In 2016, several music icons passed and it seemed like the deaths would not end until the very end of the year. Icons like Prince and David Bowie who commanded the pop landscape for 40 years were gone suddenly and unexpectedly. Sharon Jones was just beginning to gain more recognition before passing of Cancer after a two-year fight. Many music fans are just happy for 2016 to be over after experiencing so much loss. The sadness from the passing of so many important voices is only assuaged by the fact that each artist has an immortal influence through their work.

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[youtube id=”OIipoBIF1lM”] Bernie Worrell, who was a founding member of Parliament- Funkadelic died today at age 72. Worrell was the star keyboardist in both bands and is known for his memorable solo on “Flashlight” that influenced R&B, techno and hip-hop. The musician was the second person to receive one of Robert Moog’s synthesizer and this instrument became a guiding light of the P-Funk sound. Worrell’s futuristic keyboard was also heard on recordings by Bill Laswell, Fred Schneider,  Talking Heads, Mos Def’s Black Jack Johnson band and Prince Paul.  In recent times he performed with the Bernie Worrell Orchestra and had side projects with Les Claypool and Seattle band Khu.éex’. In January of 2016, he was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer. On April 4th and 5th the Black Rock Coalition hosted benefit concerts for his treatment. The New England Conservatory where he studied gave him an honorary doctorate in May 2016.

Bernie Worrell, who is a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and has played on numerous classics from the band, has been diagnosed with stage-four liver and lung cancer. Worrell’s goal is to heal but also to release his Retrospectives album quickly before his health worsens. There is an Indiegogo campaign to raise $10,000 for the project with 2 weeks and about $500 to go.