P-Funk Guitarist Gary Shider Dead at 56

Gary Shider, one of the best-known members of George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic and musical director of the P-Funk All-Stars for much of their history, died on June 16 at age 56 due to complications from brain and lung cancer.

Shider inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. He was known as “Diaper Man” because he would perform wearing nothing more than a cloth diaper.

He co-wrote many noteworthy Parliament-Funkadelic songs, and made important contributions to P-Funk spin-off acts including Bootsy Collins and Eddie Hazel.

UPDATE: A Tribute to Gary “Starchild” Shider has been scheduled for Sunday, July 11, 2010 at BB Kings in New York City. Special guests will include Living Colour, Blackbyrd McKnight, Jimi Hazel and Bernie Worrell and all proceeds are to go to the Gary Shider Medical Fund.