Detroit Funk Hero Amp Fiddler Passes At Age 65
Amp Fiddler, the renowned Detroit singer and musician who was part of Parliament-Funkadelic before becoming a producer and mentor to J Dilla and others, passed away from cancer, as confirmed by his and his collaborators’ social media posts. A crowdfunder last year raised money for his medical bills after he spent several months in the hospital. Amp Fiddler was 65 years old.
He was born Joseph Fiddler in Detroit and learned piano as a kid. He continued his studies at Oakland and Wayne State Universities, and with the Detroit jazz pianist Harold McKinney. In the early 1980s, he joined the vocal group Enchantment before taking over Bernie Worrell’s role in Parliament-Funkadelic around 1984. He worked with George Clinton and his band of about 18 musicians for several years, and briefly lived with them in Los Angeles; he also collaborated with his bandmates on Prince’s Graffiti Bridge track “We Can Funk” in 1990. He made his debut album as Mr. Fiddler, With Respect, with his brother Thomas Fiddler, in 1991. His occasional recording sessions with artists he met on tour included a feature on Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite. By the end of the decade, Fiddler had moved into dance music. He spent the following decades playing with DJs such as Moodymann and Theo Parrish, and, in solo records starting with 2003’s Waltz of a Ghettofly, blending his funk and soul roots with a forward-thinking interest in house and techno.
Fiddler was also praised for helping shape Detroit hip-hop and teaching aspiring artists, partly through his informal production school, Camp Amp. He is credited with introducing Q-Tip to J Dilla, and J Dilla to his signature sampler, the Akai MPC. He often advocated a production ethos that valued working with others, rather than alone. “We get magic when we work with other people, other musicians, as opposed to cats who sit around and do everything by themselves,” he said to DJ Mag in 2020.
When they heard of Amp Fiddler’s death, Questlove paid tribute, thanking him for “mentoring the one who mentored us,” namely J Dilla. Gilles Peterson called him “Detroit royalty … a huge influence on musicians from all sides of the globe.” And Waajeed wrote, “Friend, Brother, Confidant, Mentor, Architect. It’s been a pleasure to share time with you.” In announcing his death, Amp Fiddler’s team asked for donations to cover his memorial expenses. They shared the following statement: "We face the insurmountable responsibility of sharing the passing of Joseph “Amp” Fiddler.
Our beloved “Amp” Fiddler, Detroit’s own world renowned ambassador of funk, soul, &
electronic music, keyboardist, producer, Afro-futurist, and guiding force of light for so many, has transitioned at the age of 65. After an extensive and noble battle with cancer, he now gracefully rests in peace and power.
It would be impossible to encapsulate the gravity of his energy, global impact & contributions.
His life’s work, legacy, & most importantly…his LOVE…will far exceed his earthly presence.
How blessed are we, to have experienced Amp Fiddler in this lifetime.
A beautiful spirit & gift of light…"