Garry Shider
Encyclopedia
Garry Marshall Shider was an American
musician and guitarist. He was musical director of the P-Funk All-Stars
for much of their history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1997, with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic
.
. At the age of ten and under the guidance of his father Jesse, Garry and his brothers played and sang behind many gospel
artists of the time including legends such as Shirley Caesar
, The Five Blind Boys, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and others. As a youth Shider was also a regular customer at the Plainfield barbershop owned by George Clinton
, where the future members Parliament
would sing doo-wop
for customers and counsel local youngsters. Clinton made note of the young Shider's talents on guitar and his ability with gospel singing.
By the time he was sixteen, Shider wished to escape the crime and dead-end prospects of Plainfield, so he and his friend Cordell "Boogie" Mosson left for Canada
where Shider married and had a son. Shider and Mosson formed a funk
/rock
band called United Soul, or "U.S.". George Clinton
was living in Toronto, Ontario at the time and began hearing about United Soul from people in the local music business, and took the band under his wing upon learning that Shider was a member.
. The songs "I Miss My Baby" and "Baby I Owe You Something Good" were released as a one-off single by Westbound Records
in 1971 under the group name U.S. Music with Funkadelic. All the tracks recorded with Clinton in 1971 were released by Westbound in 2009 as the album U.S. Music With Funkadelic
. After producing United Soul, Clinton then invited Shider and Mosson to join Parliament-Funkadelic
. Two United Soul songs were rerecorded on later Funkadelic albums with Shider as a member. Clinton groomed Shider for an important role in the P-Funk
roster, which Shider joined full-time in 1972. He was a prominent contributor to albums by both Parliament
and Funkadelic
until the dissolution of those two bands in the early 1980s, after which he continued to work regularly with Clinton's P-Funk All-Stars
.
During Parliament-Funkadelic
performances Shider was known for appearing in a diaper, making him instantly recognizable on stage and earning him the nickname "Diaper Man". Shider is featured prominently in the hit songs like, "Cosmic Slop," "Getting to Know You," and "One Nation Under a Groove
". He co-wrote many noteworthy Parliament-Funkadelic
songs, and he made important contributions to P-Funk
spin-off acts including Bootsy Collins
and Eddie Hazel
.
Shider has been featured in Guitar Player Magazine three times, and once in the Japanese version. He has been featured in Who's Who in Music and appeared on a compilation album by Paul Shaffer
of the David Letterman
band, and also on rock group The Black Crowes
' 1996 album Three Snakes and One Charm
. Shider has also appeared on Saturday Night Live
several times, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Arsenio Hall Show
, New York Undercover
, The Tonight Show
, and others. He appeared in the film PCU, and The Night Before
. Both films also included songs he wrote and performed. He has also had songs featured in the film Bad Boys
, with Sean Penn
, as well as being the recipient of several Grammy nominations for songs like "Stomp" by Kirk Franklin
, which used "One Nation Under a Groove" as its musical inspiration. The song won Song of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards.
Shider released a solo single during 1988 entitled "Beautiful" The attempt to try and reconcile P-Funk's distinct sound with that of late-80s synthpop yielded no chart success. He released two full albums in 2002, Diaper Man, The Second Coming and Diaperman Goes Starchild
Shider was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1997 as a prominent member of Parliament-Funkadelic
.
. A fund has been set up to assist his family with paying his remaining medical bills.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician and guitarist. He was musical director of the P-Funk All-Stars
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
for much of their history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 1997, with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic is a funk, soul and rock music collective headed by George Clinton. Their style has been dubbed P-Funk. Collectively the group has existed under various names since the 1960s and has been known for top-notch musicianship, politically charged lyrics, outlandish concept albums...
.
Early life
Shider was born in Plainfield, New JerseyPlainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
. At the age of ten and under the guidance of his father Jesse, Garry and his brothers played and sang behind many gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
artists of the time including legends such as Shirley Caesar
Shirley Caesar
Shirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...
, The Five Blind Boys, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and others. As a youth Shider was also a regular customer at the Plainfield barbershop owned by George Clinton
George Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
, where the future members Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
would sing doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
for customers and counsel local youngsters. Clinton made note of the young Shider's talents on guitar and his ability with gospel singing.
By the time he was sixteen, Shider wished to escape the crime and dead-end prospects of Plainfield, so he and his friend Cordell "Boogie" Mosson left for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where Shider married and had a son. Shider and Mosson formed a funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
/rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band called United Soul, or "U.S.". George Clinton
George Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
was living in Toronto, Ontario at the time and began hearing about United Soul from people in the local music business, and took the band under his wing upon learning that Shider was a member.
Career
In 1971, Clinton produced several tracks by United Soul with input from members of FunkadelicFunkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
. The songs "I Miss My Baby" and "Baby I Owe You Something Good" were released as a one-off single by Westbound Records
Westbound Records
Westbound Records is a Detroit-based record label founded by Armen Boladian in 1970. It had a distribution deal with Janus Records from 1970 to 1975, but then it switched distribution to 20th Century Records during 1975 and 1976, but again switched distribution to Atlantic Records from 1976 to...
in 1971 under the group name U.S. Music with Funkadelic. All the tracks recorded with Clinton in 1971 were released by Westbound in 2009 as the album U.S. Music With Funkadelic
U.S. Music With Funkadelic
U.S. Music with Funkadelic is a self-titled album consisting of tracks recorded in the early 1970s by the band United Soul with input from members of Funkadelic. The album was released by Westbound Records in 2009. Two tracks, "I Miss My Baby" and "Baby I Owe You Something Good" were originally...
. After producing United Soul, Clinton then invited Shider and Mosson to join Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic is a funk, soul and rock music collective headed by George Clinton. Their style has been dubbed P-Funk. Collectively the group has existed under various names since the 1960s and has been known for top-notch musicianship, politically charged lyrics, outlandish concept albums...
. Two United Soul songs were rerecorded on later Funkadelic albums with Shider as a member. Clinton groomed Shider for an important role in the P-Funk
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
roster, which Shider joined full-time in 1972. He was a prominent contributor to albums by both Parliament
Parliament (band)
Parliament was a funk band most prominent during the 1970s. It and its sister act Funkadelic, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
and Funkadelic
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
until the dissolution of those two bands in the early 1980s, after which he continued to work regularly with Clinton's P-Funk All-Stars
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
.
During Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic is a funk, soul and rock music collective headed by George Clinton. Their style has been dubbed P-Funk. Collectively the group has existed under various names since the 1960s and has been known for top-notch musicianship, politically charged lyrics, outlandish concept albums...
performances Shider was known for appearing in a diaper, making him instantly recognizable on stage and earning him the nickname "Diaper Man". Shider is featured prominently in the hit songs like, "Cosmic Slop," "Getting to Know You," and "One Nation Under a Groove
One Nation Under a Groove (song)
"One Nation Under a Groove" is a 1978 song by Funkadelic, the title track from their album One Nation Under a Groove. The lyrics refer to dancing as a way to freedom. Compared to Funkadelic's earlier output, that was characterized by sound typical for rock music, this song has sound more typical...
". He co-wrote many noteworthy Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic is a funk, soul and rock music collective headed by George Clinton. Their style has been dubbed P-Funk. Collectively the group has existed under various names since the 1960s and has been known for top-notch musicianship, politically charged lyrics, outlandish concept albums...
songs, and he made important contributions to P-Funk
P-Funk
P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
spin-off acts including Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
and Eddie Hazel
Eddie Hazel
Edward Earl "Eddie" Hazel was a guitarist in early funk music in the United States who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic...
.
Shider has been featured in Guitar Player Magazine three times, and once in the Japanese version. He has been featured in Who's Who in Music and appeared on a compilation album by Paul Shaffer
Paul Shaffer
Paul Allen Wood Shaffer, CM is a Canadian musician, actor, voice actor, author, comedian, and composer who has been David Letterman's sidekick since 1982.-Early years:...
of the David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
band, and also on rock group The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1989. Their discography includes nine studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the...
' 1996 album Three Snakes and One Charm
Three Snakes and One Charm
Three Snakes and One Charm is the fourth album by the American blues-rock band The Black Crowes. It was released on July 23, 1996.The album's cover logo resembles a 45 rpm record insert. The limited box set edition of seven 7" vinyl EPs included a custom adapter in shape of the logo...
. Shider has also appeared on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
several times, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Arsenio Hall Show
The Arsenio Hall Show
The Arsenio Hall Show is an American variety/talk show that aired late weeknights in syndication from January 3, 1989 to May 27, 1994. The show was created and hosted by comedian/actor Arsenio Hall.- Background :...
, New York Undercover
New York Undercover
New York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the FOX television network from 1994 to 1998. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's 4th Precinct who were assigned to...
, The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
, and others. He appeared in the film PCU, and The Night Before
The Night Before (film)
The Night Before is a 1988 film starring Keanu Reeves and Lori Loughlin. Reeves plays Winston Connelly, the so-called high school nerd and vice president of the Astronomy club. Loughlin plays Tara Mitchell, the pretty and popular head cheerleader who also happens to be the local police chief's...
. Both films also included songs he wrote and performed. He has also had songs featured in the film Bad Boys
Bad Boys (1983 film)
Bad Boys is a 1983 American crime drama film primarily set in a juvenile detention center, starring Sean Penn, Esai Morales, and Ally Sheedy in her film debut. The film is directed by Rick Rosenthal. The original music score was composed by Bill Conti....
, with Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
, as well as being the recipient of several Grammy nominations for songs like "Stomp" by Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Dwayne Franklin is an American Gospel music musician, choir director, and author, and is most notably known for leading urban contemporary gospel choirs such as The Family, God's Property and One Nation Crew .- Early years :...
, which used "One Nation Under a Groove" as its musical inspiration. The song won Song of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards.
Shider released a solo single during 1988 entitled "Beautiful" The attempt to try and reconcile P-Funk's distinct sound with that of late-80s synthpop yielded no chart success. He released two full albums in 2002, Diaper Man, The Second Coming and Diaperman Goes Starchild
Shider was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 1997 as a prominent member of Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic is a funk, soul and rock music collective headed by George Clinton. Their style has been dubbed P-Funk. Collectively the group has existed under various names since the 1960s and has been known for top-notch musicianship, politically charged lyrics, outlandish concept albums...
.
Death
In 2010, it was announced that Shider was suffering from cancer of the brain and lungs. On June 16, 2010, Shider died from complications of his cancer at his home in Greater Upper Marlboro, MarylandGreater Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Greater Upper Marlboro is a census-designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States that completely surrounds Upper Marlboro, the county seat...
. A fund has been set up to assist his family with paying his remaining medical bills.
Awards
- 1998 Dove Gospel awards for Song of the Year, "Stomp"
- Who's Who in Music, 1978
- Grammy nominee 1997, 1978