By Cameron Lee
October 7, 2026
This year’s North Carolina Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony will have a very special guest, as Kannapolis native George Clinton, the mastermind behind Parliament-Funkadelic, will be honored with the Eddie Ray Lifetime Achievement Award.
Clinton helped revolutionize funk with his eclectic blend of psychedelic rock, soul and jazz, and signature Afrofuturist style, creating the expansive P-Funk sound that would go on to influence generations of funk, R&B and hip-hop artists.
This year’s North Carolina Music Hall of Fame inductees include:
MC Sha-Rock, a foundational figure in hip-hop from Wilmington, who, after moving to the Bronx, emerged as one of the culture’s earliest female MCs as a member of the Funky 4 + 1, the first hip-hop group to appear on Saturday Night Live. She became known for her pioneering rap style and charismatic stage presence, helping establish the role of women in hip-hop during the genre’s formative years.
Billy Strayhorn, the influential jazz composer, arranger and pianist, spent much of his formative childhood years in Hillsborough before going on to become a longtime collaborator with Duke Ellington. He co-wrote and arranged some of Ellington’s most celebrated works, including “Take the ‘A’ Train,” while also composing enduring pieces such as “Lush Life.” His sophisticated compositions and arrangements helped shape the sound of the Ellington orchestra and cemented his legacy as one of the most accomplished composers and arrangers in jazz.
Gregory “Sugar Bear” Elliott, the North Carolina native who became the leader of the foundational D.C. go-go group E.U. (Experience Unlimited), helped shape the hard-driving, percussion-heavy sound of the genre. E.U. is best known for their 1988 hit “Da’ Butt,” which was featured prominently in Spike Lee’s School Daze and became one of go-go’s most recognizable songs, bringing the D.C. sound to a much wider national audience.
Barry Poss founded Sugar Hill Records in Durham in 1978 and built the influential bluegrass and roots music label into a respected home for generations of acclaimed artists. The label’s roster has included Doc Watson, Dolly Parton, Nickel Creek, Townes Van Zandt and Alison Krauss, while Poss’s work helped bring traditional Appalachian and American roots music to new audiences and played a significant role in establishing North Carolina as an important center for the genre.
Executive Director Veronica Cordle, who has led the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame since 2011, says this year’s ceremony will offer a taste of state with Southern small bites, including a station from Olive Pickles, specialty drinks themed around the inductees, red carpet photo opportunities, and live performances by Arrogance, Sugar Bear and MC Sha-Rock.
Open to the public, tickets are $80 (plus fees) and include the VIP welcome reception, induction ceremony, and after-party. Learn more about the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame from their official website.
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