Amp Fiddler, keyboardist for George Clinton's pioneering funk collective Parliament-Funkadelic and mentor to the late Detroit producer J Dilla, has died. He was 65 years old.
The funk and soul musician was recovering from surgery in 2022 for an undisclosed illness. TO GoFundMe campaign released last year raised more than $75,000 for Fiddler's “continued healing as he journeys back to the stage,” and a benefit concert He was held in his hometown of Detroit earlier this month to further cover medical expenses.
“Rest in eternal musical excellence, Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Joseph Anthony “Amp” Fiddler (May 17, 1958 – December 17, 2023),” Parliament-Funkadelic wrote on Facebook. “Fly on Amp! We love you so much!”
Questlove paid tribute to Fiddler in instagram, writing: “Rest easy brother Amp. For all those talks during the Pfunk tour. For all the music. Especially, of course, being a mentor to the one who guided us (Dilla), thanks brother.”
Born Joseph Anthony Fiddler in , the artist took piano lessons as a child before beginning his musical career in the early 1980s as a keyboardist and backing vocalist. After touring with the R&B group Enchantment, his first big break was as keyboardist for Parliament-Funkadelic from 1985 to 1996.
Fiddler helped launch the influential career of J Dilla, whom he taught how to use the Akai MPC sampling drum machine and introduced him to A Tribe Called Quest's Q-Tip. In addition to Enchantment and Parliament-Funkadelic, Fiddler also worked with Prince, Maxwell, Jamiroquai, Moodymann and many others.
In 1990, Fiddler teamed up with his brother, Bubz, under the alias Mr. Fiddler and released the album. With respect. He followed up with a debut solo album, Waltz of a ghetto flyin 2004. Fiddler's most recent studio album was 2017's. Knights of the Dog Amplifier.
TO GoFundMe has been launched to cover Fiddler's memorial service and other funeral expenses.
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