Clement Anthony Bozewski, born in New Jersey in 1954, joined Blondie shortly after the band formed in New York in 1975. He performed on all 11 of the band’s studio albums. Blondie operated from 1974 to 1982, reunited in 1997, and released their most recent album, Pollinator, in 2017. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Burke alongside his bandmates in 2006.

Throughout his career, Burke collaborated with numerous artists and bands. He briefly played with the Ramones in 1987 and also worked with the Eurythmics, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Joan Jett, Iggy Pop, Chequered Past, and the Go-Go’s, among others. The band described him as “a self-proclaimed ‘Rock & Roll survivalist.’”

Blondie described Burke as having “vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic.” He was honored with an honorary doctorate from the University of Gloucestershire for research showing that drummers can match the physical exertion levels of professional athletes. In 2016, Rolling Stone named him one of the top 100 drummers of all time.

Burke was married to Ellen Burke since 2003. The couple did not have children. The band signed off the tribute with “Godspeed Dr Burke.”