Sly Stone Has Died

Summary

Sly Stone, the pioneering leader of the funk band bearing his name, Sly and the Family Stone, has died, according to his family. Stone was 82 years old."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. "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."Sly Stone of Sly And The Family Stone poses in London, July 16, 1973.Michael Putland/Getty ImagesStone, whose real name was Sylvester Stewart, formed a band with his brother Freddie and sisters Loretta and Rose at an early age. The band played gospel music, seemingly a far cry from the funk and psychedelia he would later become known for, but Sly and the Family Stone would become known for its blending of music styles.Sly Stone would answer simply when writing in his 2023 memoir, "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)," about how he wanted to be remembered: "Music, just music.""I don't want to get in people's way and I don't want them to get in my way. I just want to play my songs," he said. "I would do it for nothing."He was born in Texas in 1943, the second oldest of five children, but his family moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when he was young. He got a job as a disc jockey in the early '60s and played everything from British rock to soul music.Sly and the Family Stone formed in 1966 as a combination of Sly and his brother Freddie's individual bands. Sister Rose also joined the group. Loretta chose not to pursue music while younger sister Vaetta performed in her own band, Little Sister, and would join Sly and the Family Stone for occasional gigs.While Sly was predominantly a guitarist when the band formed, he allowed Freddie to take that role in the new group and mostly played keyboard. However, he was, by many accounts, a musical prodigy. He lea...