Sly Stone, pioneer of early funk music, dies

Sly Stone, 1 of the pioneers of funk music, has died aged 82, his household person said.

As beforehand antheral for his set Sly And The Family Stone, the instrumentalist fused soul, rock, psychedelia and gospel to instrumentality the dependable that defined an epoch successful the 1960s into caller territory, 2nd lone to James Brown arsenic the aboriginal founders of funk.

Several of the band's seminal tracks became known to a wider assemblage erstwhile they were subsequently sampled by hep hop artists.

"Everyday People" was sampled by Arrested Development, portion "Sing A Simple Song" was sampled by Public Enemy, De La Soul and Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg.

Stone's household has said successful a connection helium died aft a conflict with chronic obstructive pulmonary illness (COPD) and different wellness issues.

A connection issued by his publicist connected behalf of Stone's household said: "It is with profound sadness that we denote the passing of our beloved dad, Sly Stone of Sly And The Family Stone.

"After a prolonged conflict with COPD and different underlying wellness issues, Sly passed distant peacefully, surrounded by his 3 children, his closest friend, and his extended family.

"While we mourn his absence, we instrumentality solace successful knowing that his bonzer philharmonic bequest volition proceed to resonate and animate for generations to come.

"Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a existent pioneer who redefined the scenery of pop, funk, and stone music. His iconic songs person near an indelible people connected the world, and his power remains undeniable.

"In a testament to his enduring originative spirit, Sly precocious completed the screenplay for his beingness story, a task we are anxious to stock with the satellite successful owed course, which follows a memoir published successful 2024.

"We widen our deepest gratitude for the outpouring of emotion and prayers during this hard time. We privation bid and harmony to each who were touched by Sly's beingness and his iconic music.

"Thank you from the bottommost of our hearts for your unwavering support."

Stone, calved Sylvester Stewart successful Texas, and his radical were regulars connected the US euphony charts successful the precocious 1960s and 1970s, with hits specified arsenic "Dance to the Music," "I Want To Take You Higher," "Family Affair," "If You Want Me to Stay," and "Hot Fun successful the Summertime".

He played a starring relation successful introducing funk, an Afrocentric benignant of euphony driven by grooves and syncopated rhythms, to a broader audience.

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James Brown had forged the elements of funk earlier Stone founded his set successful 1966, but Stone's marque of funk drew caller listeners.

It was celebratory, eclectic, psychedelic and rooted successful the counterculture of the precocious 1960s.

However, Stone aboriginal fell connected hard times and became addicted to cocaine, ne'er staging a palmy comeback.

His euphony became little joyous successful the 1970s, reflecting the polarisation of the state aft absorption to the Vietnam War and radical tensions triggered unrest connected assemblage campuses and successful African-American neighbourhoods successful large US cities.

In 1971, Sly And The Family Stone released "There's a Riot Goin' On," which became the band's lone Number 1 album.

Critics said the album's bleak code and slurred vocals denoted the expanding clasp of cocaine connected Stone.

But immoderate called the grounds a masterpiece, a eulogy to the 1960s.

In the aboriginal 1970s, Stone became erratic and missed shows. Some members near the band.

But the vocalist was inactive a large capable prima successful 1974 to pull a assemblage of 21,000 for his wedding to histrion and exemplary Kathy Silva astatine Madison Square Garden successful New York.

Ms Silva filed for divorcement little than a twelvemonth later.

Sly And The Family Stone's medium releases successful the precocious 1970s and aboriginal 1980s flopped, arsenic Stone racked up cause possession arrests.

The set was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame successful 1993 and Stone was celebrated successful an all-star tribute astatine the Grammy Awards successful 2006.

He sauntered connected signifier with a blond mohawk haircut but bewildered the assemblage by leaving mid-song.

In 2011, aft launching what would go a years-long ineligible conflict to assertion royalties helium said were stolen, Stone was arrested for cocaine possession.

That year, media reported Stone was surviving successful a recreational conveyance parked connected a thoroughfare successful South Los Angeles.

Stone had a son, Sylvester, with Ms Silva.

He had 2 daughters, Novena Carmel, and Sylvette "Phunne" Stone, whose parent was bandmate Cynthia Robinson.