Overview
- George Clinton’s official Facebook page confirmed that William “Billy Bass” Nelson died on Jan. 31 after an erroneous Jan. 26 post was removed.
- No cause of death has been disclosed, with The New York Times reported as noting he had been in hospice care.
- Nelson helped transform the Parliaments into the Funkadelic era, is credited with naming Funkadelic, and recruited guitarist Eddie Hazel.
- He played bass on Funkadelic’s first three albums, then left in 1971 over a financial dispute before returning for sessions and working with acts such as the Temptations.
- He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 with Parliament-Funkadelic, as tributes from musicians and fans highlighted his lasting influence on funk and beyond.