Bernie Worrell of Parliament-Funkadelic Passed Away

Bernie Worrell, the synth innovator who defined much of the sound of funk and its successors, has died at the age of 72, according to a statement posted on his official Facebook page. A longtime member of Funkadelic and its companion band Parliament, Worrell was diagnosed with both prostate and liver cancer this past January, and his health had declined significantly in recent weeks according to posts on his Facebook page from his wife Judie. He passed away this morning.

“AT 11:54, June 24, 2016, Bernie transitioned Home to The Great Spirit,” Judie wrote on his Facebook page today. “Rest in peace, my love — you definitely made the world a better place. Till we meet again, vaya con Dios.” She added that fans should “check BernieWorrell.com for further input, anything you want to post,” asking only family to text or call to contact her. A guestbook page on Worrell’s site has quickly filled with memories and tributes.

Read the full article at Noisey.

R.I.P. Bernie Worrell