Editing Garry Shider (section)

==Early life==
Shider was born in [[Plainfield, New Jersey]]. At the age of ten and under the guidance of his father Jesse, Garry and his brothers played and sang behind many [[Gospel music|gospel]] artists of the time including legends such as [[Shirley Caesar]], [[Five Blind Boys of Mississippi|The Five Blind Boys]], [[The Mighty Clouds of Joy]], and others. As a youth Shider was also a regular customer at the Plainfield barbershop owned by [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]], where the future members of [[Parliament (band)|Parliament]] would sing [[doo-wop]] for customers and counsel local youngsters. Clinton made note of the young Shider's talents on guitar and his ability with gospel singing.

By the time he was sixteen, Shider wished to escape the crime and dead-end prospects of Plainfield, so he and his friend [[Cordell Mosson|Cordell "Boogie" Mosson]] left for Canada where Shider married and had a son. Shider and Mosson formed a [[funk]]/[[Rock and roll|rock]] band called United Soul, or "U.S.".  [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] was living in [[Toronto]] at the time and began hearing about United Soul from people in the local music business, and took the band under his wing upon learning that Shider was a member.