Sly Stone, the groundbreaking bandleader of Sly and the Family Stone and one of the architects of funk music, has died at the age of 82 after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
A statement shared with USA TODAY on June 9 confirmed his passing:
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved dad, Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone,” the statement read. “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.”
“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,” the family added.
Born Sylvester Stewart in Denton, Texas, on March 15, 1943, Stone was raised in Vallejo, California, in a deeply musical and religious household. A prodigious multi-instrumentalist, he began performing gospel music with his siblings at a young age. In the 1960s, he worked as a disc jockey and record producer in the Bay Area before forming Sly and the Family Stone in 1966.
The band quickly rose to fame with its genre-defying sound, blending soul, funk, rock, and psychedelic influences. Sly and the Family Stone was also one of the first major American bands to feature a racially integrated and gender-diverse lineup—something considered revolutionary at the time. Their message of unity and social consciousness came through in hits like “Everyday People,” “Dance to the Music,” “Family Affair,” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).”
Their performance at Woodstock in 1969 remains one of the festival’s most celebrated moments, helping cement Stone’s reputation as a dynamic and visionary artist. Despite his profound influence on modern music, Stone’s later years were marked by struggles with drug addiction, legal troubles, and health issues that forced him into reclusion for long stretches of time.
Sly and the Family Stone was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, and Stone received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. In recent years, he made a limited return to the public eye, most notably with the release of his memoir, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), in 2023.
Stone’s musical innovations helped shape generations of artists, influencing acts from Prince to Public Enemy and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. His work remains a cornerstone of American music history.
He is survived by his three children and a wide circle of loved ones. Plans for a public memorial or celebration of life have not yet been announced.
