Sly Stone, and his Family Stone, brought his funk to Phoenix only a handful of times but made his mark in the Valley.
Stone, whose band transformed popular music in the 1960s and ’70s and beyond with hits like “Everyday People,” “Stand!” and “Family Affair,” died Monday at age 82.
Born Sylvester Stewart, Stone had been in poor health in recent years, according to The Associated Press. His publicist Carleen Donovan said Stone died in Los Angeles surrounded by family after contending with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other ailments, AP noted.
The online concert archive website setlist.fm reports the band played in Arizona just three times.
Sly & The Family Stone made their Arizona debut April 12, 1968, at the Star Theatre, which would be rechristened Celebrity Theatre in 1972. A few months later, on Jan. 10, 1969, the band played Veterans Memorial Coliseum during a red-hot year at the Arizona State Fairgrounds that also saw the Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, and Stevie Wonder play the stage there.
The band’s last Arizona appearance came nine months after Sly & The Family Stone’s legendary show at Woodstock, and just three months after the blockbuster “Woodstock” documentary film arrived in theaters and showcased the groundbreaking event.
When Sly & The Family Stone returned to the Coliseum on Friday, May 22, 1970, they were superstars who wowed 7,000 fans and, according to an Arizona Republic review the next day, “evoked a febrile response.”
“‘Stand’ brought home its own lyrics and the composer of ‘Everyday People’ which pleads for tolerance and brotherhood, showed that he believes what he’s doing,” the review noted.
Valley fans were well in tune with what Sly & The Family Stone were all about. One young female fan, described as wearing wine-rimmed glasses while sitting outside the coliseum before the show, remarked, “Everything happens when you’re here. The concert gets you together, lets you know one another.”
The Dutch rock group Shocking Blue, whose big hit “Venus” went all the way to Billboard’s No. 1 spot the previous summer, immediately preceded Sly & The Family Stone on the bill in Phoenix.
On the local scene, the Phoenix country rock group Goose Creek Symphony was up first on the bill that night and, according to the review, had fans “skipping” in the aisles.
“Much of the credit belongs to Fred Weisz whose spectacular fiddling left hard-nosed bikers yelping and slapping their knees,” the report said.
That same year Goose Creek Symphony recorded their debut album at Audio Recorders in Phoenix, and that summer they played the huge Atlanta International Pop Festival over July 4 weekend on a bill that included Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers Band, and B.B. King.
Publicity photo of Sly & The Family Stone in 1968. From left, Freddie Stone, Sly Stone, Rose Stone, Larry Graham, Cynthia Robinson, Jerry Martini, Greg Errico.
(Wiki Commons)
Steve Stockmar
News Editor | Sun Life Magazine & Arts & Entertainment
YourValley.net
sstockmar@iniusa.org
Meet Steve
Steve Stockmar joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, and has been an Arizona journalist for almost 30 years. He serves as editor of Sun Life Magazine and contributes to West Valley communities where he focuses mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference.
Community: Every season Steve serves as a “buddy” with the Miracle League of Arizona in Scottsdale, has volunteered his time with Family Promise in Glendale, and previously served on the Ghostlight Theatre board in Sun City West.
Education: Graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff with a Journalism major and English minor.
Random Fact: Steve once won a 50-player live Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament.
Hobbies: Anguishing over his beloved Chicago Cubs and Bears; listening to Beatles and Grateful Dead music.
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