Jeanette Washington

This article is about the funk vocalist. For the soul vocalist who occasionally recorded under the same name, see Justine 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.

Jeanette Washington
Born	(1952-05-10)May 10, 1952 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Funk, soul, R&B
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1970s–present

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. ^[1] She performed the distinctive intro vocal on James Brown’s “There It Is (Pt. 1)” (1972).^[2]

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. ^[3] She contributed background vocals on Parliament albums including Mothership Connection (1975), Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977), and Motor Booty Affair (1978). ^[4]

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. ^[5]

Parlet

In 1978, along with Mallia Franklin and Debbie Wright, Washington formed Parlet, an all-female P-Funk spinoff group. ^[6] Parlet's debut album Pleasure Principle was released in 1978. ^[7]

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. ^[8] 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.^[9]

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. ^[1]

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. ^[1]

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)