Music
George Clinton
born 1941 · singer, songwriter, producer, bandleader
Leader of Parliament-Funkadelic, who worked as a Motown staff writer and built P-Funk on Detroit labels and in Detroit studios such as United Sound Systems.
- Born
Kannapolis, North Carolina
age 85- Birth name
- George Edward Clinton
- Also known as
- Dr. Funkenstein
- Detroit years
- mid-1960s–1980s
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Clinton grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, where he formed the doo-wop group the Parliaments while straightening hair in a barbershop. In the 1960s he was a staff songwriter for Motown and arranged and produced singles for many of Detroit's independent soul labels; the Parliaments' one big hit of the decade, "(I Wanna) Testify" (1967), came out on a Detroit label. From 1969 his rock-driven alter ego Funkadelic recorded for Westbound Records, the Detroit label founded by Armen Boladian, which released Funkadelic's albums including "Maggot Brain". Parliament-Funkadelic also recorded at United Sound Systems on Second Avenue and played Detroit clubs such as the 20 Grand. From these Detroit bases the P-Funk collective developed its Afrofuturist, psychedelic funk of the 1970s, which later shaped hip-hop and G-funk. Clinton launched his solo career with Computer Games (1982) and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Parliament-Funkadelic in 1997.
Highlights
- Motown staff songwriter in the 1960s
- "(I Wanna) Testify" (1967) with the Parliaments
- Funkadelic recorded for Detroit's Westbound Records, including Maggot Brain (1971)
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 1997 with Parliament-Funkadelic
- Solo album Computer Games (1982)
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 2
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Recorded here · 1970s
United Sound Systems Recording Studios
Parliament-Funkadelic recorded at this historic studio, a local historic district.
Performed here · 1960s–1970s
The 20 Grand
Demolished
Parliament-Funkadelic performed at this nightclub. The site is now a grass lot.