George Clinton released a new single (“I’m Gon Make U Sick O’Me”) in January and has also announced a new, forthcoming album called Medicaid Fraud Dog (which is the follow-up to Parilament's 1980 album Trombipulation).
Parliament-Funkadelic will also probably still groove after George Clinton retires from the road, but you might want to make plans to pay tribute to one of the godfathers of funk. On Friday, Clinton, a 76-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, told Billboard that he would quit the road life in May 2019.
“This has been coming a long time,” Clinton said in a statement announcing his retirement. “Anyone who has been to the shows over the past couple of years has noticed that I’ve been out front less and less.”
In the statement, Clinton added that it's never been about him anyway.
"It’s always been about the music and the band," Clinton, who recently underwent pacemaker surgery, said. "That’s the real P-Funk legacy. They’ll still be funkin’ long after I stop.”
CLEARWATER + CLINTON
Concert review: George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic at The Venue, Clearwater (2011)
The first show of Clinton's final year of touring is technically on Saturday, April 28, in New York City, but the next two dates of his summer itinerary are in Lake Buena Vista (House of Blues, May 4) and at Clearwater's Coachman Park on May 5. The city of Clearwater has dubbed the gig — which kicks off Coachman Park's summer concert series — "Funko de Mayo." Tickets are on sale now and start at $20.
The only other announced show of the series is a June 2 performance from John Fogerty and ZZ Top.
More information on the George Clinton & P-Funk gig is available below.
