This past Friday, the legendary funk guitarist Phelps “Catfish” Collins passed away at the age 66 of due to complications with cancer. He and younger brother, bass guitar icon Bootsy Collins, were two of the architects of funk music, playing with James Brown’s backing band the J.B.’s., Parliament/Funkadelic and Bootsy’s Rubber Band. His rhythm guitar can be heard on songs like “Sex Machine,” “Flash Light” and “Superbad.” Bootsy spoke about how his brother inspired him not just as a musician, but also as a person.
“Catfish was my brother, my father and most of all my best friend,” said Bootsy. “Catfish was a different kind of human being, he only wanted love and peace in every situation. To me, Catfish was the one that inspired me to be at one with all that is, which is everybody and everything that was created by the One. Catfish taught me that to be love meant more than just to talk about it. Sure, we all may have a great interpretation of love in our everyday language that people understand, but even a child that don’t understand a word knows when he is in the presence of love with no words mentioned. That is who the Catfish was and still is. He was that word that did not have to speak in order for you to understand the depth of his being, his soul, his peace and joy. My world will never be the same without him. Be happy for him, he certainly is now and always has been the happiest young fella I ever met on this planet.”
Catfish Collins is survived by Bootsy, his sister Brenda and his two children Carmen and Phelps III. Below is a tribute video made in Collins’ memory.
