Trevor Banks, the director behind a new film about the profound cultural impact of James Brown drummer Clyde Stubblefield, has launched a petition to get the Funky Drummer himself recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
“One of the master architects of contemporary popular American music, Clyde Stubblefield embodies everything the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame represents: Originality. Influence. Impact,” the change.org petition reads.
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Banks posted a video composed of clips from his forthcoming documentary, Give the Drummer Some, featuring a number of legendary drummers and funk and jazz icons singing the praises of Clyde Stubblefield, who passed away in 2017—among them Dennis Chambers, Anderon .Paak, Nate Smith, Daru Jones, Christian McBride, and Bootsy Collins.
“I made a life and a career of mirroring his drumming technique,” The Roots drummer Questlove says in the video, adding, “He’s a blueprint maker. He’s a pioneer.”
Together, the esteemed cast describes the critical role Stubblefield played in the development of both funk and hip-hop with his unique, syncopated grooves and endorses him for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Musical Excellence Award, which recognizes musicians “whose originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.”
“If those words don’t describe Clyde Stubblefield, what does?” asks James Brown tour manager Alan Leeds.
Watch the full video below and click here to sign the petition.
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