He began playing piano in church when he was 5 years old. As a teenager, he worked as a conductor and choir director and played drums, guitar, keyboards and brass.
He was a founding member, keyboardist, and producer of the Ohio Players, a leading funk band that got its start in Dayton, Ohio.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 as part of the Parliament/Funkadelic group.