Funk legend Sly Stone has died, leaving behind a revolutionary legacy of sound and spirit
Sly Stone, the frontman of Sly and the Family Stone and one of the most influential figures in the history of funk, has died at 81 after a long battle with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).
Known for shaping the sound of 60s and 70s funk and soul, Stone helped redefine pop music with a fusion of styles that brought gospel, psychedelic rock and politically conscious lyrics into the mainstream.
Tracks like Dance to the Music, Everyday People, and Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) became anthems for their time – and long after.
Stone’s family shared that he died peacefully, surrounded by his children and close friends, and praised him as a “groundbreaking innovator” whose legacy “will continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come.” The news follows the release of his memoir in 2024 and the recent completion of a screenplay about his life.
Tributes have poured in from across the music world. Queen Latifah called Stone a “genius,” while Public Enemy’s Chuck D acknowledged Questlove for “keeping his fire blazing in this century.”
Questlove’s documentary Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and was released on Hulu earlier this year. Created with the close involvement of Stone and his family, the film includes contributions from D’Angelo, Chaka Khan, George Clinton, André 3000, and others. “Sly was a giant — not just for his groundbreaking work with the Family Stone, but for the radical inclusivity and deep human truths he poured into every note,” Questlove wrote.
Rest In Beats SLY Stone ..and we should THANK @questlove of @theroots for keeping his FIRE blazing in this Century. 2 documentaries and book . GET EM pic.twitter.com/avFoE2qUlA
— Chuck D (@MrChuckD) June 9, 2025
Formed in 1966, Sly and the Family Stone broke racial and gender barriers in music, both onstage and off. But the group dissolved in 1975 amid personal tensions and substance use, and Stone gradually withdrew from public life.
While he didn’t maintain a steady presence in his later years, the influence of his work never faded. From Prince to Public Enemy, generations of artists owe something to Sly’s genre-defying approach and vision.
He wasn’t always in the spotlight, but he never stopped shaping it.
