Born in Dallas on March 15, 1944, Sylvester Stewart aka Sly Stone has a big birthday. Happy #60, Sly!
Sly's principle achievement is turning funk into high art and pop at the same time. He took the recent rhythmic and stylistic innovations of James Brown and applied them to superior pop song craft, and state of the art record making.
He had better melodies than JB, and generally far more interesting lyrics. Sly was about something.
Sly was also John the Baptist to the messiah of pop known as Prince. Certainly Sly was the closest working model to the art/funk/pop model that Prince has worked so brilliantly in so many directions.
Stewart himself had a narrow window of creative productivity cut short by some sort of emotional/drug breakdown. Sort of the black Brian Wilson that way. Hey, they both survived.
He's gotten to be 60 though, and see his work from 35 years ago still reverberating throughout the culture. After all, he wrote and recorded...
Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
Everyday People
Family Affair
Sing a Simple Song
Stand!
Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey
Dance to the Music
(You Caught Me) Smilin'
You Can Make It If You Try
I Want to Take You Higher
...and they can't take that away from him.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Dan S.
I wish he'd MAKE a comeback...the rumour mills bring his name up every few years...
2 - Eric Olsen
He has dabbled here and there but he would have come back if he could have come back. The dude is way, way, way down the road of no return and fried in places and ways that don't get unfried in this lifetime.
Dawn and I wrote a career overview of Sly here.
3 - Hope
Nevertheless...One of the greatest of all times. And that cant take that away from him. Stand Tall sly...wherever youi are. we love you. Your music speaks for itself.
4 - Clint Rehn
Sly! He was the greatest in his time. No holds barred! He took my friends and myself to the next level. I wish him the best. Clint Rehn, Walla Walla, Washington, USA
5 - Blackie
Sly - Enjoy seeing your site. Looking forward to catching up. Your old friend - Blackie.
6 - Marie
Sly I miss you. I have been thinking about you for a while and decided to see what you have been up to. Please come back. Your music has a special place in your fans hearts.
7 - kc stone
your first insight the whole new family is coming back i am the nephew of sly stone my father is freddie stone i will the first of the second generation to come out followed by my dads new album so get ready because i am getting ready along with my family to change music and music production all over again
8 - Ruby Tuesday
While Sly and I lived together from 1988 to 1989 Sly in his infinate wisdom suggested to me that I do what I know,
His "Beautiful Mind" inspired me to become a psychotherapist, I now do what I know and love.....
I still love ya Syl
9 - Eric Olsen
very glad to hear Sly was a positive influence on you Ruby, thanks!
10 - A
Sly, you are the greatest!!! No one compares TO YOU.
11 - John Mulrenan
Spent a few days with Sly when my band "Lord Gunner" opened up for him at the Fast Lane in Asbury Park NJ and he came back to the house afterwards. Thanks for the lighter back, Sly. You belong on the Mount Rushmore of Rock along with James, Lennon, Hendrix, and Muddy waters. Love ya.John
12 - Eric Olsen
very cool, John, thanks - when was this?
13 - Glenn Stewart
To my cousin Sly,whats up Syl,this i your old friend and cousin,brother you're the greatest,I Really miss all the great times time we had together in Los Angeles.Man yur the greatest of all time.I will go visit you soon.I talk to brother Freddie Stone alot.Sylyou're one in a million my brother.We had a great time making Eek ah boo static automatic,till we meet again,take care and God loves you,,Glen Stewart
14 - Eric Olsen
Sly, let us know if you read this, you have some loyal friends.
15 - global
Sly . . . i'm sitting here listen to 'thank you for talkin' to me africa,' the last track on 'there's a riot goin' on and enjoying it just as much as i did the first time i heard it back in the day. Sly, you had it goin' on and it will go on forever. thank you for the party, sly, it isn't over yet. peace to you and i hope you are receiving the Creator's blessings, because as you and the family worked it in our lil church in vallejo, don't forget, 'you can make it if you try.' peace my brother.
16 - JM
Sly,
We all wish you would come back on the road for your fans. We all miss you. Your gift of music and awareness, that you gave to the people, will always remain with us.
17 - Eric Olsen
not too sure how "aware" Sly is these days, but there is always hope
18 - Tamara
Hey,
what's the latest rumors on Sly?
Does anyone know anything about a recent book on him?
Feel free to email me at fiveorange@yahoo.com
19 - Mike J.
Sly,
How you doin man? You don't remember me but, I met you briefly in late '79 early 1980 @ Phyllis's & Henrietta crib in L.A. You used to kick it with Major. You had a Blue El Dorado & you were sitting in the back seat when I met you. I was floored when Major gave me something to pass to the person in the back seat & it turned out to be you. I used to hear Phyllis & Henrietta talking about "Sly" all the time, that "Sly" was over & you all were playing cards or talking & I just assumed that they were talking about some brother with "Your" name. You said that you had seen me playing somewhere before and asked me if I had heard of Kenny Burke & Rusty Allen because like myself, they also played Bass guitar. You also said that you were going to take me to your studio on your ranch so I could show you what I could do. Well, I still play & write my own songs & I can truly say that I can hardly write anything without hearing a riff or a vocal delivery that wasn't influenced by you & "The Family".
I realize that this is a long shot but, I'm still waiting to hear from you. I can't think of anyone I'd rather work with to make my life complete. You had a knack for bringing people together & making them see through your music that, we are all the same. Such a simple but profound axiom. There's no better time than now to return to that concept. It doesn't matter that you haven't been in the public's eye in quite a while. All the more reason to make a triumphant return.....with a statement. Give the world what it's been longing for Syl......"TRUTH". You shouldn't worry about the critics because there isn't a famous person alive today that is immune from critique. But your name still has weight. Your musical contributions continue to be valid. To demonstrate to the world again that you still have music in you will give hope.
I recently saw "Ray" and thought about you. Like Ray Charles, you've had your struggles. Not unlike a whole generation of "Everyday People". But Ray triumphed & redeemed himself & I know you can relate because I can hear the vocal influence of Ray Charles in your voice. It all comes full circle. He influenced us, we influenced him. You influenced us, we influence you. I didn't intend to ramble on like this but i'm trying to drive a point home that there is a clear need for real leadership in the world just as there is a real need for a coming together of people of all races to find and nurture a common bond. Sly & The Family Stone embodied that spirit under your leadership.
I realize that you alone cannot “save the world” but, the world could use a swift kick in the pants right about now and you really could be a catalyst to help jump start it. Feel free to contact me via email and we can remain totally discreet about communicating but, collaborate we must.
So in closing, just know that there is still a place for you in this musical universe & that We are waiting…….
Mike J.
20 - av
syl, all the things that weve been throgh you for me and me for you ive allways been with you eye to eye with you. Panda book and movie Time has come AV
21 - Riley
There is always hope(Brian Wilson) but who knows. As long as he can be happy that is what matters. In a list of greatest American genuises you have in no order people like George Gershwin, Leornard Bernstein, Sly, Burt Bacharach. ALl those guys were just on a whole different level when it came to music and what they heard in there heads. The world needs a Sly Stone right now.
22 - John Hier
I am 27 and from Cheltenham in England. I have only recently discovered Sly & the Family and have since become rather obsessed. Of course, slys albums are very hard to find in UK, only the best of's are stocked in the shops. I have just recieved an amazon package from the states featuring life, riot, and stand! so my christmas holiday party season is now sorted. Not much music nowadays compares to you sly, you just cant get that funk/rock/soul crossover to the same quality that you invented. Fave tracks of mine are Underdog, Dynamite, If You Let Me Stay and the mighty, mighty Life! Can any one tell me if there is a book available?
23 - Bernhard A Kats
Sly,
My son, Guyora, musician in New York, sent me some of your music.
I rate your performance in "Que sera, sera" *****.
In my opinion it kind of summarizes your career. To
my surprise, this song is not mentioned by any critic.
God bless you !!
24 - Mike J.
Syl,
4got 2 leave my email addy:
hit me up @ bassfreq53@yahoo.com
Mike J.
25 - Bill Patterson
I'm writing from Madison Wisconsin. I was a big fan of Sly's music when I went to college in the 60's and early 70's.
I am now part of a group called Dane Dances! (http://www.danedances.org) that has put on free public dances on Friday nights in August for the past five years. We get several thousand people a night dancing to live bands on the downtown rooftop of our convention center.
The idea for Dane Dances! came from Peter Anderson, who went to street dances in NY city when he was young. The idea is to celebrate our diversity and bring various diverse groups together through dancing. We just got the local YWCA Racial Justice award this past year.
Peter has talked about commissioning someone to write a theme sonng for Dane Dances!, but I don't think that anyone can write a better song than "Everyday People". Sly was an early leader in celebrating diversity.
Thanks for everything Sly!
Bill Patterson
Madison Wisconsin