On January 31, 2026, William “Billy Bass” Nelson Jr. died aged 75. He was musician (bass, guitar), recorded and performed with The Commodores, Chairmen of the Board, Fishbone, Jermaine Jackson, Parlet, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, and Lenny Williams, but was best known as the original bassist for Funkadelic. In 1997, he was inducted in to the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” (together with the other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.)