Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins (June 8, 1941 – March 17, 2023) – Love's Now Is Forever (1976)

Fuzzy wrote this epic, unsung funk bomb for his debut solo album A Whole Nother Thang, featuring fellow P-Funk members Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell.

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Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins was a singer/songwriter and founding member of Parliament and Funkadelic, who first joined George Clinton's vocal group the Parliaments in 1960.

The Parliaments began as a doo-wop group whose members met at George Clinton’s barbershop in Plainfield, NJ. They later changed their name to Parliament, backed by musicians known as Funkadelic, and collectively became P-Funk, one group with multiple names.

Next, the collective charted a course through the 1970s that took the Funk to new cosmic heights and changed music history along the way.

See our earlier post on Bernie Worrell for more on P-Funk’s rise to fame.

In the summer of 1969, Funkadelic put on an epic live performance at the WGBH public television studios in Boston (which aired on July 10, 1969). Fuzzy handled lead vocals on their extended “Sweet Love” jam, one of the set’s highlights. Other members present were George Clinton, Grady Thomas, Calvin Simon, and Ray Davis on vocals; Eddie Hazel and Tawl Ross on guitar; Mickey Atkins on keyboards; Langston Booth on drums, and Billy “Bass” Nelson on bass.

Haskins appeared on all of P-Funk's classic early-mid 70s records. He left the group to go solo in 1976, although rejoined them the following year for a world tour before leaving again for good.

He wrote the epic, unsung funky jam “Love’s Now Is Forever” for his debut solo album A Whole Nother Thang, released on Westbound Records in 1976. It featured fellow P-Funk members Bootsy Collins on bass, Tiki Fulwood on drums, and Bernie Worrell on keyboards, who also arranged the track's phenomenal horns and strings.

Lyrically, "Love's Now Is Forever" wrapped a call for love, peace, self-determination and unity around its very funky grooves. Like the rest of A Whole Nother Thang, it was arranged and produced by Haskins. The track's intro was memorably sampled by Black Sheep for “To Whom It May Concern” off their legendary 1991 debut LP A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing.

Sadly, Haskins died this past March at age 81. Rest in Power, “Fuzzy” Haskins.

Further info:

“The Fuzzy Haskins Story,” official bio, GeorgeClinton.com

#soul #funk #PFunk #GeorgeClinton #BernieWorrell #FuzzyHaskins