Edwin Birdsong, funk musician sampled by Daft Punk, dies at 77
Kanye West, De La Soul and Gang Starr also re-used his work...
Edwin Birdsong, the revered funk musician sampled by Daft Punk, has died aged 77. The sad news was confirmed via social media by his son and ex-wife, Singh and Angela Birdsong.
Renowned for his deft keyboard skills, Birdsong rose to prominence in the 1970s, releasing 'Cola Bottle Baby' in 1979, which, 22 years later, would go on to form parts of Daft Punk's 'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger', as featured on one of DJ Mag's Solid Gold albums, 'Discovery'. Sections of the track then later appeared on Kanye West's 'Stronger'.
Other artists to sample the late musician include De La Soul and Gang Starr, using excerpts from 'Rapper Dapper Snapper' on 'Me Myself and I' and 'Skills' respectively. Releasing a total of five albums during his career, after stopping putting out his own music Birdsong went on to produce for the likes of Stevie Wonder and Roy Ayers.
