Garry “Starchild” Shider the legendary funk guitarist of seminal funk outfit Parliament-Funkadelic has died at age 56 from complications of brain and lung cancer.
To say Starchild (also known as ‘Diaper Man’ because of his trademark performance attire) is a legend would be like saying a bacon double cheeseburger deluxe is a sandwich. He was not only the guitarist of one of the most influential, pioneering funk bands in history but he was also the musical director of the P-Funk all stars, with duties including songwriting and musical arrangements for the band.
Shider sang in a gospel choir as a kid until meeting P-Funk founding member, George Clinton, as a teenager in the late ’60s. In 1972 he became a permanent member of P-Funk – the band formed from the combined members of Parliament and Funkadelic behind classic funk joints “Cosmic Slop,” “Can You Get to That” and “One Nation Under the Groove”. Shider and the rest of P-Funk were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
George Clinton posted on website, “Thank you, Garry for all you have done. Forever funkin’ on!”
R.I.P. Starchild.
“Cosmic Slop” in NYC
