Viva SLY!

A requiem for the iconic funk Icarus, soul soothsayer, and the case for the California dream (plus a Backyard BBQ deep cut Sly mix for Summer 2025)

In his prime, Sly was the right man for the right moment. When he raged onto the scene with the Family Stone in the late 60s, he delivered us unto a musical utopia in sound. What the founders of America could not fully achieve, Sly managed to wrangle into being through his limitless creative aspirations. Utilizing the diverse Bay Area artistic diaspora and his own profoundly talented siblings as his band, he ultimately rendered us all into his very own alternate musical universe. We are all better for his generous efforts and historic creations in records and song.

The best artists transcend their medium, becoming prophet like soothsayers. They render the basic music making tools available to all of us mere mortals as practically useless in our hands. Crucially, they can tell a universal story. Sly did this with his tools; acetate, wood, steel and drums (both real and electronic). His poetry spoke to the heart of every American, then and now. I dare you to put on such master works as the albums “Stand!” or “There’s a Riot Going On” and not look out on your streets in the USA today and hear them as the current soundtrack. Of all the core elements, the rhythm and the voices remain. Sly created a kind of secular gospel for our souls in this republic of perpetual confusion.

Right on the heels of the passing of Sly and his LA genius counterpart, Brian Wilson, in the same tumultuous week. We lost both of these giants in that short span of time and their songs played for that moment as current musical prophecy. The California sound and dream under threat, its musical architects, passed on to the next realm. And the city of LA left to tyranny and political hysteria. A dream deferred indeed.

While some may be tempted to offer up renditions of Sly cover songs in tribute, it’s a completely unnecessary act, as his most ambitious works are still playing like brand new records. Many fans mourn his descent into drug abuse and his retreat from the spotlight in his later years. While that was a tragic consequence for his personal life, friends and family, I don’t think it’s our business at all nor worth examining upon his passing.

As we mourn Sly let’s look at him through the lense of immense gratitude for the gifts in all of these records that can be enjoyed for all of mankind. The lessons therein, musical, poetic, spiritual and philosophical will render themselves timeless. This is the kind of music you want to blast 24-7 into outer space for any possible alien life, to know that most of us have love and creative aspirations in our hearts and that we ultimately strive for harmony and universal truth. It is also music that we can play for people around the world, so that when they hear empty rhetoric from our political leaders, they can also hear the true cry of our collective souls as a free nation.

I would love to have insights into what Sly was thinking about new music in his final days. Did someone play him D’Angelo, Cleo Sol, Doechi or Sault? I hope he knew that we as musicians are trying to live up to the ridiculous benchmark that his music set for us. Because of Questlove’s incredible documentary work with Sly in recent years, I’m sure he had a good inner circle to let him know how grateful we all are and that we are trying to keep his torch of truth lit.

Every backyard BBQ in the world has a Sly song in its mix. I made a Spotify of my personal favorite deep cuts for your BBQ this summer. You know the hits, so here are some deeper cuts to celebrate his legacy.

Here’s to a rousing July 4^th surrounded by Everyday People that you love, and music that tells the real story of the American soul, one nation, divided, but under the divine funk of Sly and the hope and aspirations of the California sound and its utopian dreams. Long may they reign…

Scott Sharrard

Denver, CO

June 27^th, 2025

Sly Stone-The Deep Cuts-4^th of July BBQ mix