The American funk pioneer Sly Stone has passed away at the age of 82. His family announced this in a statement. The musician had a long battle with COPD, a lung disease, and struggled with other “underlying health issues.”
Stone, whose real name was Sylvester Stewart, gained worldwide fame as the frontman of the American funk band Sly & the Family Stone. The group had success with their psychedelic funk music in the late sixties and early seventies.
Sly & the Family Stone scored hits with Dance to the Music, Family Affair, and Everyday People. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Stone struggled with drug problems for a long time. Partly due to his drug use, his band fell apart. He was arrested several times in connection with cocaine use, and attempts to detox failed repeatedly.
Together with actress and model Kathy Silva, he had a son: Sylvester. He also had two daughters, one of whom he had with his bandmate Cynthia Robinson.