Legendary Keyboardist Bernie Worrell 1944 – 2016

Famed keyboardist Bernie Worrell has died today at age 72 after a long battle with lung cancer. The news was shared by his wife Judie on Facebook. “AT 11:54, June 24, 2016, Bernie transitioned Home to The Great Spirit. Rest in peace, my love — you definitely made the world a better place. Till we meet again, vaya con Dios,” reads the note. Judie confirmed to the Associated Press that Bernie died at his home in Everson, Washington.

Bernie Worrell was born in the shore town of Long Branch, New Jersey on April 19, 1944 and grew up not too far away in the NYC suburb of Plainfield, New Jersey. Worrell picked up his craft quickly after starting piano lessons when he was a 3-year-old and by the time he was 8 had already written a concerto. Following stints with soul bands as a college student, Bernie met George Clinton and moved to Detroit where he became a member of Parliament-Funkadelic. Worrell was integral to the band’s sound as he mixed piano, organ, clavinet to P-Funk’s music.

Worrell also was notably just the second recipient of a Moog synthesizer from Bob Moog and rapidly added more innovative synthesizer instruments to his arsenal, which can be heard on such Parliament-Funkadelic classics as “Aqua Boogie,” “Mothership Connection (Star Child)” and “Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker).” In 1997, Bernie Worrell was one of 16 members of P-Funk inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

It was during a Parliament-Funkadelic hiatus that he first teamed up with Talking Heads in 1980. Worrell both recorded with the band and was a touring member of the group through their 1991 breakup. In more recent years he’s been a fixture in the jam scene, pairing up with such musicians as Steve Kimock, Les Claypool and members of The Meters in addition to fronting his own group called The Woo Warriors.

Early in 2016 Bernie revealed he had been diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer. Despite the diagnosis, he played a handful of shows including at an “All The Woo In The World” tribute to him that was held on April 4 in New York City. As the year has progressed the news worsened regarding Worrell’s condition, with his wife Judie recently posting it was time for friends and family to start saying their goodbyes. Our thoughts are with Bernie Worrell’s friends and family.

Here are some of the reactions to Bernie’s death from around the music world:

Bernie Worrell R.I.P. ‘One of the greatest joys and monumental pleasures of my musical experience on this planet has been my interaction with the great Bernie Worrell. As time passes and the music historians and geeks dig deep, we will all become more enlightened on just what a huge contribution Bernie gave to the soundscape of the past four decades. It was an honor to play and create with him. He was the most fluid and expressive. musician I’ve ever known. Every note and phrase was gracefully laden with the weight and depth of a man who had experienced a full and unique life. We’ve lost a truly wondrous and magical man of music.’- Les Claypool

“This is a huge loss, the world of music will never be the same. Bernie’s influence and contribution — not just to Funk but also Rock and Hip Hop — will forever be felt. Bernie was a close and personal friend and this is a time of sadness for me personally. P-Funk stands with his family and fans alike in mourning this loss. The world is a little bit darker and a little less funky without Bernie in it.” – George Clinton via Billboard

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