Sly Stone, the groundbreaking musician who led the influential funk group Sly and the Family Stone, died Monday, June 9, at age 82 after battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other health complications.
Stone’s family confirmed his death in a statement, indicating he passed away peacefully surrounded by his three children, closest friend, and extended family. The family noted that Stone had endured a prolonged battle with COPD and underlying health issues that contributed to his death.
Born Sylvester Stewart in Denton, Texas, in 1943, Stone moved with his family to Vallejo, California, at six months old. He began his musical journey early, appearing on a gospel record with the Stewart Four at age 9 alongside his siblings Freddie, Rose, and Vaetta. Stone acquired his nickname “Sly” in high school as a play on his abbreviated given name.
Stone’s professional career began in the mid-1960s when he worked as a disc jockey at San Francisco’s KSOL and produced records for local acts. In 1965, he produced R&B singer Bobby Freeman’s hit “C’mon and Swim,” which reached No. 5 on the charts. Stone formed Sly and the Family Stone in 1966-67 by merging his band Sly and the Stoners with his brother Freddie’s group Freddie and the Stone Souls.
The group was revolutionary for its time, becoming the first major American band to feature both Black and white musicians and include women not just as vocalists but as instrumentalists. The classic lineup included Stone on keyboards and vocals, bassist Larry Graham, guitarist Freddie Stone, vocalist Rose Stone, trumpeter Cynthia Robinson, saxophonist Jerry Martini, and drummer Greg Errico.
Sly and the Family Stone achieved commercial breakthrough with “Dance to the Music” in 1968, which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The group went on to score 17 Hot 100 hits, including five top 10 singles and three No. 1 hits: “Everyday People,” “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),” and “Family Affair.”
Their 1969 album “Stand!” became their biggest commercial success, selling over three million copies and featuring multiple hit singles. The group’s performance at the Woodstock festival that same year became legendary, with Stone leading half a million people through an electrifying set despite equipment problems and rain.
Stone’s 1971 album “There’s a Riot Goin’ On” marked a darker creative period and is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of the 20th century. The album, created predominantly by Stone working alone, reached No. 1 and showcased his early use of drum machines and multi-track recording techniques.
However, Stone’s career began to decline in the early 1970s due to increasing drug use. The musician missed approximately one-third of the band’s concerts during 1970-71, and the group gradually disintegrated. Stone married Kathy Silva during a 1974 performance at Madison Square Garden, and they had a son, Sylvester Jr., though the marriage ended in divorce in 1976.
The original Family Stone disbanded in 1975, though Stone continued releasing albums under the band name through 1982. His later years were marked by legal troubles, including arrests for cocaine possession in 1983 and driving under the influence in 1987. Stone largely disappeared from public view, with reports in 2011 indicating he was living in a van in Los Angeles’s Crenshaw district.
Stone made rare public appearances, including his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and a Grammy Awards tribute performance in 2006, his first public performance in nearly two decades. His final album, “I’m Back! Family & Friends,” was released in 2011.
Stone’s influence on popular music extends far beyond his commercial success. Miles Davis credited Stone with inspiring his 1972 album “On the Corner,” while Parliament-Funkadelic’s George Clinton acknowledged Stone’s impact on funk music. Hip-hop artists from the Beastie Boys to Public Enemy have extensively sampled Stone’s compositions.
In recent years, Stone was the subject of Questlove’s 2025 documentary “Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” and published a memoir titled “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” in 2023. His family indicated that Stone recently completed a screenplay for his life story, which they plan to share publicly.
Stone’s family described him as “a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music.” Stone is survived by three children: Sylvester Jr., Sylvyette Phunne, and Novena Carmel.
