Funk and soul legend Sly Stone dies aged 82

Sly Stone, the American funk and soul pioneer and leader of the group Sly and the Family Stone has died aged 82.

“After a prolonged battle with COPD and other underlying health issues, Sly passed away peacefully, surrounded by his three children, his closest friend and his extended family,” his family announced in a statement. “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.”

With their blend of soul, psychedelic rock and gospel, Sly and The Family Stone are widely considered to be some of the key progenitors of the 1970s funk sound alongside James Brown and others.

Stone, born Sylvester Stewart, grew up singing gospel music in a quartet with his brothers and sisters, and started his career as a disc jockey for radio stations in California, as well as a multi-instrumentalist and producer.

In 1966, he fused his band Sly and the Stoners with his brother Freddie’s group Freddie and the Stone Souls, to form Sly and the Family Stone.

Their breakthrough came through the 1967 single ‘Dance To The Music’, which reached No.8 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, before they released their fourth album, the 1969 Stand!, which went on to sell over three million copies.

In 1969, Sly and the Family Stone played both of the defining music festivals of the year, Woodstock and the Harlem cultural festival.

The 1971 album There’s a Riot Goin’ On, a reflection on civil rights and the corrupted idealism of the postwar era, was recorded by Stone predominantly apart from the rest of his band, which was slowly fracturing in the early 70s. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of the 20th century, and featured one of the earliest uses of a drum machine.

Although the band split entirely in 1975, Stone continued to use the band name for solo releases. He continued to perform with bands such as Funkadelic and Bobby Womack before releases slowly quieted down.

He only performed in public again in 2006 in a tribute to Sly and the Family Stone at the Grammy awards.

“Sly was a monumental figure, a groundbreaking innovator, and a true pioneer who redefined the landscape of pop, funk, and rock music,” the family statement added. “His iconic songs have left an indelible mark on the world, and his influence remains undeniable. 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.”

Here are some of the tributes that have been flooding in:

Everybody is a Star, no matter who u r. Sly Stone, Prayer's going out to his family & friends.
Thx u (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)! There will Never be another U, to do what u do. Keep the legacy Alive! Love U @NovenaCarmel Bootsy baby!!! pic.twitter.com/25pskUEt7z

— Bootsy Collins (@Bootsy_Collins) June 10, 2025

Travel on well SLY STONE 1943-2025, singer, songwriter, musical director, producer, frontman, funkster, pioneer, genius. Thankyou for all the inspiration, for breaking ground so others could follow and for being the sassiest, funkiest Being on planet earth. pic.twitter.com/I0sIBmt5eg

— Mike Scott (@MickPuck) June 9, 2025

If you want to learn about the musically profound & complex life of Sly Stone, Questlove recently released his documentary on Hulu & Disney Plus. Worth a watch to honor the genius behind Sly & the Family Stone and funk as we know it. pic.twitter.com/DEItUYrW6M

— Queer Latifah 🥂 (@TheAfrocentricI) June 9, 2025

Everyday People isn’t Kumbaya. It isn’t We Are The World. It’s not sentimental. It doesn’t pretend “unity”.The nursery rhyme aspect of its melody is a stark reminder of how we NEVER actually leave the schoolyard. “We’ve got to live together!” Is an uncomfortable FACT. https://t.co/URw46cC0oi

— Vernon Reid (@vurnt22) June 10, 2025

Rest In Beats SLY Stone ..and we should THANK ⁦@questlove⁩ of ⁦@theroots⁩ for keeping his FIRE blazing in this Century. 2 documentaries and book . GET EM pic.twitter.com/avFoE2qUlA

— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) June 9, 2025

We say goodbye to a pioneer of soul music today. I met Sly and the Family Stone at the 3 day long Seattle Pop Festival, summer ‘69. I was with The Guess Who and did several festivals with them. They were an amazing mix of people that inspired artists like Michael & Janet… pic.twitter.com/t4sBB3IT6V

— Randy Bachman (@RandysVinylTap) June 9, 2025

The great Sly Stone passed away today. Leader of Sly and the Family Stone, their hits included “Everyday People,” “Stand!” and “Family Affair." Sly was a visitor at Brian's home in the 1970s and Brian was a fan. pic.twitter.com/43sbibpL2P

— Brian Wilson (@BrianWilsonLive) June 9, 2025

Sly Stone Has Died. In 1968 I saw Sly & the Family Stone debut at the Fillmore East in New York City opening for Jimi Hendrix. They were a freight train of bombastic, joyous SouI that would soon climb the charts and change the sound of R&B for so many other artists. Rest In Soul! pic.twitter.com/CM73zQe4CJ

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) June 9, 2025

"It is with great reverence that I write today about the passing of Sylvester Stewart, AKA Sly Stone..."

Read Emilio's full message in the photo below. pic.twitter.com/zHYKW4giZC

— Tower of Power (@OfficialTOPBand) June 9, 2025

RIP SLY STONE. Unparalleled greatness. Interracial. Intergender. Intergenre. Intergenius. You can hear me clearly channeling him on Liberation Theology and others. And I modeled the 2017/'19 Disciples Of Soul on his Family Stone. Historic Renaissance significance.

— 🇺🇸🕉🇺🇦🟦Stevie Van Zandt☮️💙 (@StevieVanZandt) June 9, 2025