Sly Stone

Sly Stone, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who pioneered funk music with Sly and the Family Stone, died June 9, 2025, in Los Angeles after a long battle with COPD at the age of 82.

After growing up playing gospel music with his siblings, Stone worked as a radio DJ in San Francisco, then co-founded the Family Stone with his brother, Freddie Stone, in 1966. Stone shared lead vocals and played keyboards and other instruments as the band developed their signature style of joyfully psychedelic soul. They quickly broke through with a Top Ten hit in 1967, "Dance to the Music," and they went on to top the charts with "Everyday People," "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)," and "Family Affair." As the band's sound evolved, they became innovators of funk, profoundly influencing the genre. Stone wrote complexly layered songs with lyrics that often made bold political statements even as his grooves urged listeners to their feet.

The Family Stone dissolved in 1975, but their music remains beloved and relevant. As for Stone, he later recorded solo albums and singles, and he performed with such artists as Funkadelic and Earth, Wind & Fire. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, during a time when he made few public appearances. But years later, he returned to the spotlight, profiled in Questlove's documentaries "Summer of Soul" and " Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius)." In 2023, he published the autobiography "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)."

Writer Keith Murphy paid tribute to Stone on the social media platform X: "Giant. I can't put into words the impact Sly Stone had on popular music. Blues, soul, pop, rock, funk were just toys in his sandbox. Sly's genius was that it all came together seamlessly without pretentious wonkery. He did it all. Rest In Power to an ultimate visionary."

By Linnea Crowther

(Image: Fotos International/NBC Television/Courtesy of Getty Images)