It’s impossible to tell the story of the ’60s counterculture without Sly Stone. The songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and creative thrust of Sly & The Family Stone fused the elation of gospel with the radical edge of psychedelia and funk. Despite cosmetic differences, these styles held similar goals: transcendence of self through surrender to music. Politically astute and proudly integrated (Stone was one of the few Black artists to perform at Woodstock), the band and their sound became a bellwether for the era, mixing protest and party in equal measure on staples like “Dance to the Music” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).” And while Stone projected unity (“Everyday People”), he also carved out a space that felt unapologetically Black, a balancing act that made him a guidepost for Prince, Outkast, and dozens of others, regardless of genre. Even when things got dark, both in his life and on record, his songs embodied a tremendously uplifting promise: that music could be revolutionary and still get people dancing.