This weekend on Gumbo Kitchen, Ronnie Littlejohn pays tribute to the funky maestro and leader of Sly and the Family Stone, Sly Stone, who passed away on June 9 at the age of 82.
Known as a pioneer blending the genres of funk, rock and soul, Sly Stone, born Sylvester Stewart on March 15, 1943 in Denton, Texas, got his start singing gospel music along with his siblings in the church as the Stewart Four. After moving to San Francisco, he became a DJ for the soul radio station KSOL where he was known for his diverse taste in music.
He formed Sly and the Stoners in 1966 and they released their debut album, A Whole New Thing, in 1967. They changed their name to Sly and the Family Stone and went on to be a mainstream success, releasing 10 studio albums between 1966-1982, known for songs such as “Dance to the Music”, “Everyday People”, and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”. Sly leaves behind three children, siblings and extended family.
Also featured on Friday’s show is an exclusive interview with Josh Grossman, Artistic Director of the Toronto Jazz Festival, who will be giving us an inside look into what folks can expect from this year’s edition of the Toronto Jazz Festival.
Ronnie will also pay tribute to Beach Boys co-founder and pop icon Brian Wilson who died at the age of 82 on June 11. This edition of Gumbo Kitchen is one you won’t want to miss!
Tune in to Gumbo Kitchen on Friday, June 13 at 9PM EST only on jazz.fm91.