George Clinton honored in Plainfield, Newark: P-Funk founder retraces his roots in big day
New Jersey officially got a whole lot more funkier on March 17.
Music icon George Clinton, the founder of Parliament Funkadelic, was honored in Plainfield and Newark as part of an 80th birthday celebration. Five blocks of Plainfield Avenue in Plainfield was renamed “Parliament Funkadelic Way” by the city.
“We just turned this mother out,” quipped Clinton. The crowd spontaneously barked, chanted “We are here!” and sang the P-Funk classic, “Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)” as Clinton held up a “Parliament Funkadelic Way” street sign.
“George Clinton broke right here and he literally put Plainfield on the map as a result of his world fame,” said Plainfield Mayor Adrian O. Mapp. “This is a wonderful day for the city of Plainfield.”
A P-Funk mural will be erected near the train station, and the city's Cleveland Avenue arts district will also be renamed for Clinton and P-Funk.
The street remaining ceremony took place at the Second Street Youth Center in Plainfield. The school stands on the spot at 2nd Street and Plainfield Avenue where the former Silk Palace barbershop stood. That’s where Clinton formed Parliament Funkadelic in the ’60s.
“I appreciate this so much,” said Clinton in the youth center prior to the renaming. “I want you to know there were a lot of people in Parliament making this music with this thing here. The band was from Plainfield and we made the music in Silk Palace and this organization was on 2nd Street. We're here with P-Funk and we stand here almost 50 years later.”
“We're still doing it in the name of Parliament Funkadelic.”
Band members Bernie Worrell, Billy Nelson, Eddie Hazel, Gary Shider, Ray Davis, Glen Goins, Ron Ford, Cordell Mosson, Frankie Boyce, Richard Boyce and Langston Booth were the musically talented Plainfield players who joined Clinton and the P-Funk movement in the '60s and '70s. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
“I'm glad they named the street and acknowledged the area where it all began,” said Plainfield resident Mark Houchins. “I'm glad they did it during the birthday celebration.”
Youth center children performed for Clinton, and Waldren Kelly, a member of the Plainfield Arts Council, read a proclamation. The arts council also announced they'll be erecting a funky barber pole on the site of the former Silk Palace.
“It's probably a long time overdue that they named a street or something after the band. All the children of this group are from here,” said Garrett Shider, a current member of P-Funk and the son of former P-Funk member Garry Shider. “I like the barber pole. I think it's all a good idea.”
Related: George Clinton celebrates 80th birthday in Newark with P-Funk, Questlove
Music: Plainfield music legend Sammy Campbell, whose hits found new generations of fans, has died
In Newark, the music room at Avon Avenue School, where Clinton attended, was renamed the George Clinton Music Room Thursday morning. More than $5,000 worth of instruments were donated by Clinton’s music partners, Fender and JBL.
Clinton took questions, danced and sang with the kids in the school's assembly room.
“I never been nervous in my life but looking at you guys I realize how small I must have been when I started Parliament Funkadelic,” Clinton said. The roots of the Parliaments, Clinton’s vocal group, go back to the ‘50s. Clinton, Ray Davis, Fuzzy Haskins, Calvin Simon and Grady Thomas were the core lineup. “I didn't realize we were this young but this is where we started that.”
Clinton was moved by the kids, who wore “funky” outfits that included bell-bottom jeans and sunglasses.
“I'm not going to try to tell you how happy I am because I'm choked,” Clinton said. “But thank you, I love you. Just let me look at you.”
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said he was a fan.
“I grew up listening to this music in the city, grooving to it, and it's amazing that he came back to Newark, to Avon Avenue School, where it all began,” Baraka said.
Mary Hinton grew up next to Clinton in Newark. Her grandson, Azavion Evans, asked Clinton a question on stage. He then brought his grandmother up to say hello and they hugged.
“When I heard he was coming back, I said I'm coming,” Hinton said. “I don't care if I stand outside, I'm coming. I had to see him.”
Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic play the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark on Friday, March 18 in a belated 80th birthday party celebration. Questlove, Nona Hendryx and Vernon Reid are also on the bill, and there will be a dance party after the show. Visit njpac.org for more information.
Subscribe to app.com for the latest on the New Jersey music scene.
Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: George Clinton honored in Plainfield, Newark with celebrations
