.
He later moved to Los Angeles, California. It was there that he gained an even deeper, more wholistic appreciation for African culture. Although he had always been somewhat introverted, he became increasingly reserved and introspective. Now, as an active member in the Collective Black People Movement (CBPM) of California, he designed African-oriented clothing and literature, and adopted strict dietary parameters. His youngest brother, Harold Jr., got a closeup of just how serious Michael was about his no-meat restriction when he tried fixing him some collards, promising not to put any of the smoked turkey it was cooked in on his plate. "But the meat juice is all over those collards," Michael shot back. "I can't eat those greens." His siblings still chuckle about it today.
On his CBPM website, Michael elucidated that, "My mission is to raise the spirit of the collective whole." He goes on to say that he has "an optimistic vision of the future affirming that through all our diversity we are all one human family."
In addition to artist, musician and designer, Michael would also add "author" to his list of accomplishments. In recent years, he penned a novel, The Harmony of Humanity, which he described as "a story of how a college student uses art, science, spirituality and ancient wisdom to solve modern-day problems." Of course, he had an amazing role model – himself – as the protagonist.
He volunteered with various charities and spent the last few years at the African Diaspora Development Institute in Los Angeles, and at the time of his unexpected departure from Mother Earth, Michael had been working for Uber and Lyft since 2012.
He will always be remembered as a quiet, gentle soul by his brothers Joseph L., Frank B. and Harold Jr., and sister Cynthia E. Worrell; and by his various cousins, friends and acquaintances.