On June 9, 2025, Sylvester Stewart aka Sly Stone died age 82. He was musician (keyboards, guitar, bass, harmonica), singer, songwriter and producer, one of the most important figures in the development of funk with his pioneering fusion of soul, rock, psychedelia, and gospel in the 1960s and 1970s. Sly Stone collaborated with Funkadelic, Parliament, Jesse Johnson and Bobby Womack, but was best known as founding member and leader of the band Sly and the Family Stone. In 1993, he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”. He released his autobiography “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). As leader he released two albums.
Tag Archives: Sly Stone
The P-Funk All Stars: Urban Dancefloor Guerillas
In December 1983, “Uncle Jam” label released “Urban Dancefloor Guerillas”, the debut P-Funk All-Stars (The) studio album. It was recorded 1982 – 1983, and was produced by George Clinton, Garry Shider, Walter Morrison, Sylvester Stewart and Bootsy Collins.
Personnel:
- George Clinton
- Bootsy Collins
- Norma Jean Bell
- Muruga Booker
- Greg Boyer
- Kenny Colton
- Gary “Mudbone” Cooper
- Benny Cowan
- Janice Evans
- Ron Ford
- Mallia Franklin
- Jimmy Giles
- Richard Griffith
- Michael Hampton
- Larry Hatcher
- Shirley Hayden
- Eddie Hazel
- Sheila Horne
- Robert “P-Nut” Johnson
- Jerry Jones
- Lynn Mabry
- Jeanette McGruder
- DeWayne “Blackbyrd” McKnight
- Walter “Junie” Morrison
- Maceo Parker
- Michael “Clip” Payne
- Dean Ragland
- Garry Shider
- Linda Shider
- David Spradley
- Donnie Sterling
- Sly Stone
- Cynthia Robinson
- Greg Thomas
- Tony Thomas
- Fred Wesley
- Bobby Womack
- Debbie Wright
- Philippé Wynne
Track listing:
- Generator Pop – George Clinton, Garry Shider, David Spradley
- Acupuncture – DeWayne McKnight, George Clinton, W. Walters
- One Of Those Summers – George Clinton, Walter Morrison
- Catch A Keeper – George Clinton, Donny Sterling, Sylvester Stewart
- Pumpin’ It Up – Garry Shider, G. Shider, Bob Bishop, Ron Ford
- Copy Cat – David Spradley, Lashawn Clinton, Garry Shider
- Hydraulic Pump – George Clinton, Sylvester Stewart, Jimmy Giles, Ron Ford
- Pumpin’ It Up (reprise) – Garry Shider, G. Shider, Bob Bishop, Ron Ford
Aretha Franklin: What You See Is What You Sweat
On June 25, 1991, “Arista” label released “What You See Is What You Sweat”, the thirty-third Aretha Franklin studio album. It was recorded in 1990, and was produced by Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, David “Pic” Conley, Aretha Franklin, Michel Legrand, Oliver Leiber, Gene Lennon, Bruce Roberts, Joshua Thompson, David Townsend, Luther Vandross, Narada Michael Walden and Elliot Wolff.
Personnel:
- Aretha Franklin – lead and backing vocals, piano
- Rick Iantosca – acoustic guitar
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar
- Dean Parks – guitar
- Vernon Black – guitar
- David Townsend – guitar
- Jean-Marc Benais – guitar
- Teddy F. White – guitar
- Al Turner – bass guitar
- Marcus Miller – bass guitar
- Dominique Bertram – bass guitar
- Rudolph Stansfield – piano
- Thierry Eliez – piano
- Skip Anderson – keyboards
- Burt Bacharach – keyboards
- Oliver Leiber – keyboards, drum programming, guitar
- Jason Miles – keyboards
- Louis Biancaniello – keyboards, programming
- David Foster – keyboards, programming
- Nat Adderley Jr. – keyboards
- Bobby Wooten – keyboards, electric piano, drum programming, synthesizer
- Michael Boddicker – keyboards, programming
- Hubert Eaves III – keyboards, drum programming
- Elliot Wolff – keyboards, drum programming
- Joshua Thompson – keyboards, guitar, synthesizer
- Peter Schwartz – additional keyboards
- Charles Scales – synthesizer
- Michel Legrand – synthesizer
- Guy Vaughn – drum programming
- Narada Michael Walden – drums, programming
- Buster Marbury – drums
- André Ceccarelli – drums
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion
- Larry Fratangelo – percussion
- Larry Williams – programming
- Franck Thore – Pan pipes
- Onita Sanders – harp
- Candy Dulfer – saxophone
- David Boruff – saxophone
- Gene Lennon – programming
- Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals
- Jesse Richardson – backing vocals
- Sandra Feva – backing vocals
- Brenda Corbett – backing vocals
- Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals
- Diane Green – backing vocals
- Sherry Fox – backing vocals
- Portia Griffin – backing vocals
- Margaret Branch – backing vocals
- Jarvis Barker – backing vocals
- Nikita Germaine – backing vocals
- Skyler Jett – backing vocals
- Jeanie Tracy – backing vocals
- Tony Lindsay – backing vocals
- Gwen Guthrie – backing vocals
- Tawatha Agee – backing vocals
- Donna Davis – backing vocals
- Marj Harber – backing vocals
- Esther Ridgeway – backing vocals
- Gloria Ridgeway – backing vocals
- Gracie Ridgeway – backing vocals
- Clive Davis – executive producer
Track listing:
- Everyday people – Sly Stone
- Ever Changing Times – Burt Bacharach, Bill Conti, Carole Bayer Sager
- What You See Is What You Sweat – David Conley, Derrick Culler, Gene Lennon, Joshua Thompson
- Mary Goes Round – Elliot Wolff, Oliver Leiber
- I Dreamed a Dream – Alain Boubill, Herbert Kretzmer, Jean Marc Natel, Claude Michel Schonberg
- Someone’s Else’s Eyes – Bruce Roberts, Burt Bacharach, Bayer Sager
- Doctor’s Orders – Luther Vandross, Hubert Eaves III
- You Can’t Take Me for Granted – Aretha Franklin
- What You Give – Aretha Franklin
- Everyday People (Shep Pettibone Remix) – Sly Stone
David Murray: The Tip
On December 2, 1995, “DIW” label released “The Tip”, the 71st David Murray album. It was recorded in May 1994, at “Chicago Recording Company” in Chicago, Illinois, and was produced by Kanzunori Sugiyama.
Personnel:
- David Murray – tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
- Robert Irving III – synthesizer, organ
- Bobby Broom – guitar
- Daryl Thompson – guitar
- Darryl Jones – bass
- Toby Williams – drums
- Kahil El’Zabar – vocal, percussion
- Olu Dara – cornet
- G’Ra – vocals
Track listing:
- Sex Machine – Sly Stone
- Flowers for Albert – David Murray
- Removen Veil – Darryl Jones
- M.D. – Robert Irving III
- Kahari Romare – Kahil El’Zabar
- The Tip – Darryl Jones
- Mailinda – Robert Irving III
- One World Family – Kahil El’Zabar, David Murray
Sly & The Family Stone: Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I’m Back
On December 18, 1976, “Epic/CBS” labels released “Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I’m Back”, the eighth Sly and the Family Stone album. It was recorded in 1976, and was produced by Sly Stone.
Personnel:
- Sly Stone – vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass, various instruments, string arrangements
- Joe Baker – vocals, guitar
- John Farey – keyboards, percussion
- Dwight Hogan – vocals, bass
- Anthony Warren – drums
- Virginia Ayers – vocals, percussion
- John Colla = vocals, alto and soprano saxophone
- Steve Schuster – tenor saxophone, flute
- Cynthia Robinson – vocals, trumpet
- Lady Bianca – lead and backing vocals, clavinet
- Vicki Blackwell – violin
- Ed Bogas – string arrangements
- Armando Peraza – timbales, congas
- Sister Vet& Cousin Tiny – vocals
- Karat Faye – engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by Sly Stone.
- Heard Ya Missed Me, Well I’m Back
- What Was I Thinkin’ in My Head
- Nothing Less Than Happiness
- Sexy Situation
- Blessing in Disguise
- Everything in You
- Mother Is a Hippie
- Let’s Be Together
- The Thing
- Family Again
Sly & the Family Stone: Back on the Right Track
On November 3, 1979, “Warner Bros” label released “Back on the Right Track”, the ninth Sly and the Family Stone album. It was recorded in 1979, and was produced by Mark Davis.
Personnel:
- Sly Stone (Sylvester Stewart) – vocals, keyboards, harmonica
- Hamp Banks – guitar
- Joseph Baker – guitar
- Roscoe Peterson – guitar
- Mark Davis – keyboards
- Walter Downing – keyboards
- Keni Burke – bass
- Alvin Taylor – drums
- Ollie E. Brown – percussion
- Pat Rizzo – saxophone
- Cynthia Robinson – trumpet
- Tom DeCourcey – trombone
- Steve Madaio, Gary Herbig, Fred Smith – horns
- Rose Banks, Lisa Banks, Joe Baker, Freddie Stewart – backing vocals
- Karat Faye – engineer
Track listing:
All tracks by Sly Stone except where noted.
- Remember Who You Are – Sly Stone, Hamp Banks
- Back On The Right Track
- If It’s Not Addin’ Up…
- The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)
- Shine It On
- It Takes All Kinds
- Who’s To Say
- Sheer Energy
Sly & The Family Stone: A Whole New Thing
In October 1967, “Epic” label released “A Whole New Thing”, the debut Sly and the Family Stone album. It was recorded in June 1967, and was produced by Sly Stone.
Personnel:
- Sly Stone (Sylvester Stewart) – vocals, organ, guitar, piano, celeste, harmonica
- Freddie Stone– vocals, guitar
- Larry Graham– vocals, bass guitar
- Greg Errico– drums
- Jerry Martini– saxophone
- Cynthia Robinson– trumpet, vocal ad-libs
- Little Sister(Vet Stone, Mary McCreary, Elva Mouton) – backing vocals
Track listing:
All tracks written by Sly Stone.
- Underdog
- If This Room Could Talk
- Run, Run, Run
- Turn Me Loose
- Let Me Hear It from You
- Advice
- I Cannot Make It
- Trip to Your Heart
- I Hate to Love Her
- Bad Risk
- That Kind of Person
- Dog
Sly & the Family Stone: Life
In September 1968, “Epic” label released “Life”, the third Sly and the Family Stone studio album. It was recorded in 1968 in San Francisco, and was produced by Sly Stone.
Personnel:
- Sly Stone– vocals, organ, guitar, piano, harmonica, and more
- Freddie Stone– vocals, guitar
- Larry Graham– vocals, bass guitar
- Rosie Stone– vocals, piano, keyboard
- Cynthia Robinson– trumpet, vocal ad-libs
- Jerry Martini– saxophone
- Greg Errico– drums
- Little Sister- Vet Stone, Mary McCreary, Elva Mouton – backing vocals
Track listing:
All tracks by Sylvester Stewart.
- Dynamite!
- Chicken
- Plastic Jim
- Fun
- Into My Own Thing
- Harmony
- Life
- Love City
- I’m an Animal
- M’Lady
- Jane Is a Groupee
The Beau Brummels: The Beau Brummels Volume 2
In August 1965, “Autumn” label released “The Beau Brummels Volume 2”, the second Beau Brummels (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1965, and was produced by Sylvester Stewart (Sly Stone).
Personnel:
- Sal Valentino – vocals
- Ron Elliott – lead guitar
- Ron Meagher – guitar
- Declan Mulligan – bass
- John Petersen – drums
Track listing:
All tracks by Ron Elliot, except where noted.
- You Tell Me Why
- I Want You
- Doesn’t Matter
- That’s Alright – Sal Valentino
- Sometime at Night – Bob Durand, Ron Elliott
- Can It Be – Bob Durand, Ron Elliott
- Sad Little Girl
- Woman – Bob Durand, Ron Elliott
- Don’t Talk to Strangers – Bob Durand, Ron Elliott
- I’ve Never Known – Bob Durand, Ron Elliott
- When It Comes to Your Love
- In Good Time
Sly & the Family Stone: Small Talk
In July 1974, “Epic” label released “Small Talk”, the seventh Sly and the Family Stone album. It was recorded in 1974, and was produced by Sly Stone.
Personnel:
- Sly Stone – vocals, organ, guitar, piano, harmonica
- Freddie Stone – guitar, backing vocals
- Rose Stone – piano, keyboard, backing vocals
- Rusty Allen – bass guitar
- Andy Newmark, Bill Lordan – drums
- Cynthia Robinson – trumpet
- Jerry Martini – saxophone
- Pat Rizzo – saxophone
- Sid Page – violin
- Little Sister (Vet Stone, Mary McCreary, Elva Mouton) – backing vocals
- Ed Bogas– string arrangements
- Karat Faye – engineer
- Norman Seeff – cover photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Sylvester Stewart, save for “Small Talk”, written by Sylvester Stewart and W. Silva
- Small Talk
- Say You Will
- Mother Beautiful
- Time For Livin’
- Can’t Strain My Brain
- Loose Booty
- Holdin’ On
- Wishful Thinkin’
- Better Thee Than Me
- Livin’ While I’m Livin
- This is Love
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