Everson – Bernie Worrell, the keyboardist and founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic known as the “Wizard of Woo’’ died on Friday at the age of 72.

Judie Worrell, his wife, wrote on her Facebook page; “at 11:54, June 24, 2016, Bernie transitioned Home to the Great Spirit’’.

“Rest in peace, my love – you definitely made the world a better place.”
Worrell’s death came less than six months after he revealed he was battling a late stage of cancer.

A child prodigy who studied classical piano starting at age 3, Worrell rose to prominence in the 1970s as a member of George Clinton’s funk and soul collective Parliament-Funkadelic.

Worrell who was one of the first musicians to use the Moog synthesizer, also co-wrote and performed numerous hits that would have heavy influence on disco and R&B music.
He once said his classical music training helped him to use the synthesiser to great effect, according to a biography posted on his website.

“If I am playing a horn arrangement on keyboard or strings, it sounds like strings or horns, because I know how to phrase it.

“How a string phrases, different attacks from the aperture for horns, trumpets, sax or trombones,” he said.

After leaving P-Funk as it was commonly known, Worrell spent several years touring with the Talking Heads and released a number of solo albums.

He was credited with co-writing the score for the 1994 movie “Car 54, Where Are You’’ based on the classic television show.

He was also a member of Paul Shaffer’s band on “Late Show with David Letterman’’ for a short time.

Worrell and other P-Funk members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.