Died On This Date (April 18, 2013) Cordell “Boogie” Mosson / Basssist For Parliament-Funkadelic
themusicsover Cordell Mosson (Born Cardell Mosson)
October 16, 1952 – April 18, 2013
Cordell “Boogie” Mosson was a longtime member of the legendary funk outfits, Parliament and Funkadelic. Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, Mosson moved to Canada when he was still a teenager, and it was there that he began playing bass for a group called United Soul. The band soon caught the ear of George Clinton who produced several of their records. In 1972, Clinton asked Mosson to join Funkadelic, eventually moving over to Parliament when original bassist, Bootsy Collins decided to focus more on his solo career. Often overshadowed by all that is Bootsy, Mosson deserves plenty, if not as much credit for the overall P-Funk sound. He was a key contributor to the group’s output during the mid to late ’70s and performed with the various incarnations of P-Funk up until the time of his death. In 1997, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Parliament-Funkadelic. Cordell Mosson was 60 when he passed away on April 18, 2013. Cause of death was not immediately released.
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Leroy “Sugarfoot” Bonner was the longtime lead singer for arguably America’s greatest funk band, the Ohio Players. Formed in Dayton, Ohio as the Ohio Untouchables in 1959, it would be a few years before they regrouped as the Ohio Players and brought Bonner on board. First the band’s lead guitarist, Bonner’s charisma on stage could not be denied, so he soon took over as front man as well. It wasn’t until 1973 that the band hit its stride with the release of their first #1 R&B single, “Funky Worm.” The record ultimately sold over 1 million copies and helped the group land a deal with Mercury Records. Over the next three years, the Ohio Players scored seven Top 40 singles, two Gold Albums and three Platinum. In all, they sold well over 4 million albums. Their hits included such era definers as “Fire,” “Who’d She Coo?” “Skin Tight” and “Love Rollercoaster,” which claimed one of pop music’s greatest urban legends as well. Mid way through the #1 hit, a high-pitched scream can be heard, leading many to believe that a woman was murdered in the studio with her scream unknowingly recorded. Of several myths that were spawned, the most absurd was that while the band was recording, the cover photo shoot of Playboy model, Ester Corbet, was taking place in an adjacent room. Badly burned and disfigured by the hot honey which was poured on her, Corbet ran into the studio threatening to sue the band. The myth goes on to claim that the band’s manager stabbed her to death in the control room in order to shut her up. All caught on tape, of course. The problem with that scenario is that Corbet is still alive and apparently burn free as of this writing. The reality is that keyboardist Billy Beck provided the infamous scream. Meanwhile, the Ohio Players forged on through the ups and downs of their popularity with Bonner at the helm well into the 2000s. Leroy Bonner was 70 when he passed away on January 26, 2013. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Chuck Brown was an influential American guitarist, singer and songwriter who is largely credited for creating go-go, an offshoot of funk that popped up in Washington DC during the mid ’70s. What separates go-go from all the rest is its use of call-and-response, wild street percussion, and long jams. Brown got his start playing with Jerry Butler during the early ’60s. Before he knew it, he was working solo and putting out a string of hits that included “I Need Some Money” and “Bustin’ Loose,” which is used by MLB’s Washington Nationals to celebrate their home runs. Brown went on to record the theme song for The Sinbad Show during the mid ’90s. In recent years, much of his music has reached younger audiences by way of sampling – Nelly’s 2002 #1 hit, “Hot In Here” contains a portion of “Bustin’ Loose.” In 2010, Brown was nominated for his first Grammy for the song, “Love.” He has been cited as a direct influence on such go-go legends as Trouble Funk and EU and is so beloved by his hometown of Washington DC, that they named a street after him – Chuck Brown Way. Chuck Brown was 75 when he passed away on May 16, 2012.
