Sly Stone, funk icon and frontman of Sly and the Family Stone, dies at 82

Sly Stone

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. (Simon Fernandez/Wikimedia Commons)Simon Fernandez

Sly Stone, a prominent funk innovator who produced chart-topping hits in the 1960s and 1970s with his band, has died.

The 82-year-old Texas native passed away after a prolonged battle with COPD and other health issues, according to a family statement.

Stone was the face of Sly and the Family Stone, a San Francisco funk band that engineered smash singles such as “Dance to the Music” and “Everyday People.”

“While we mourn his absence, we take solace in knowing that his extraordinary musical legacy will continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come,” read Stone’s family statement, according to USA Today.

Stone first worked as a disc jockey in California at an R&B station called KSOL. Despite the format, Stone injected “R&B-flavored white artists,” such as the Animals, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones, according to the biography page on the Sly and the Family Stone website.

Despite Stone’s success in the 1960s and 1970s, he became homeless and endured health issues.

“In a testament to his enduring creative spirit, Sly recently completed the screenplay for his life story, a project we are eager to share with the world in due course, which follows a memoir published in 2024,” reads his family statement.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.