Born 75 Years Ago Today in Ohio, the Funk Innovator Who Went From James Brown’s Band to Becoming a Music Legend in His Own Right

On this day (October 26) in 1951, Bootsy Collins was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a teen, he played bass in the original lineup of James Brown’s J.B.s. Later, he joined George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic collective. Collins then formed Bootsy’s Rubber Band, a P-Funk offshoot. He has also collaborated with a long list of artists across multiple genres, including Fatboy Slim, Sammy Hagar, Praxis, and Deee-Lite.

Collins is one of the most recognizable living musicians. His eye-catching stage attire and star-shaped bass guitar help him stand out visually. His driving, melodic basslines and unique vocal delivery were instrumental in shaping funk music. Moreover, he has influenced generations of artists.

Collins formed The Pacemakers with his brother, Catfish Collins, Kash Waddy, and Philippe Wynne in 1968. Two years later, after most of James Brown’s band quit, he hired Collins’ band to back him and renamed the group the J.B.s. They backed Brown for less than a year, during which Collins learned all that he could from the star. The group was instrumental in Brown’s shift from soul to funk. They also backed him on some of his biggest hits, including “Soul Power,” “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine,” and “Super Bad.”

According to AllMusic, Collins joined the Parliament-Funkadelic collective in the early 1970s. There, he honed his skills as a songwriter and vocalist. He can be heard on classics like “Up for the Down Stroke” and “Tear the Roof Iff the Sucker.” In 1976, he formed Bootsy’s Rubber Band with his brother, Waddy, Joel Johnson, Mudbone Cooper, Robert Johnson, and The Horny Horns.

Bootsy Collins Goes Solo

Bootsy Collins remained connected to George Clinton’s P-Funk collective with his Rubber Band. They released their debut album, Stretchin’ Out in Bootsy’s Rubber Band, in 1976. A year later, they returned with Ahh… The Name Is Bootsy, Baby, which topped the R&B chart. They scored another No. 1 a year later with Bootsy? Player of the Year. That album also produced the No. 1 single “Bootzilla.”

[RELATED: Bootsy Collins Reveals How the Wildness of Existence Inspires His Out-of-This-World Music]

He has released more than 25 albums since 1976 either solo or at the front of one of many bands. Collins didn’t limit himself to funk music, though. For instance, he provided bass and vocals on the debut record from experimental rock band Praxis. Collins was also in the short-lived funk rock supergroup Hardware with Steve Salas and Buddy Miles. He is also a member of the experimental metal band Science Faxtion.

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