The funk icon and founder of Sly and the Family Stone, widely revered as one of the first to successfully place the robotic tics and hisses of a drum machine in place of a drummer, passed away in Los Angeles, leaving behind a genre-defining legacy that helped reshape pop, soul, and electronic music production.
Sly Stone, the influential American musician whose work with Sly and the Family Stone redefined soul, funk, and pop, died on June 9, 2025, aged 82. A family statement confirmed he passed peacefully at home in Los Angeles, surrounded by family, following a prolonged battle with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health conditions.
Stone, born Sylvester Stewart in Texas in 1943, emerged from the gospel-rich Bay Area music scene in the 1960s to form one of the most groundbreaking acts in American music history. Sly and the Family Stone fused gospel, psychedelic rock, soul, and funk into a sound that was as politically aware as it was danceable. Their songs became anthems for a generation navigating civil rights struggles and cultural shifts.
A Career that Redefined Popular Music
The band scored multiple chart-topping hits, including Everyday People, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), and Family Affair, all of which reflected Stone’s talent for embedding social commentary within infectious grooves. Their 1971 album There’s a Riot Goin’ On, recorded largely solo by Stone and one of the earliest mainstream records to use a drum machine, is widely considered a landmark in American music history.
Sly and the Family Stone were one of the first major bands to feature a racially and gender-diverse lineup, which brought their vision of unity into real-world practice. This inclusivity, paired with a unique sonic palette, earned the group spots at both Woodstock and the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, underlining their reach across audiences.
Despite his trailblazing work, Stone’s career began to decline in the late 1970s, affected by heavy drug use and personal instability. His later years included legal battles, periods of seclusion, and financial hardship. He continued to perform sporadically and released his final album, I’m Back! Family & Friends, in 2011.
Influence Beyond Genre
Though his later output slowed, Stone’s influence remained strong across generations of musicians and producers. The textures, rhythms, and production techniques he introduced in the studio echoed into the foundations of hip-hop, electronic music, and funk revivalism. His use of early drum machines and multi-tracking helped set a precedent for the DIY ethos embraced by many in the electronic music community today.
In his final years, Stone found renewed visibility. A memoir, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), was released in 2024, praised for its candor and charm. He also completed a screenplay based on his life, which his family says will eventually be shared publicly.
Tributes have poured in from across the music world. Questlove, who directed the recent documentary Sly Lives!, described Stone as a “giant” whose work embodied “radical inclusivity and deep human truths.” Artists such as Queen Latifah, DJ Premier, and Mike Scott also noted Stone’s impact across genres and generations.
Stone is survived by his three children. His life and music remain a potent reminder of how rhythm, innovation, and activism can combine to shape cultural memory.
Follow Attack Magazine
Attack Store
Dance Music Producers’ Power Book Bundle
Get 2 best-selling music production books. Buy more, spend less.
The Secrets of Dance Music Production
The world-leading book on dance music production. Comes with samples too.
The Producer’s Manual
Everything you need to take a mix, from initial recording to final master.
Secretos de la Producción de Música Dance
La guía definitiva para producir música electrónica de vanguardia.
Max For Live: Chance Engine
Add controlled yet random fluctuations to your most important parameters
Underground Resistance: The Final Frontier Poster
Anti corporate, political, powerful and progressive the power house of Jeff Mills, Robert Hood and "Mad" Mike Banks needs little introduction.
08.24 PM
For the past few years I have had difficulty working out in yard, then in 2018 it got harder and harder to breathe. After many tests, it was a CT scan that showed COPD, emphysema and scarring in my lungs. I quit smoking 8 years ago but the damage has been done. I got to a point I couldn’t catch my breath and was coughing so hard I thought the top of my head would blow off, nothing was really working to help my condition. Finally i started on COPD formula from Uinehealth centre, With the help of this treatment I’m active again, its effects on Emphysema is amazing, all my symptoms gradually faded away, i breath very more freely now and no longer need my oxygen tank! Visit uinehealth centre . n et I’m surprised a lot of people with COPD/Emphysema haven’t heard of the formula. I was fortunate to have the loving support of my husband and family. I make it a point to appreciate every day!
08.25 PM
I was extremely short of breath and constantly tired due to my Emphysema. I was advised to take Montair plus one tablet every night which would give me temporary relief and help my sleep. But I didn’t want to depend on tablet fully which only offers relief not cure. I slowly started Ayurveda, and was introduced to Uinehealth centre . n e t and their COPD formula, my symptoms gradually diminished including my shortness of breath, wheezing and fatigue. I can vouch for this Ayurvedic treatments but you still need to decide what works best for you.