List of funk musicians explained

This is a list of funk music artists. This includes artists who have either been very important to the funk genre or have had a considerable amount of exposure (such as in the case of one who has been on a major label). Bands are listed by the first letter in their name (not including the words "a", "an", or "the"), and individuals are listed by last name.

A

• African Music Machine^[1]
• Los Amigos Invisibles^[2]
• Steve Arrington^[3]
• Atlantic Starr
• Average White Band^[4]

B

• B. T. Express
• Mike Banks
• The Bar-Kays^[5]
• Big Pig
• Black Heat^[6]
• Eddie Bo
• Bootsy's Rubber Band
• Brainstorm^[7]
• Brand New Heavies^[8]
• Brass Construction
• Michael Brecker
• Brick
• The Brothers Johnson
• James Brown^[9]
• The Budos Band^[10]

C

• Cameo
• Jimmy Castor
• Central Line
• A Certain Ratio
• Chakk
• Chapter 8
• Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band^[11]
• Chic
• Chicks Incorporated
• Chocolate Milk^[12]
• George Clinton^[9]
• Bootsy Collins^[13]
• Catfish Collins^{[14] [15]}
• Lyn Collins^[16]
• Commodores
• Con Funk Shun
• Nikka Costa^{[17] [18]}
• Don Covay
• Crown Heights Affair

D

• DAG^[19]
• Betty Davis^[20]
• Miles Davis
• Dayton^[21]
• Dazz Band^[22]
• Deckchairs Overboard
• Manu Dibango
• Dr. John^[23]
• George Duke^[24]
• Candy Dulfer^{[25] [26]}
• Dumpstaphunk^[27]
• Dyke and the Blazers^[28]
• Dynasty^[29]

E

• Earth, Wind & Fire
• ESG

F

• The Fabulous Counts^[30]
• Fashion
• Fat Larry's Band
• Fatback Band
• Faze-O^[31]
• Amp Fiddler^[32]
• Lee Fields^[33]
• Flyte Tyme
• Freeez
• Fun Lovin' Criminals
• Funkadelic

G

• Galactic^{[34] [35]}
• The Gap Band
• Marvin Gaye
• Gonzalez
• Graham Central Station^[36]
• Larry Graham
• The Grease Band
• The Greyboy Allstars^{[37] [38]}

H

• Herbie Hancock^{[39] [40]}
• Isaac Hayes
• Leon Haywood
• The Headhunters^[39]
• Heatwave^[41]
• Jimi Hendrix
• Here Come the Mummies^[42]
• The Highlighters^[43]
• Hi-Tension^[44]
• Hot Chocolate

I

• Ian Dury and the Blockheads
• Imagination
• The Isley Brothers

J

• The J.B.'s^[45]
• Rick James
• Jamiroquai^[46]
• Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings^[47]
• Don Julian

K

• Karma^[48]
• Kay Gees^[49]
• KC and the Sunshine Band
• Eddie Kendricks
• Chaka Khan
• Kleeer^[50]
• Klymaxx
• Kool & the Gang
• Fela Kuti^[51]

L

• L.T.D.^[52]
• Lakeside
• Bill Laswell
• Light of the World^[53]
• Paula Lima^[54]
• Linx^[55]
• Carrie Lucas

M

• Machine^[56]
• Manchild^[57]
• Mandrill^[58]
• Manzel^[59]
• Teena Marie^[60]
• Material
• Maximum Joy
• Curtis Mayfield^[61]
• Maze^{[62] [63]}
• The Meters^[64]
• Mezzoforte
• Miami Sound Machine
• Mickey & the Soul Generation^[65]
• Midnight Star
• Mingo Fishtrap^[66]
• Walter "Junie" Morrison^[67]
• Mtume^[68]

N

• Meshell Ndegeocello
• N.E.R.D^[69]
• Art Neville^[70]
• The Nite-Liters

O

• Ohio Players
• Olympic Runners^[71]
• Orgone^[72]
• Osaka Monaurail^{[73] [74]}
• Ozomatli^[75]

P

• Maceo Parker^{[9] [76]}
• Parliament
• Parliament-Funkadelic
• Teddy Pendergrass
• The People's Choice
• Pieces of a Dream^[77]
• Prince

R

• Jesse Rae
• Nelson Rangell
• Ready for the World^[78]
• Republic of Loose^[79]
• The Rimshots^[80]
• Rip Rig + Panic^[81]
• Ripple^[82]
• Nile Rodgers^[83]
• Rufus^[84]

S

• Shakatak
• Shalamar
• Garry Shider
• Shotgun^[85]
• Side Effect^[86]
• Dawn Silva^[87]
• Skull Snaps^[88]
• Skyy
• Slave
• Sly and the Family Stone
• Soulive^[9]
• Sound Experience^[89]
• South Shore Commission
• Sam Sparro^[90]
• Spearhead
• Stargard
• Sly Stone
• Sun^[91]
• Switch
• Swoop

T

• T-Connection^[92]
• T. S. Monk
• A Taste of Honey
• Richard Tee^[93]
• The Temptations^[94]
• Joe Tex
• The Time
• Tower of Power
• Roger Troutman^[95]
• TV on the Radio^[96]

V

• Vulfpeck^[97]

W

• War
• Johnny "Guitar" Watson^[98]
• Fred Wesley
• The Whispers
• The Whitefield Brothers^[99]
• Barry White
• Marva Whitney^[74]
• Stevie Wonder^[100]
• Phil Woods
• Bernie Worrell

Z

• Zapp^[101]

See also

• List of funk rock and funk metal bands

References

Bibliography

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• Book: Buckley, Peter. The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. 3rd. 2003. 1-84353-105-4.
• Book: Stuart. Borthwick. Ron. Moy. Popular Music Genres: an Introduction. Funk: The Breakbeat Starts Here. Edinburgh University Press. 2004. 0-7486-1745-0. 23–41.
• Book: Bowman, Robert. Encyclopedia of the Blues. 1 (A–J). Funk. Routledge. Edward M.. Komara. https://books.google.com/books?id=-w-uGwm_LhcC&pg=PA351. 2006. 978-0-415-92699-7. 351–353.
• Book: Nathan. Brackett. Christian. Hoard. 2004. 4th. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Fireside. 0-394-72107-1.
• Book: Bill Brewster (DJ)

. Last Night a Dj Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey. Bill. Brewster. Bill Brewster (DJ). Frank. Broughton. 1999. Headline Book Publishing. 0-7472-6230-6.

• Book: Echols, Alice. Alice Echols

. Alice Echols. W. W. Norton & Company. 2010. Hot Stuff: Disco and the Remaking of American Culture. 978-0-3930-7701-8.

• Book: George, Nelson. Nelson George

. Nelson George. The Death of Rhythm and Blues. 1988. Penguin Books. 0-142-00408-1.

• Book: George, Nelson. Buppies, B-boys, Baps, And Bohos: Notes On Post-soul Black Culture. 2001. . 0-306-81027-1.
• Book: Gulla, Bob. Bob Gulla

. Bob Gulla. Icons of R&B and Soul. 1. Greenwood Publishing Group. 2008. 978-0-313-34045-1.

• Book: Hoffmann, Frank. American Popular Music: Rhythm & Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop. 2006. Infobase Publishing. 978-0-8160-6980-4.
• Book: Richard Ingham

. Richard. Ingham. Richard Ingham. The Cambridge Companion to the Saxophone. 1998. 0-521-59666-1. Cambridge University Press. registration.

• Book: Colin. Larkin. Colin Larkin (writer). 2006. Encyclopedia of Popular Music. 4th . Oxford University Press. 0-19-531373-9.
• Book: McFarlane, Ian. Ian McFarlane

. Ian McFarlane. Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. 1999. 1-86448-768-2. Allen & Unwin.

• Book: Michael. Ray. Alternative, Country, Hip-Hop, Rap, and More: Music from the 1980s to Today. 2012. 978-1-61530-910-8. Britannica Educational Publishing.
• Book: Michael. Ray. Disco, Punk, New Wave, Heavy Metal, and More: Music in the 1970s and 1980s. Chapter 8 – Tear the Roof Off: Funk. 126–135. 2013. Britannica Educational Publishing. 978-1-61530-912-2.
• Book: Shapiro, Peter. Peter Shapiro (journalist)

. Peter Shapiro (journalist). The Rough Guide to Soul and R&B. Rough Guides. 1-84353-264-6. 2006.

• Book: Talevski, Nick. Rock Obituaries – Knocking On Heaven's Door. 2006. 978-1-8460-9091-2. Omnibus Press.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Steve . Huey . African Music Machine – Artist Biography . . 5 July 2015.
2. News: José Manuel . Simián . Amid tour, Los Amigos Invisibles return home to celebrate band's 20th anniversary . 9 March 2011 . . 9 July 2015.
3. Steve Arrington – The Jammin' National Anthem . . 99 . 18 . 10 May 1986 . 78 . 0006-2510.
4. Web site: Jason . Ankeny . The Average White Band – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014.
5. Web site: Steve . Huey . The Bar-Kays – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014.
6. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Black Heat – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015 .
7. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Ron Wynn . Brainstorm – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014.
8. News: Brother Sister – Brand New Heavies . 27 April 1994 . 5 July 2015 . Lawrence Journal-World.
9. News: Seth . Schiesel . The 10-Night Intergalactic Funk Odyssey . 9 March 2011 . . 5 July 2015 .
10. Web site: Steve . Leggett . AllMusic . The Budos Band – Artist Biography . 5 July 2014.
11. Web site: Steve . Huey . The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band / Charles Wright / Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – Express Yourself: The Best of Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band . AllMusic . 7 July 2014.
12. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Chocolate Milk – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
13. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Bootsy Collins – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 7 July 2014.
14. Web site: Mark . Deming . Phelps "Catfish" Collins – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
15. Funk legend Phelps 'Catfish' Collins dies aged 66 . 11 August 2010 . . 5 July 2015.
16. Web site: Amy . Hanson . Put It on the Line – Song Review . AllMusic . 5 July 2015 .
17. Web site: Nikka Costa Offers Soulful Sounds On 'Pearl' . . 25 November 2008 . 5 July 2015 .
18. Elissa . Stolman . Nikka Costa – Pro*Whoa! . 23 June 2011 . . 5 July 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923223033/http://www.cmj.com/reviews/nikka-costa-%E2%80%93-prowhoa/ . 23 September 2015.
19. Web site: Stephen . Thomas Erlewine . Stephen Thomas Erlewine . DAG – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014.
20. Web site: John . Bush . Betty Davis – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014 .
21. Web site: Dayton – Dayton/Cutie Pie . Andy . Kellman . AllMusic . 8 July 2014.
22. Web site: Stephen . Thomas Erlewine . Dazz Band – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014.
23. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Dr. John – Television . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
24. Web site: Tom . Eames . . Funk singer George Duke dies, aged 67 . 6 August 2013 . 5 July 2015 .
25. Web site: Matt . Collar . Candy Dulfer – Sax-A-Go-Go . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
26. Web site: Jeff . Winbush . Candy Dulfer: Funked Up! (2009) . . 2 May 2009 . 5 July 2015.
27. Web site: Thom . Jurek . Dumpstaphunk – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014 .
28. Web site: Richie . Unterberger . Richie Unterberger . Dyke & the Blazers – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014.
29. Web site: Dynasty – Artist Biography . Ron . Wynn . AllMusic . 8 July 2014.
30. Web site: Jason . Ankeny . AllMusic . Fabulous Counts – Artist Biography . 5 July 2015 .
31. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Faze-O – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014 .
32. Amp Fiddler – Waltz Of A Ghetto Fly . 1 April 2004 . Uncut . 5 July 2015 .
33. Web site: Steve . Huey . AllMusic . Lee Fields – Artist Biography . 5 July 2014 .
34. The Illustrated Band; The String Cheese Incident; Untying The Not (2003) . https://web.archive.org/web/20081010194453/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,517148,00.html . dead . 10 October 2008 . . 17 October 2003 . 5 July 2015.
35. News: Jesse . Serwer . New Galactic album 'Ya-Ka-May' is a taste of classic New Orleans . . 6 February 2010 . 5 July 2015.
36. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Graham Central Station – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014.
37. Web site: Doug . Collette . The Greyboy AllStars: What Happened To Television? (2007) . All About Jazz . 2 August 2007 . 8 July 2015.
38. News: Jeremy D. . Bonfiglio . Five questions with ... Robert Walter . 24 July 2014 . . 8 July 2015.
39. News: Dennis . Getto . Would You Believe Buddhism Led Herbie Hancock Into Funk? . 24 June 1977 . . 2 August 2014.
40. Web site: Richard S. . Ginell . Herbie Hancock – Secrets . AllMusic . 2 August 2014.
41. Heatwave's Johnnie Wilder Jr. dead at 56 . 17 May 2006 . . Clayton, Ohio . 5 July 2015.
42. Web site: Gregory . Heaney . Here Come the Mummies – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 26 January 2014.
43. Web site: Highlighters Band . Indiana Musicpedia . 15 June 2024 .
44. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Hi-Tension – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014 .
45. Web site: Steve . Huey . The J.B.'s – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014 .
46. Web site: Matt . Collar . Jamiroquai – Dynamite . AllMusic . 7 July 2014.
47. Web site: Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings: A Little Funk And Soul . NPR Music . 7 May 2010 . 5 July 2015 .
48. Web site: Alex . Henderson . Karma – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
49. Web site: Steve . Huey . Kay Gee's – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015 .
50. Web site: Andy . Kellman . Kleeer – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014 .
51. Danny . Eccleston . ?uestlove And tUnE-yArDs Cover Fela Kuti's Lady . 18 September 2013 . . 8 July 2015.
52. Web site: Jason . Ankeny . L.T.D. – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014.
53. Web site: Ed . Hogan . Light of the World – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 2 August 2014.
54. Web site: Alvaro . Neder . Paula Lima – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
55. Web site: Robert . Christgau . Robert Christgau . Linx . 5 July 2015 .
56. Web site: Alex . Henderson . Machine – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
57. Web site: Bruce . Eder . Manchild – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
58. Web site: Steve . Huey . Mandrill – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014.
59. Web site: Jason . Birchmeier . Manzel – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015 .
60. Book: Graff, Gary . MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide . 1996 . Visible Ink Press . 0-7876-1037-2.
61. Web site: Richie . Unterberger . Curtis Mayfield – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
62. News: Geoffrey . Himes . Maze: A Studied Path to Success . 21 July 1995 . . 5 July 2015.
63. News: Connie . Johnson . Maze: Mellow Funk . . 15 December 1986 . 2 August 2014.
64. Web site: Stephen Thomas . Erlewine . The Meters – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 8 July 2014.
65. Web site: Jason . Ankeny . Mickey & the Soul Generation – Iron Leg: The Complete Mickey and the Soul Generation . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
66. News: Carolyn . Lamberson . Group's New Orleans funk takes detour through Austin . 24 June 2005 . . 9 July 2015.
67. Web site: John . Bush . Walter "Junie" Morrison – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014.
68. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Mtume – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
69. Web site: Tom . Breihan . Daft Punk Produce New N.E.R.D. Track . . 29 September 2010 . 2 August 2014.
70. Web site: Bill . Dahl . Art Neville – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015 .
71. Web site: Amy . Hanson . Olympic Runners – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
72. News: Adrian . Gomez . Crowds keep Orgone energized . . 21 December 2012 . 26 January 2018 .
73. Web site: Steve . Leggett . Osaka Monaurail – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
74. Web site: Ben . Edwards . Osaka Monaurail, Japan's funkiest orchestra . 3 July 2012 . . 5 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120704151545/http://music.cbc.ca/#!/blogs/2012/7/Osaka-Monaurail-Japans-funkiest-orchestra. dead. 4 July 2012.
75. Web site: Matthew . Cole . Ozomatli – Fire Away . . 19 April 2010 . 5 July 2015.
76. Web site: Mark . Deming . Maceo Parker – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014.
77. News: Tim . Coakley . Wein Leads an all-star group at Jazz Festival . 30 June 1997 . . 2 August 2014.
78. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Ready for the World – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014.
79. News: John . Meagher . Review of the Week: Republic of Loose . 11 April 2008 . . 9 July 2015.
80. Web site: Steve . Huey . The Rimshots – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
81. Web site: Jason . Ankeny . Neneh Cherry – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
82. Web site: Richie . Unterberger . Ripple – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
83. Daft Punk made a film to accompany Nile Rodgers' new Chic LP . 22 February 2015 . . 5 July 2015.
84. Web site: Steve . Huey . Rufus – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014.
85. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Shotgun – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014.
86. Web site: Alex . Henderson . Side Effect – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 24 January 2014.
87. Web site: Amy . Hanson . Dawn Silva – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
88. Web site: Andy . Kellman . Skull Snaps – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014 .
89. Web site: Steve . Huey . Sound Experience – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014.
90. Sam . Richards . Sam Sparro – Sam Sparro . August 2008 . Uncut . 108 . Sparro has been compared to Prince and Gnarls Barkley, but his funk is less organic, and deliberately inauthentic....
91. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Sun – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
92. Web site: Alex . Henderson . AllMusic . T-Connection – Magic . 5 July 2014 .
93. Web site: Ron . Wynn . Richard Tee – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015 .
94. Web site: Jason . Ankeny . The Temptations – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 2 August 2014 .
95. News: Neil . Strauss . Roger Troutman, 47, Influential Funk Musician . 28 April 1999 . The New York Times . 5 July 2015.
96. Web site: Jesse . Cataldo . TV on the Radio – Nine Types of Light . 9 April 2011 . Slant Magazine . 5 July 2015.
97. Spotify removes album of silence by US funk band . . 25 April 2014 . 5 July 2015 .
98. Web site: Stephen . Cook . Johnny "Guitar" Watson – Ain't That a Bitch . AllMusic . 5 July 2015 .
99. Web site: Bradley . Torreano . Whitefield Brothers – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2015.
100. Book: Perone, James E. . The Sound of Stevie Wonder: His Words and Music . . 2006 . 0-275-98723-X . 10, 16, 20, 26, 36, 46, 52, 83–84, 114 .
101. Web site: John . Bush . Zapp – Artist Biography . AllMusic . 5 July 2014.