Billy Bass, the founding bassist for Parliament–Funkadelic whose real name was William Nelson, Jr., died on Saturday. Eventually, they came together as a doo-wop vocal group, which included a teenaged Nelson, called the Parliaments whose goal was to get signed to Motown. Editor’s picksNelson played bass on Funkadelic’s first three albums, Funkadelic (1970), Free Your Mind … and Your Ass Will Follow (1970), and Maggot Brain (1971). He also played bass with the group Parliament on that group’s debut album, Osmium (1970), and guitar on its Up for the Down Stroke (1974). After leaving again, Nelson played with the Commodores, Fishbone, Jermaine Jackson, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, and other artists, according to Clinton’s website.