American funk pioneer Sly Stone dies at 82

The man whose music sparked the soul explosion in the 1960s gave a memorable concert with his band at the Woodstock festival in August 1969.

Funk pioneer Sly Stone, real name Sylvester Stewart, whose music sparked the soul explosion of the 1960s, has died at the age of 82, his family announced to US media on Monday, June 9. "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Sly Stone," his family said in a statement.

The multi-instrumentalist fronted the multiracial, mixed-race rock band "Sly and the Family Stone," a rarity in the 1960s. The band had played a memorable concert at the Woodstock festival in August 1969. In just five years, his inventiveness left an indelible impact on American and world music, from the band's first hit, "Dance to the Music ," in 1967, and their song "Everyday People ," a year later, to the 1970s rhythm and blues masterpiece, "If You Want Me to Stay ."

Sly Stone struggled with the pressures of fame and spiraled into drug abuse, leading to multiple arrests. He was even homeless for a time, living in a van. He won nearly $5 million in 2015 for royalties that his former manager hadn't paid for over 20 years .