Sly and the Family Stone was an American band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1966 and active until 1983. Their work, which blended elements of funk, soul, psychedelic rock, gospel, and R&B, became a pivotal influence on subsequent American popular music. Their core line-up was led by singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sly Stone, and included Stone's siblings Freddie Stone and Rose Stone alongside Cynthia Robinson, Greg Errico (drums), Jerry Martini (saxophone), and Larry Graham. The band was the first major American rock group to have a racially integrated, mixed-gender lineup.
