Bootsy Collins’ Detroit Legacy: A Tribute to the Funk Legend
Detroit holds a uniquely special place in the heart of Bootsy Collins, the groundbreaking funk bassist. On Friday, August 8, Music Hall will host a tribute concert celebrating Collins’ illustrious career, featuring performances by electro-funk pioneers Zapp, Detroit bass mainstay Kern Brantley and his D-Town Funk ensemble, the old-school group One Way, and New Jersey teen bass prodigy Lil Asmar.
For Collins, a return to the Motor City isn’t simply another performance; it’s a homecoming. It was in Detroit that he and his iconic star-shaped Space Bass first ascended into the funk-soul universe, initially with George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic and later with his own Bootsy’s Rubber Band, delivering hits like the 1978 anthem “Bootzilla.”
Collins’ musical journey began long before P-Funk, however. Having cut his teeth in the early 1970s as a member of James Brown’s original J.B.’s, he quickly found his way to Detroit in the wake of Motown’s initial success. “First of all, Motown was what we grew up on,” Collins recalled in a recent interview. “We were surrounded by musicians and artists who were not just OK — they were the greats. Coming up with that, being in that environment, you couldn’t help but try to come up to that standard, that blueprint.”
The post-Motown era in Detroit saw George Clinton emerging as a leader of a new wave of urban musical energy, and Collins’ charismatic bass playing proved to be a perfect fit. Though he won’t be performing at the tribute, his presence underscores the deep connection he maintains with the city.
Collins fondly remembers his years in Detroit, a period profoundly shaped by the city’s musical heritage. Growing up in Ohio, he initially aspired to be a guitarist, but was captivated by the bass work that defined the Motown sound, particularly the pioneering playing of James Jamerson. “When I heard those Motown songs, and I found out who was actually playing bass — James Jamerson — he was instantly my hero,” Collins explained. “Because I didn’t come up playing bass. I was a guitar player.”
Annie Jamerson, the widow of the late Motown bassist, is expected to attend Friday’s show, a testament to the enduring legacy of Jamerson and his influence on generations of musicians.
Throughout his solo work and his time with P-Funk, Collins’ bass lines were characterized by their massive sound, percussive energy, melodic complexity, and a personality as vibrant as his flamboyant stage attire and bejeweled sunglasses. His innovative playing extended far beyond the realm of funk, laying the foundation for hip-hop and even influencing 1990s rock music.
Despite facing medical challenges that led him to cease live performances in 2019, Collins remains creatively active, releasing his latest album, “Album of the Year #1 Funkateer,” this spring. Ahead of the Music Hall tribute, he shared his reflections on Detroit’s profound impact on his musical development.
Collins described Detroit as “the mecca,” a place where he witnessed musical greatness firsthand. He recalled frequenting United Sound Systems studio, observing legendary musicians at work. “At United Sound Systems studio, we had the chance to watch certain people record or walk through the studio. There was always somebody you wanted to see,” he said. “We were (living) right across the street from United Sound studio. We called it the P-Funk Lab.”
He emphasized the importance of listening and collaboration, lessons he learned while observing the musicians of Detroit. “I’ve learned to listen as a session musician: You have to listen to each other,” Collins stated. “And I think that’s a special gift. Jamerson had it; all those cats had it.”
While he never had the opportunity to meet Jamerson personally, Collins felt a deep connection to his playing. “He was my spirit guide,” Collins shared. “Everything I was going through, I got his energy and his guidance from him. Although I never got to meet him, I felt like I knew him.”
Collins acknowledged Jamerson’s groundbreaking approach to bass recording, bringing the instrument to the forefront in a way that hadn’t been heard before. “Jamerson went from upright bass to a Fender (electric Precision) bass. That was unheard of,” he noted. “So my hat goes out to him a whole lot of ways. It was mainly his bass playing, but it was (also) his nonstop effort to bring his bass to the front of your face.”
The influence of Collins’ work, building upon Jamerson’s foundation, continues to resonate with younger generations of musicians. “I always look at it like a blessing,” Collins said, reflecting on the impact he’s had on aspiring bassists. “Because I had no idea I was even going to be playing bass.”
The Bootsy Collins tribute concert at Music Hall promises to be a celebration of a remarkable career and a testament to the enduring power of funk, all rooted in the musical legacy of Detroit.
Bootsy Collins Tribute
With Bootsy Collins, Zapp, Kern Brantley, One Way, Lil Asmar and others
8 p.m. Aug. 8
Music Hall
350 Madison, Detroit
musichall.org
$34-$75
(Attendance to a pre-show Q&A with Collins is available as a $50 add-on.)
