George Clinton Biography

George Clinton was born in 1941 in North Carolina but grew up in New Jersey. As a teenager, he formed the doo-wop group The Parliaments, which found a major hit in the single “I Wanna Testify” in 1967. The band eventually changed its name to Parliament, and Clinton simultaneously formed the band Funkadelic. Both Parliament and Funkadelic blended the styles of artists such as Hendrix and James Brown, but with the addition of psychedelic elements, sound effects, and strong bass lines. The formula was one for success.

With politically-heavy themes, Funkadelic released albums such as Chocolate City, Maggot Brain, and America Eats It's Young, and together Parliament and Funkadelic enjoyed a series of number one hits, including: "Flashlight," "One Nation Under a Groove," "Aqua Boogie" and "(Not Just) Knee Deep." By the 1980’s, George Clinton had launched his own solo career. His debut album, Computer Games, featured the hit single “Atomic Dog,” and Clinton also went on to produce albums for other artists, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, OutKast, Busta Rhymes, and De La Soul. Within ten years, Clinton had earned recognition as the father of modern urban music, and in 1996, he released

T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership), reuniting him with his former band members. Together Parliament-Funkadelic performed at the 1999 Woodstock Festival.

In the new millennium, George Clinton released another solo album, George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love, which features contributions from such notable performers as Sly Stone, Carlos Santana, and Kim Burrell.  In 2011, he performed at the Gathering of the Juggalos, alongside Parliament-Funkadelic. George Clinton has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Urban Icon Award from Broadcast Music Incorporated and, alongside Parliament-Funkadelic, a Lifetime Achievement Award at the NAACP Image Awards. Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, and George Clinton was inducted into the North Carolina Hall of Fame. SPIN magazine has recognized Parliament-Funkadelic on the list of 50 Greatest Bands of All Time.