Original P

The Original P is an American funk band formed in 1998 by four founding members of Parliament-Funkadelic, Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon, Ray Davis and Grady Thomas. All four have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Band members include: Ben Powers Jr., drums; Gene Thomas (son of Grady Thomas), guitar; Derrick Davis (son of Ray Davis), bass; John "Fly" Wiley, keyboards; Sharla L. Patrick, keyboards; Sonja Holmes, vocals; Patrice "Emerald" Llewellen, vocals; Scott "Skyntyte" Free, guitar/vocals, Theophilis "Chip" Glass, vocals, Michael "Mike P." Patterson, guitar/vocals, Defiance Douglass, vocals/keyboards, and Asher McKinney on keyboard.

     Former Members: William Mims, guitar; Kevin Shider, brother of Parliament-Funkadelic member Garry Shider, guitar; Paisley Gordon, guitar, Rose Offord, vocals; "Peter Keys" Pisarczyk, keyboards, Ann Love, vocals.

Discography

• Connections & Disconnections released under the name Funkadelic (LAX Records, 1980)
• What Dat Shakin (Westbound Records, 1998)
• Hyped Up Westbound Soljaz (Westbound Records, 2001)
• "Funk Force Trauma" (Independent, 2016)

Further reading

• Kent Kimes (May 21, 1999), Original P Keeps Funky Beat Going, The Augusta Chronicle.
• Jon Pareles (April 9, 1999) Pop and Jazz Guide, The New York Times.
• Steven Uhles (September 14, 2001), Parliament in Session, The Augusta Chronicle.