Sly Stone is a legendary American singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential funk and soul group Sly and the Family Stone. Stone has a unique style of blending rock, soul, funk, and R&B into a signature sound that has influenced numerous artists, including Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Lauryn Hill. Stone has also collaborated with and produced a number of other acclaimed artists, including George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and The Time.
| Full Name | Sly Stone |
| Date of Birth | March 15, 1943 |
| Genre | Funk, Soul, Rock |
| Instruments | Vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass, drums, percussion, synthesizer, saxophone |
| Labels | Epic Records, Warner Bros. Records, Columbia Records |
| Notable Work | Dance to the Music, Everyday People, Family Affair |
10 Best Sly Stone Quotes
“I was always different, but I didn’t know I was different.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“I don’t think much about the past. I think about the present.”
– Sly Stone, from SF Weekly
“If you work hard at something, you’re going to get somewhere. That’s the main point.”
– Sly Stone, from Billboard
“I’m not a party person. I’m not a fan of alcohol or drugs. I don’t do any of that stuff.”
– Sly Stone, from MTV
“I’m not a hermit. I’m a socialite.”
– Sly Stone, from SF Weekly
“I’m a very spiritual person. I don’t go to church, but I’m very spiritual.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“I love the music industry. I love the feeling of being onstage and performing.”
– Sly Stone, from Billboard
“I’m not a real musically educated guy. I just hear and feel the music.”
– Sly Stone, from MTV
“You don’t have to be a genius to be a musician. You just need to feel the music.”
– Sly Stone, from SF Gate
“I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
4 Sly Stone Quotes About Sly and the Family Stone
“That’s how Sly & The Family Stone got together. We were just a bunch of kids that wanted to do something, and we didn’t want to give up. We said, ‘Let’s just do it ourselves.’”
– Sly Stone, from YouTube
“People have to realize that this is an American thing. It’s not just about a band, but about a culture. It’s about people who come from different backgrounds and have different ideas.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“The Family Stone was a combination of the best of everything I could see. It was a combination of the best of me, the best of my brother, the best of Cynthia, the best of Larry, and the best of Jerry.”
– Sly Stone, from Interview Magazine
“I was trying to make a multi-racial sound. It was something I had been trying to do before I formed the Family Stone. I wanted to make it a melting pot of music.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
7 Inspirational Sly Stone Quotes
“Don’t be scared to try something new. Don’t be scared to take a chance.”
– Sly Stone, from udiscovermusic.com
“I don’t ever want to rest on my laurels.”
– Sly Stone, from udiscovermusic.com
“You have to have a dream and have faith in yourself.”
– Sly Stone, from udiscovermusic.com
“I’m still trying to find out what I want to do and how I want to do it.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“You have to be willing to take risks sometimes.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“If you can’t be yourself, you can’t be nobody.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“You gotta keep it fresh, you gotta keep it alive.”
– Sly Stone, from udiscovermusic.com
8 Famous Sly Stone Quotes
“Keep on pushing, you know? We’ve got to keep on pushing.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“I think that everybody should be free to do and be whatever they want to be.”
– Sly Stone, from CNN
“I think the main thing is to be creative and be able to express yourself and try to bring something new to the table.”
– Sly Stone, from YouTube
“Women are my favorite people in the world.”
– Sly Stone, from Soulbound Magazine
“Life can be a challenge, meet it! Life can be a disappointment, overcome it! Life can be a sorrow, confront it! Life can be a joy, enjoy it!”
– Sly Stone, from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
“I never wanted fame. I wanted fortune.”
– Sly Stone, from VH1
“A lot of people are going to be surprised when they hear the new songs.”
– Sly Stone, from The Telegraph
“I’m just a little bit of everything.”
– Sly Stone, from NPR
5 Sly Stone Quotes About Love
“Love is a strong thing. It’s stronger than anything else in the world and nothing can replace it.”
– Sly Stone, from Interview Magazine
“I just want a little love, that’s all.”
– Sly Stone, from Pitchfork
“Love is a good thing. I just don’t think it’s enough.”
– Sly Stone, from Roulette
“Love is a feeling that comes from within. It’s something that can’t be taken away.”
– Sly Stone, from NPR
“Love is an emotion that’s so strong and so necessary in this world.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
6 Sly Stone Quotes About Life
“Life is a challenge and you better be prepared for it.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“Life is a river of change, and you have to go with it.”
– Sly Stone, from NPR
“Life is a game so you have to play it. You have to play it the best you can.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“Life is a song, and you have to sing it.”
– Sly Stone, from Rolling Stone
“Life is a journey, you have to go for it.”
– Sly Stone, from NPR
“Life is a process, you’ve got to go through it.”
– Sly Stone, from NPR
5 Quotes About Sly Stone
“Sly Stone is a musical genius”
– David Bowie, from Rolling Stone
“Sly Stone was the mastermind behind the most innovative and accomplished funk band in history”
– All Music, from All Music
“Sly Stone’s music is a part of pop culture that has stood the test of time”
– Michael Jackson, from Rolling Stone
“Sly Stone was a major influence on funk, soul, and rock n’ roll”
– Bootsy Collins, from Grammy.com
“If you look at the history of music, Sly Stone stands out as one of the most innovative, influential and important artists of all time”
– Nile Rodgers, from New York Times
Interview with Sly Stone
Frequently Asked Questions About Sly Stone
1. What is Sly Stone’s most famous quote?
Sly Stone is an American musician, songwriter and record producer who has had a profound influence on the soul and funk music of the late 1960s and 1970s. His songs are still popular today, and he is well-known for his quotable lyrics. Here is a list of some of his most famous quotes:
- “Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!”
- “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get what you need.”
- “I want to thank you for all the love you’ve shown me and the good times you’ve shown me the way.”
- “It’s about time for a change, it’s about time to move on.”
- “If you want to get a message across, don’t be subtle. Make it loud and clear.”
2. Who is Sly Stone?
Sly Stone is a pioneer of funk music and a pioneer of the psychedelic soul genre. He is most famous for being the frontman of the band Sly and the Family Stone, which he founded in 1965. The band had a number of hits including “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People,” “Family Affair,” and “Hot Fun in the Summertime.” Sly Stone also achieved solo success with his album There’s a Riot Goin’ On, which reached number one on the U.S. album charts in 1971.
Stone has been credited with influencing generations of musicians, including Prince and Michael Jackson, and his songs have been sampled by numerous hip-hop and rap artists. He has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Stone is also known for his outspoken political views and has been involved in a number of civil rights and anti-war protest activities.
Sly Stone’s Quotes
- “Life is too short to be living somebody else’s dream.”
- “You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can tell a lot from the type of music a person likes.”
- “You don’t stop dancing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop dancing.”
- “Music is a great way to express yourself and to make a statement about the world around you.”
3. How did Sly Stone influence the music industry?
Sly Stone had a significant impact on the music industry with his innovative and boundary-breaking work. He is credited with creating a new genre of music known as funk, which fused together elements of soul, R&B, rock, and jazz. His influence can be seen in the works of other musicians, including Prince, George Clinton, and James Brown.
- Stone was a pioneer of multi-racial music, as he was one of the first musicians to integrate a wide variety of musical genres and styles in his recordings.
- He was one of the first to use synthesizers and drum machines in funk music, resulting in a sound that was more polished and commercial than his predecessors.
- He was also a pioneer of concept albums, which told stories or explored themes in a way that was not seen in popular music before.
- He was a major influence on the disco movement of the 1970’s, which was a hybrid of funk, soul, and dance music.
- His influence can be heard in the works of modern artists such as Outkast, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Bruno Mars.
4. What was Sly Stone’s most successful song?
Sly Stone had a very successful career and his music was loved by many. His most successful song was “Everyday People”, which was released in 1968. It reached number one on both the Billboard Pop Singles chart and the R&B chart, becoming Stone’s first and only No. 1 hit.
The song was an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement and is remembered for its simple message of unity and equality regardless of race, color, or creed. It was also an early example of funk music, with its soulful groove and memorable horn section.
Other popular songs by Sly Stone and his group Sly & the Family Stone include “Dance to the Music”, “Hot Fun in the Summertime”, and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”. All of these songs have become classic funk tracks that have been sampled in many contemporary hip-hop and R&B records.
5. What was the name of Sly Stone’s band?
Sly Stone was the frontman and leader of the funk band Sly and the Family Stone, which he formed in 1967. The band was made up of Sly Stone on keyboards and vocals, Freddie Stone on guitar and vocals, Larry Graham on bass guitar and vocals, Cynthia Robinson on trumpet and vocals, Jerry Martini on saxophone and vocals, and Greg Errico on drums.
The band’s hits include “Dance to the Music”, “Everyday People”, “Hot Fun in the Summertime”, “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”, and “Family Affair”. Sly and the Family Stone was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Conclusion
Sly Stone is one of the most influential musicians of all time. His influence has been felt in all genres of music, from rock to funk to pop. His music continues to inspire generations of music lovers and his legacy will live on for many years to come. Sly Stone’s quotes speak to a larger truth about the power of music and the joy it can bring to our lives. Through his words and music, Sly Stone reminds us to live life to the fullest and to appreciate the beauty of the world around us.
