Clyde Stubblefield keeps it funky post-hospitalization

Clyde Stubblefield's drumming set the monumentally funky beat of James Brown classics like "Cold Sweat" and "Funky Drummer," and later, DJs sampled his playing as they laid the foundations of hip-hop. He is one of Madison's musical treasures, and his long-running Funky Mondays gig soldiers on at The Frequency.

As The Capital Times reported recently, the 66-year-old Stubblefield was admitted to the hospital on June 18 with kidney failure. Frequency owner and booker Darwin Sampson tells Decider that Stubblefield is still undergoing dialysis and is still seeking a donor for a healthy new kidney. But the Funky Drummer—always cool and in-charge behind the kit—isn't letting this keep him off the drum stool. Sampson told us Stubblefield got back to the kit as soon as the Monday after his operation. Decider (and a low-key crowd of about 30) checked in on his regular gig for a bit on Monday night and found the Funky Drummer commanding his six-piece band with his usual snappy beats, while also holding down vocals on a bunch of songs, from Brown's "I Feel Good" to a mellow rendition of "Georgia On My Mind."

Bryan Husk and Karri Daley.

Blue-haired vocalist Karri Daley joined the band for a few numbers, including "Stand By Me" and "I Heard It Through The Grapevine." Through it all, Stubblefield kept up his habit of shouting out cues to the band as, say, guitarist Joe Wickham or sax player Bryan Husk went off for a solo. Between sets, Stubblefield didn't seem dispirited about his condition, saying only that "I've got kidney trouble" but not really dwelling on it. In keeping with that tough-it-out-and-play attitude, Stubblefield and band are still slated to play at the Monona Terrace rooftop early this evening.

In addition, Madison's, which hosted Funky Mondays for a while after the closing of its former venue, the King Club, held a benefit for Stubblefield Monday night. That's all we know for now—well, other than that donating a new kidney isn't too much to ask for the storied "world's most sampled drummer," nor for any artist who shows such fierce dedication. We'll update you further as we get more information about benefits, donations, and Stubblefield's condition.