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On Monday (June 9th) Sly Stone, founder of Sly & The Family Stone, died at the age of 82. His family confirmed that after a long illness, the musician died of the consequences of COPD and other health complications. Like hardly any other, Stone shaped the sound of the late 1960s and early 1970s and became the key figure of the radio with hits such as “Everyday People” and “Family Affair”. Now a wide variety of musicians – from a wide variety of genres – spoke up to commemorate Stone.
Paul Stanley remembers a legendary concert
Paul Stanley, front man of Kiss, looks back on a formative moment: As a teenager, he experienced Sly & The Family Stone in 1968 as a opening act by Jimi Hendrix in the New York Fillmore East. On X he writes: “You were a train full of bombastic, happy soul music that soon climb the charts and change the sound of R&B for so many other artists. Rest in peace!”
Questlove and the effect of Sly Stones Music
Questlove, drummer of The Roots and Oscar Prize winners, only dedicated a homage at the beginning of the year: his film “Sly Lives! (Aka the Burden of Black Genius)” celebrated its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and illuminated Stones career and his cultural heritage.
Questlove emphasizes on Instagram that Stone’s influence goes far beyond music. “The changes he triggered during his life will have an effect forever […] His songs were not just about fighting against injustice, but about changing themselves to change the world. “
From public enemy to Clive Davis
Chuck D from Public Enemy also praised Stone on X and at the same time thanked Questlove for his documentation. “Rest in Beats, Sly Stone,” he writes. The indie singer Clairo simply shared a photo of the singer in her Instagram story and commented on “that hurts”.
Clive Davis, music manager – who also worked with Sly & The Family Stone – remembers Stone as a “unique genius”. In a post on X he writes how privileged he feels that he has experienced the musician in his most creative phase.