Billy Bass Nelson, Original Bassist of Parliament-Funkadelic, Passes Away at 75

Billy “Bass” Nelson.
Credit:

George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic/Facebook

NEED TO KNOW

• Billy Bass Nelson, the founding bassist for Parliament-Funkadelic, has died.
• An official Facebook page for George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic confirmed that the musician passed away at the age of 75 on Saturday, January 31.
• The band stated, “Rest in eternal peace and Funk,” in their Facebook tribute.

Billy Bass Nelson, the founding bassist of the legendary funk collective Parliament-Funkadelic, has died at the age of 75. The announcement was officially made via the band’s Facebook page.

The statement indicated, “We have now received official confirmation. Rest in eternal peace and Funk, Billy Bass Nelson (January 28th, 1951-January 31st, 2026), bassist/guitarist for Parliament-Funkadelic.”

Nelson, whose real name was William Nelson Jr., passed away on January 31. While the cause of death has not been disclosed, the New York Times reported that he had been receiving hospice care.

Born in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1951, Nelson’s journey into music began as a teenager at George Clinton’s barbershop, where he swept floors and sang. Nelson later joined Clinton’s doo-wop group, the Parliaments, and is credited with coining the name “Funkadelic” for the backing band.

The Parliaments achieved success in 1967 with their hit “(I Wanna) Testify,” which reached No. 20 on the pop charts and No. 3 on the R&B charts. The group soon explored psychedelic sounds in subsequent releases, including the single “All Your Goodies Are Gone.”

From left top row: Ray Davis, Cavin Simon, Grady Thomas, Fuzzy Haskins, Tawl Ross, Bernie Worrell; From left bottom row: Tiki Fulwood, Eddie Hazel, George Clinton, Billy “Bass” Nelson circa 1974.

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

In 1967, after a dispute with Revilot Records over ownership rights, the band transitioned to a new label and rebranded as Funkadelic, a name reportedly conceived by Nelson.

By 1970, Funkadelic had fully formed with members including Nelson, Eddie Hazel, drummer Tiki Fulwood, guitarist Tawl Ross, and keyboardist Mickey Atkins, who was later succeeded by Bernie Worrell.

Nelson played a crucial role in Funkadelic’s early albums, including Funkadelic (1970), Free Your Mind … and Your Ass Will Follow (1970), and Maggot Brain (1971), contributing basslines and lead vocals to several tracks. He co-wrote and performed the song “Super Stupid” on the 1971 album Maggot Brain.

Billy Bass Nelson.

Billy Bass Nelson/Facebook

According to George Clinton’s website, Nelson departed the group following a financial dispute, becoming the first member of the P-Funk collective to leave. He later performed with notable acts such as the Temptations before reuniting with Parliament-Funkadelic for the track “Better by the Pound,” featured on the 1975 album Let’s Take It to the Stage. Throughout the late ’70s, he continued to contribute to both Parliament and Funkadelic records.

After another hiatus from Parliament-Funkadelic, Nelson collaborated with artists including the Commodores, Jermaine Jackson, Lionel Richie, and Smokey Robinson. He garnered admiration from musicians like John Norwood Fisher of Fishbone and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Nelson also contributed to solo projects by several P-Funk members, including Hazel, Ruth Copeland, and Worrell. He officially rejoined Parliament-Funkadelic in 1994.