Sly & the Family Stone

Sly & the Family Stone were an important and influential American rock band from San Francisco, California. Active from 1967 until 1975, the band was pivotal in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia. Headed by singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart, and containing a number of his family members and friends, the band was the first major American rock band to have a multicultural lineup, giving African-Americans, Caucasians, males, and females all roles in the band's instrumentation.

Epilogue

Awards and tributes

Sly & the Family Stone were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. The members of the Family Stone were in attendance, but Sly was not. Just as the band took the podium to receive their awards, Sly suddenly appeared, to thunderous applause. He accepted his award, gave a quick speech, and disappeared from public view. In December 2001, Sly & the Family Stone were awarded the R&B Foundation Pioneer Award. Two Family Stone songs, "Dance to the Music" and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)", are among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Related Topics:
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - 1993 - December - 2001 - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll

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A Sly & The Family Stone tribute album, Different Strokes By Different Folks, was released on July 12 2005 by Starbucks' Hear Music label. The project features cover versions of the band's songs, songs which sample the original recordings, and songs that do both. Among the artists for the set are including The Roots ("Star", which samples "Everybody is a Star"), Maroon 5 ("Everyday People"), John Legend, Joss Stone & Van Hunt ("Family Affair"); the Black Eyed Peas' Will.I.Am ("Dance to the Music"), and Steven Tyler and Robert Randolph ("I Want to Take You Higher").

Related Topics:
July 12 - 2005 - Starbucks - Cover versions - Sample - The Roots - Maroon 5 - Everyday People - John Legend - Joss Stone - Van Hunt - Family Affair - Black Eyed Peas - Will.I.Am - Steven Tyler - Robert Randolph - I Want to Take You Higher

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Epic Records issued its own version of the tribute album on September 27 with two additional covers: "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" and "Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin)".

Related Topics:
Epic Records - September 27

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Reunion projects

Since the mid-1990s, various Family Stone members have collaborated on projects with other members of the band. On May 25, 1997, Sindbad's Soul Music Festival was held in Aruba. One of the performances reunited four members of the Family Stone: Larry Graham, Rose Stone, Cynthia Robinson, and Jerry Martini. Robinson and Martini joined Graham Central Station when Larry Graham revived it later that same year, and the band toured with Prince, a noted admirer of Sly & the Family Stone.

Related Topics:
1990s - May 25 - 1997 - Sindbad - Aruba - Prince

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On her own, Rose Stone provided guest vocals to Fishbone's 2000 cover of "Everbody is a Star", which also features vocals by No Doubt's Gwen Stefani. The cover was included on the album Fishbone & the Familyhood Nextperience Present: The Psychotic Friends Nuttwerx, released March 21, 2000.

Related Topics:
Fishbone - 2000 - No Doubt - Gwen Stefani - March 21

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In 2003, all but two of the members of the original Family Stone reunited to record a new studio album. Missing from the lineup were Sly Stone and Larry Graham; Freddie Stone, Rose Stone, Cynthia Robinson, Jerry Martini, and Greg Errico began work on a sixteen-song album on their own.

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Currently, Vet Stone, Cynthia Robinson, and Rose Stone's daughter Lisa Stone are in a Family Stone-like band called Phunk Phamily Affair while Greg Errico and Jerry Martini maintain a band called The Family Stone Experience. Both acts serve to carry on the legacy of Sly & the Family Stone, and perform both Family Stone songs and original material as part of their respective repertoires.

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