“When talk turns to great musicians born or raised in the Carolinas, a name that rarely comes up is George Clinton, the godfather of funk and architect of today’s rock and hip-hop.
“To be sure, Clinton, who was born in Kannapolis [on July 22, 1941], didn’t begin blending doo-wop and rock with his early band the Parliaments until his family moved to New Jersey…. But Clinton’s childhood in this gospel-rich area of North Carolina surely had an effect on the music that was playing in his impressive brain — at least as much of an effect as the Carolina in James Taylor’s mind.”
— Rock critic Mark Kemp in The Charlotte Observer (Aug. 15, 2003)
Pictured: A pinback button from the collection promoting Clinton’s 1993 single “Paint the White House Black.”
We love you Dr. Funkenstein your funk is the best, wish you many more funken years to come in the chocolate citys, in the vanilla suburbs. Happy Birthday from a #1 fan always and may god continue to bless you.