Sylvester Stewart, also known as Sly Stone, celebrates his 72nd birthday today. The Family Stone frontman was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 for leading the band in the development of soul, funk, rock, psychedelia, and even hip-hop in the ’60s and ’70s. Pioneers of their time, Sly and The Family Stone was the first major American rock band to have both men and women, defying the boundaries of gender expectations in the music industry.

The group contained several family members and friends, fusing together the sounds of rhythm and blues with psychedelic melodies and a pop, soul, rock and roll hybrid that’s music has lasted years beyond the band itself. While only staying together from 1967 until 1983, Sly and The Family Stone successfully recorded five Billboard Hot 100 hits that made it to the top ten, and released four genre-defining albums that would heavily influence the sound of American popular music at the time.

In celebration of Sly Stone’s birthday, and the undeniable footprint he’s left in the history of funk music, let’s take it back with these old school videos:

“Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”

“Stand!”

“If You Want Me To Stay”


“I Want To Take You Higher”

“Dance To The Music”

Happy Birthday, Sly!