George Clinton Visits Berklee College of Music To Receive Honorary Degree

Photo by Kelly Davidson

George Clinton recently visited Berklee College of Music to receive an honorary Doctor of Music degree. On February 16, Berklee awarded the funk legend the honorary degree for his many contributions to contemporary music as the mastermind and guiding light behind Parliament-Funkadelic. P-Funk altered the musical landscape in the 1970s with its groundbreaking music and extravagant concerts. The funk/rock/soul collective has influenced two generations of musicians and hip-hop artists. And as a solo artist, Clinton released the highly influential funk track "Atomic Dog" in 1982.

Clinton spent a four-day residency on the campus where he visited classes, interacted with students and rehearsed with the Berklee P-Funk Ensemble, a group of student musicians that honor the music and legacy of Clinton and P-Funk. His four-day visit culminated in a concert by the Berklee P-Funk Ensemble that included an award ceremony where he received the honorary degree.

Following the ceremony, Clinton ditched the robe for a snappy silver suit and joined the group on stage to perform some P-Funk classics. Some of the tracks Clinton and the group performed included "One Nation Under a Groove," "I Wanna Testify," Alice in My Fantasies," and "Flash Light." The funk master's longtime horn players Bennie Cowan and Greg Thomas also joined the jam session.

Established in 1945, Berklee College of Music is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world and is known for its innovative approach to music education and training. Its campus is located in Boston, Massachusetts.


Uncle Jam gets down with the Berklee P-Funk Ensemble