Back then, you knew better than your elders, but you also knew better than to tell them that. You were smart enough to get away with doing things (you thought) they never learned about. For sure, nobody could touch you in the brains department when you were a kid.

Then you became an adult, and you saw how much you didn’t know.

(Soul-Patrol.com)--Influential funk guitarist Phelps “Catfish” Collins (1944-2010) succumbed to cancer Aug. 6 at the age of 66. Collins, along with younger brother and legendary bass player Bootsy, was an architect of funk as a member of James Brown’s J.B.’s, Parliament/Funkadelic and Bootsy’s Rubber Band. He was responsible for some of the funkiest rhythm guitar riffs ever laid down.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Catfish Collins started playing guitar at an early age and influenced his younger brother Bootsy who learned to play bass. In 1968, the Collins brothers formed a group called The Pacemakers and did session work at King Records, the original label of the late, great James Brown, who liked their innovative funk sound that emphasized the bass and guitar being out front instead of in the background. He later hired the Pacemakers to replace Brown's longtime band members who had walked out because of money disputes. The band became known as the J.B.'s and collaborated with Brown on enduring funk classics "Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine", "Super Bad", "Soul Power" and "Talking Loud And Saying Nothing."

By 1971, Catfish Collins and the rest of the J.B.'s had quit James Brown and formed the House Guests, and then joined Funkadelic after meeting George Clinton, who wanted to incorporate that James Brown groove. They contributed to the groundbreaking Funkadelic album "America Eats Its Young", the beginning of a long run of memorable funk jams with Parliament/Funkadelic and Bootsy's Rubber Band. Often cited is Catfish Collin's outstanding rhythm guitar licks on the Parliament hit "Flashlight."

--Skip Kelley, Washington D.C.

Lunch on Liberty

The August Wilson Center for African American Culture presents Lunch on Liberty from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at 980 Liberty Ave., Culture District. Every Thursday individuals can enjoy lunch and then steppin’ with Pittsburgh’s Dancing DJ Roland Ford. Food is available for purchase and the event will run through Sept. 2. For more information, call 412-258-2700 or visit www.AugustWilsonCenter.org.

Awesome is the only word that can be used to describe comedian Michael Winslow’s show at the Pittsburgh Improv.

Winslow, who caught the attention of viewers as the kooky Larvelle “Motor Mouth” Jones in the “Police Academy” franchise, proved that he is a well-rounded performer who enjoys sharing his unique talent for voice impressions with audiences around the world.

MICHAEL WINSLOW

Winslow’s first television appearance was on the “Gong Show” where he did spot-on sound effects of Benji the movie dog, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.”