Jeanette Washington

Jeanette Washington is an American funk and soul singer best known for her work as a vocalist with Parliament-Funkadelic and as an original member of the P-Funk spin-off group Parlet. Washington was one of the first women to become a prominent voice in George Clinton's expansive P-Funk collective during its peak in the late 1970s.

Early life & career

Washington was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Like many of the original P-Funk vocalists, she came up in Detroit's vibrant music scene, where gospel, soul, and funk intermingled.<ref name="TruthInRhythm">Truth in Rhythm interview with Jeanette Washington, FUNKNSTUFF.net, 2021.</ref> She performed the distinctive intro vocal on James Brown’s “There It Is (Pt. 1)” (1972).<ref name="DiscogsMakeItFunky">Template:Cite web</ref>

Parliament-Funkadelic

Washington joined George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic collective in the mid-1970s, along with Debbie Wright, becoming one of the first women to perform regularly in the P-Funk recording sessions and tours.<ref name="Discogs">Jeanette Washington credits on Discogs, retrieved 7/8/2025</ref> She contributed background vocals on Parliament albums including Mothership Connection (1975), Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977), and Motor Booty Affair (1978).<ref name="ParliamentLiner">Parliament album liner notes (various releases, Casablanca Records, 1975–1978).</ref>

She was a part of the landmark P-Funk Earth Tour, performing live as part of the P-Funk vocal section during the Mothership stage shows.<ref name="PFEarthTour">Parliament Live: P-Funk Earth Tour liner notes, Casablanca Records, 1977.</ref>

Parlet

In 1978, along with Mallia Franklin and Debbie Wright, Washington formed Parlet, an all-female P-Funk spinoff group.<ref name="Priestley">Howard Priestley, A Tribute to Parlet, 2021.</ref> Parlet's debut album Pleasure Principle was released in 1978.<ref name="ParletLiner">Pleasure Principle liner notes, Casablanca Records, 1978.</ref>

After Wright's departure, Washington and Franklin led the group through its second album, Invasion of the Booty Snatchers (1979), joined by Shirley Hayden. By the time Parlet recorded its third album, Play Me or Trade Me (1980), Washington was the only remaining founding member, alongside Hayden and new member Janice Evans.<ref name="CultureSonar">Tim Kinley, Parlet: The P-Funk Ladies Step Up, CultureSonar, 2024.</ref> Throughout Parlet's evolution, Washington co-led vocals, performed on tours, and helped shape the group's sound and playful image. She departed Parliament-Funkadelic in 1980, ending her tenure with the collective.<ref name="GCWashington">Template:Cite web</ref>

Later career

After Parlet disbanded, Washington continued to perform as a vocalist within the wider P-Funk family. She recorded with Dawn Silva of the Brides of Funkenstein on her solo album All My Funky Friends (2000). She has occasionally joined George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars on stage for reunion shows and remains a respected figure among P-Funk historians and fans.<ref name="TruthInRhythm"/>

In interviews, Washington has spoken about the challenges and triumphs of being a pioneering woman in one of the most influential funk collectives in music history.<ref name="TruthInRhythm"/>

Selected discography

• James Brown - There It Is (1972)
• Parliament – Mothership Connection (1975)
• Parliament – Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977)
• Parliament – Motor Booty Affair (1978)
• Parlet – Pleasure Principle (1978)
• Parlet – Invasion of the Booty Snatchers (1979)
• Parlet – Play Me or Trade Me (1980)

External links

• Jeanette Washington at Discogs