Sly Stone: Funk Pioneer and Leader of Sly and the Family Stone Dies at 8

Sly Stone was an American singer, songwriter, producer and bandleader who fused funk, soul, rock and psychedelia as the leader of Sly and the Family Stone. Born Sylvester Stewart on March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, he led one of the first racially integrated, mixed-gender bands in popular music.

Stone formed Sly and the Family Stone in 1966. Their album Stand! sold more than three million copies and included "Everyday People," a No. 1 single in 1969. "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" reached No. 1 in 1970. The band's Woodstock performance in 1969 became legendary. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, and Stone received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.

Stone married Kathy Silva at Madison Square Garden in 1974 and had several children. He died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other health issues at his home in Los Angeles on June 9, 2025, at age 82. Remembered as an architect of modern funk, his influence echoes through hip-hop, R&B and pop.

Achievements: Formed Sly and the Family Stone (1966), released the album Stand! and the No. 1 "Everyday People" (1969), scored the No. 1 "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" (1970), inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1993).

Birth: March 15, 1943 - Denton, Texas.

Profession: Singer, songwriter, musician, bandleader and record producer.

Interesting Facts: A fifth-grade classmate misspelled his name as "Slyvester," and the nickname stuck. When Bob Marley first toured the U.S. in 1973, he opened for Sly and the Family Stone.