82-year-old Funk pioneer George Clinton was awarded the 2,769th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, 19th January. He was honoured by speeches from Red Hot Chili Pepper’s singer Anthony Kiedis, Motown songwriter Janie Bradford and civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
“This feels good as s***,” Clinton announced. “I’m proud as hell.”
Clinton grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey, before becoming a songwriter for Motown Records in the 1960s. The singer made comments about the music industry on how difficult it can be to get recognition and stay relevant during a musical career.
“I learned early on in this journey that you are only as big as your latest hit. So you had to keep things in perspective, to keep from getting a big head. I found out that there would be times when it seemed like everyone knew your name. Then, there were times when no one knew you. I learned to respect the balance.”
After hearing Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers, Clinton was inspired to form a doo-wop group. This idea was rejected by Motown “because we didn’t look as cool as the Temptations”. This failure gave rise to his new, hippie-inspired look for his groups Funkadelic and Parliament. “About as anti-Motown as you could get!”
Clinton’s star on Hollywood Boulevard was especially meaningful to him as “I know this hood right here. I know these streets. I know what it means to see these names on the streets, these stars. I have often looked at them and dreamed that one day I might be down here myself. Even though I hung out on this street, up to no good… I see a lot of faces that I remember! I lived here in the Seventies so I know what happened on these streets at night, along with hookers, hippies, and druggies, of which I was one. But I’m cool now!”
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