Today In Black History: Sly Stone
A musical prodigy who combined funk, soul, and rock into a unique musical brand.
Issue #871 Today In Black History, Monday, June 16, 2025
Throughout June, “Black Music Month,” we are highlighting Black musicians.
Born Sylvester Stewart on March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, Sly Stone grew up in a deeply religious and musical middle-class family that set the stage for his future. Moving to Vallejo, California, he and his siblings formed the Stewart Four, a gospel group that performed at local churches. Sly's innate musical talent soon led him to diverse ventures, from DJing to music production, where he adopted the surname “Stone” and cultivated a unique sound.
Sly was a musical prodigy, and at the age of eleven, he had mastered keyboards, guitar, bass, and drums. After high school, Sly studied music at the Vallejo campus of Solano Community College.
When he was in the fifth grade, a classmate misspelled his name “Slyvester,” and the nickname of “Sly” stayed with him ever after.
In the mid-sixties, Sly worked as a disc jockey for the soul radio station KSOL. While he was a disc jockey, he played keyboards for major performers such as Dionne Warwick, the Righteous Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Gene Chandler, and Cubby Checker.
Sly and the Family Stone burst onto the scene in the late 1960s with a revolutionary blend of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelia. Their first hit single was “Dance to the Music” in 1967, and their fourth album, “Stand,” in 1969 included the single “Everyday People.”
Bass player Larry Graham's innovative percussive playing technique is known as "slapping". Graham later said that he developed this technique in an earlier band in order to compensate for that band's lack of a drummer.
By the summer of 1969, Sly and the Family Stone were one of the biggest names in music, releasing two more top five singles, "Hot Fun in the Summertime" and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)"/"Everybody Is a Star", before the end of the year and appearing at Woodstock. During the summer of 1969, Sly and the Family Stone also performed at the Summer of Soul concerts in Harlem.
Their music not only broke down genre barriers but also challenged social norms with a racially integrated lineup and themes of peace, love, and social justice.
With the band's newfound fame and success, relationships within the band were deteriorating, with particular friction between the Stone brothers and Larry Graham. The Black Panther Party demanded that Stone make his music more militant and more reflective of the Black Power Movement.
After moving to the Los Angeles area in fall 1969, Stone and his bandmates became heavy users of illegal drugs, primarily cocaine and PCP. As the members became increasingly focused on drug use and partying (Stone carried a violin case filled with illegal drugs wherever he went), recording slowed significantly.
Live bookings for Sly and the Family Stone had steadily dropped since 1970, because promoters were afraid that Stone or one of the band members might miss the gig, refuse to play, or pass out from drug use.
In June 1983, Stone was arrested and charged with cocaine possession in Fort Myers, Florida. He served 3 years’ probation and was then jailed again for violating parole.
His last major public appearance until 2006 was during the 1993 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where Stone showed up onstage to be entered into the Hall of Fame along with the Family Stone.
On Labor Day, September 7, 2009, Stone appeared at the 20th annual African Festival of the Arts in Chicago, Illinois, with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic.
SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was compiled by author/music journalist Jeff Mao and producer/director Joseph Patel and co-produced by Mao, Patel, Questlove, and Rob Santos on behalf of Sony Music. It will be available in three configurations: The CD and LP editions are set for release on Friday, May 9, while the digital edition is out and on all major streaming platforms.
On June 9, 2025, Stone died at his home in Granada Hills, Los Angeles, at the age of 82. His family said Stone had died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and "other underlying health issues.”
Sly Stone's influence extends far beyond his chart-topping tracks. His pioneering use of funk rhythms and his innovative production techniques have inspired countless artists across genres, from Prince to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The integration and empowerment messages inherent in his work encouraged a generation to envision a more inclusive society.
Today In Black History
In 1822, Denmark Vesey led his slave rebellion in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1822, he was tried and convicted of leading the rebellion, and later executed by hanging.
In 1913, the South African government passed the segregationist Native Land Act, which restricted the purchase or lease of land by native Africans.
In 1944, 14-year-old George Stinney was wrongly executed for the murders of two white girls, becoming the youngest person ever executed in the United States in the 20th century.
In 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the suspension of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. from the House of Representatives was unconstitutional because it violated Article I of the Constitution.
In 1970, Kenneth A. Gibson was elected the first African American mayor of Newark, New Jersey. In 1976, he was elected the first African American president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
In 1975, Adam Wade hosted the nationally televised game show “Musical Chairs,” becoming the first African American game show host.
In 1987, the “subway vigilante” Bernard Goetz was acquitted of attempted murder charges for his shooting of four Black youths on a New York subway.
In 1999, Thabo Mbeki was elected to succeed Nelson Mandela as president of South Africa in a landslide victory.
In 2002, Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open Golf Tournament.
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Rest in Peace you wonderful artist ✨
Sly brought diverse elements to his music and through that music brought diversity to his listeners. Just about everyone I knew loved his music. Bands that played at school dances had better have some Sly on the playlist. His audience was as diverse as his music. I loved “Stand “ and “Everybody is Star”, but picking out a favorite song I’d like picking a favorite child. Thank you, Sly for making my growing up years the best!