Led by Sly Stone, Sly & the Family Stone broke barriers for their group that consisted of men, women, blacks and whites. The soul, rock, R&B, psychedelic and funk group integrated not only their sounds but their group that sparked a nationwide change in rock history. Prior to Stone, most musical group never delved into political or social commentary; after him, that's all they did.

Sly Stone was born Sylvester Stewart in March 1944. He moved with his family from Texas to San Francisco in the ‘50s, and by the time he was 16 he already had a regional hit. Always interested in music, Stone studied music at Vallejo Junior College before playing in the local Bay Area music scene. After DJing for local R&B radio stations and getting some producing jobs, he formed the Stoners in 1966. The group didn't last long, but with trumpeter Cynthia Robinson in his midst, he created Sly & the Family Stone. Besides Robinson, the group featured Larry Graham, Jr. on bass and vocals, Fred Stewart on guitar and vocals, Greg Errico on drums, Jerry Martini on saxophone and Rosie Stone on piano. Their first hit became a regional success and the diverse group signed with Epic shortly thereafter.

Sly & the Family Stone had a roller coaster of a career. Their albums were up and down on the charts, with their debut album only a minor success, followed by their sophomore effort, Dance to the Music, a Top Ten pop and R&B hit. Their album Stand! began their experience in the political arena with singles like "Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" and "Sex Machine." But by the end of the ‘60s and essentially the end of Stone's career, he became overwhelmed with the ideals he was preaching and started to take every sort of drug imaginable. Though he created two more albums in the early ‘70s, his addictions left his sound blurry and unfocused.