MUSIC MONDAY: “Everyday People”: The Essential Sly and the Family Stone Collection (LISTEN)

Greetings! It’s your friend and selector, Marlon, again.

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s joyous, crisply edited and well observed documentary about Sly Stone dropped in February on Hulu and Disney+.

SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) is a worthy follow-up to the Oscar-winning documentary Summer of Soul, and examines the life and lasting legacy of Sly & The Family Stone.

It was the inspiration of this playlist about the groundbreaking band led by the enigmatic and charismatic Sly Stone.

This wonderful film captures the Sly Stone’s rise, reign and subsequent fadeout, and as the subtitle suggests, sheds light on the unseen and often unspoken burden that comes with success for Black artists in America.

This collection, Everyday People: The Essential Sly And The Family Stone, celebrates one of the authors of modern funk. Stone led a pioneering fusion of soul, rock, psychedelia and gospel.

Here are songs from across Sly and The Family Stone’s ten studio albums, their live records, and a fraction of the hit songs that sample this legendary group.

From LL Cool J to Janet Jackson to Beastie Boys to Jungle Brothers, there are tracks included that are driven by grooves of Sly Stone.

Please enjoy this 100 song collection of essential tracks by and featuring Sly & The Family Stone.

And as always, stay safe, sane and kind. See you next month!!