Feature: SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE Kicks Off Las Vegas Tour This Week

Original Sly and the Family Stone founding members Jerry Martini and Greg Errico, along with Sly Stone and Cynthia Robinson’s daughter, Phunne Stone, kicked off the Everyday People tour in Las Vegas before their upcoming concert. The concert celebrating the legacy of Sly and the Family Stone will be held at the Club at the Cannery Casino & Hotel on Oct. 25.

Mayor of North Las Vegas Pamela Goynes-Brown presented the City of North Las Vegas proclamation to Phunne Stone on Oct.  24. The proclamation read, “Everyday People Day of Service, honoring Sylvester Stewart aka Sly Stone, a music genius whose music continues to inspire everyday people to STAND for peace, unity, and equality.” The presentation ceremony also included Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis. He joined The Family Stone and OMG Studios in presenting a donation check to the local organization Broadway in the Hood for their outstanding service to the community in developing youth in music and arts education.

The City of Las Vegas played a role in the band's early years, as Sly and the Family Stone performed their first concert there in 1967.

“We had started the group in December 1966. About six months later, we came down here to the Pussycat A Go Go, which was on the Strip, and we played there six nights a week until six in the morning,” explained Errico during the presentation.

“We used to have fun there. It was really great. We had just gotten signed to Epic Records. On Mondays, our day off, we would drive to CBS on Sussex Boulevard to record in their studio. That's where we did our first album. [These were] great days.”

Their debut album, A Whole New Thing, was released on Oct. 1, 1967.

“Las Vegas has changed so much. If you went off the Strip to the west or to the east, one or two blocks, it's desert. Nothing like you see now,” added Errico.

Led by Rock' n' Roll Hall of Fame inductee and founding member Martini, The Family Stone has kept the music of Sly and the Family Stone alive on stages around the world and in the hearts of everyday people for the past 25 years. To commemorate 60 years of Sly and the Family Stone, the tour, which starts in Las Vegas, will continue in cities across the United States and around the world. Sly Stone credits Martini with starting the band in the Questlove documentary "SLY LIVES," available on Hulu.

“Our first scary thing was live on Ed's Song Show in 1968. I remember that my feet were glued to the stage. I couldn't move my feet. First thing in my life. I think it was stage fright, you call it. Ed Sullivan couldn't see very well. He says, ‘Now we have the hottest new comedy acts. Sly, a friend, and Sean. We all froze, and then that was taken out later. When they first recorded that, when they played that part, everybody laughed, of course. Everyone wore suits and clapped and danced to the music. That was our first hit.”

Sly and the Family Stone made history as America’s first major multi-racial, multi-gender touring band. Their infectious blend of funk, soul, R&B, rock, and psychedelia propelled them to global fame. Fronted by the visionary Sly Stone, the band’s original lineup included his brother Freddie Stone (guitar), sister Rose Stone (keyboards), Martini (saxophone), Larry Graham (bass), Errico (drums), and the late Cynthia Robinson (trumpet).

Affectionately known as “Papa J,” Martini helped shape the band’s revolutionary sound. Carrying the torch forward is powerhouse vocalist Phunne Stone, daughter of Cynthia Robinson and Sly Stone. Her electrifying performances honor her parents' legacies while forging a bold path of her own. Everyone is proud to witness her vocal prowess as she performs his music on stage.

The Family Stone remains true to its original mission: to uplift and unite. Still multi-racial and multi-gender, the band continues to inspire audiences of all ages to stand for peace, equality, and everyday people.

“Anyone who knows this music, who knows the lyrics, can understand what I mean when I say that. We're living in a divisive time that certain people are playing into and making attempts not to let us forget how different we are. The music of Sly Stone, if it has a prevailing message, is that we are more alike than we are different. We are more the same than we are different. We all really want the same thing. No one says, Hey, we can't wait to keep fighting. People look forward to the end of the fighting and the celebration that follows. So, we feel like this is a mission, not just a tour. We'll do it for as long as we can. We'll keep coming to receive that inspiration.”

Follow The Family Stone on Facebook @SlyFamilyStone, Instagram @TheFamilyStoneBand, and visit thefamilystoneband.com for more info.

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