The multi-instrumentalist, who was also fighting drug abuse, was the main figure of the band Sly and the Family Stone, a multi-racial and mixed rock band, a rarity in the 1960s.
Sly Stone, the funk pioneer whose music triggered the Soul Explosion in the 1960s and leader of the Sly and the Family Stone, died at the age of 82, the family to the US media on Monday.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of our beloved father, Sly Stone, the Sly and the Family Stone,” the family said in a statement.
The multi-instrumentalist, who also fought drug abuse, led the band Sly and The Family Stone, a multi-racial and mixed rock band, a rarity in the 1960s.
The band held a memorable concert at the Woodstock Festival in August 1969, reaching the stage shortly after 03:00 am on the third day of the legendary event.
“Considering his late performance, Sly and the Family Stone was remarkably rested and in good shape,” said the festival’s ‘website’.
“Woodstock’s show is widely considered one of its best performances,” he added.
First success came in 1967
In just five years, his creativity left an indestructible impact on American and global music, from the band’s first success, “Dance to the Music” in 1967, and the song “Everyday People”, a year later, to the 70’s masterpiece, “If You Want Me To Stay”.
For many, Sly Stone was a musical genius that created the sound of the future and released the foundations for artists such as Prince, Miles Davis, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Outkast.
It was “How to see a black version of the Beatles,” said Funk George Clinton legend to CBS News about the stage of his longtime friend.
“It had the sensitivity of the streets, the sensitivity of the church and the qualities of Motown. It was all in one person,” he said.
However, Sly Stone had difficulty dealing with fame pressure and fell into drug addiction. Failed concerts, music production became irregular and the band separated in 1973.
Arrested several times due to drug problems, he became homeless for a while, living in a van, before finally freeing out from the descendant spiral. In the memories, published in 2023, he said he had successfully delivered himself from addiction in 2019.
Sly and the Family Stone foi introduzido no Rock & Roll Hall of Fame em 1993.
