Source: Michael Putland / Getty
Sylvester Stone, who, along with his band The Family Stone, had a major impact on rock, funk, R&B, and hip-hop music, has passed away. He was 82. His family says that the musician passed away after a health battle that included COPD, a progressive lung disease.
“After a prolonged battle with COPD and other underlying health issues, Sly passed away peacefully, surrounded by his three children, his closest friend, and his extended family,” his family said in a statement obtained by Variety. “While we mourn his absence, we take solace in knowing that his extraordinary musical legacy will continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come.”
In the ’60s, Sly and the Family Stone released groundbreaking albums including Dance to the Music and There’s a Riot Goin’ On from 1967 to 1974. The multi-racial band included his brother, Freddie, on guitar and vocals, and his sister, Rose, on keyboard and piano, as well as Cynthia Robinson on trumpet and Larry Graham on bass. Their big hits included “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” and “I Want to Take You Higher.” Not only was the band one of the first of its era to feature both male and female instrumentalists, but it was also one of the first to include both men and women.
Stone, born Sylvester Stewart in Denton, Texas, on March 15, 1943, moved to Northern California with his family as a child. His musical career started with his siblings as the gospel group the Stewart Four. After studying music at Vallejo College, he became a radio personality at San Francisco’s KSOL Radio and then moved on to producing artists at Autumn Records.
He formed Sly and the Family Stone in 1966, and they soon reached the pinnacle of the music world in an era when rock and psychedelia dominated. They combined genres, incorporating funk, R&B, and soul, to craft their own unique sound in a world where rock stars were predominantly white and male. They, along with Jimi Hendrix and others, played the legendary Woodstock Festival in 1969.
The band was considered a direct influence on Prince’s most commercially successful group, The Revolution, with which he performed during the Purple Rain era. It also included Black and white musicians and women who played instruments. Graham played in The New Power Generation, Prince’s band in the 1990s, and remained connected to him throughout the latter part of his life. A proposed collaboration that Stone mentioned in his 2023 memoir never materialized, but the men shared mutual admiration for each other, and Prince often played covers of Stone’s music in his live shows.
Hip hop musicians sampled Stone as well. Dr. Dre and Snoop used “Sing a Simple Song” for “Deep Cover.” KRS used it as well for “Sound of Da Police.” LL Cool J’s song, “Mama Said Knock You Out,” incorporates “Trip To Your Heart.” Sly and the Family Stone were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. Earlier this year, Questlove of The Roots directed a documentary on Stone called Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) for Hulu.
Stone’s career was derailed by drug abuse after the original Sly and the Family Stone broke up unofficially around 1975. He was at one time living in a van and was homeless, then spent years out of the public eye. However, Stone resurfaced in recent years, playing select live shows and contributing to the writing of his memoir and the documentary.
His family’s statement concluded, “Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music. His iconic songs have left an indelible mark on the world, and his influence remains undeniable. In a testament to his enduring creative spirit, Sly recently completed the screenplay for his life story, a project we are eager to share with the world in due course, which follows a memoir published in 2024.”