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    The tumultuous hitmaking career of Sly & The Family Stone continues to reverb¬erate in every single genre of contemporary music – from pop and R&B to hip-hop and jazz – more than three decades after the group’s last appearance on the Top 40 charts. 
    The groundbreaking saga of Sly & The Family Stone was played out over the course of their seven original studio albums on Epic Records, recorded and released between 1967 and 1974: A WHOLE NEW THING (1967), DANCE TO THE MUSIC (1968), LIFE (1968), STAND! (1969), THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON (1971), FRESH (1973), and SMALL TALK (1974).  Those albums are considered the Rosetta Stone of funk, the big bang of psychedelic soul, and the seminal foundation of Black Rock.  And now, 40 years on from Sly’s original signing to Epic, the catalog is being upgraded to a level worthy of these timeless classics.
    For the first (and last!) time, newly remastered, numbered expanded editions will be issued of all seven albums – with multiple (four to seven) bonus tracks on each CD (a total of 33 bonus tracks, 21 of them previously unreleased) and brand new liner notes written by some of today’s top music journalists.  The seven albums will be manufactured in a strict limited edition run of custom digipaks, and they will not be re-pressed when they sell out.  All seven albums will arrive in stores March 20th on Epic/Legacy, a division of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAIN¬MENT.  Additionally, the seven titles will be available as a numbered, limited-edition box set.
    All seven albums were produced for reissue by Bob Irwin, and were mastered by Vic Anesini at Sony Music Studios in New York.  An overview of the seven albums’ contents is as follows:

•    A WHOLE NEW THING (released late-1967), with “Trip To Your Heart,” “Run, Run, Run,” five bonus tracks including mono single versions of the B-sides “Let Me Hear It From You” and “Underdog,” plus a previously unreleased instrumental track; with original liner notes by San Francisco-Oakland DJ John Hardy and new liner notes by Bud Scoppa;
•    DANCE TO THE MUSIC (1968), with the Top 10 title hit, six bonus tracks including mono single versions of “Dance To the Music” and “Higher,” and three previously unreleased tracks (including Otis Redding’s “Can’t Turn You Loose”); with original liner notes by Sly and New York DJ Al Gee, and new liner notes by Greg Tate;
•    LIFE (1968), with the title tune single b/w “M’Lady,” four bonus tracks including a mono single version of “Dynamite!” and three previously unreleased tracks; with original liner notes by New York DJ Rosko, and new liner notes by Ben Edmonds;
•    STAND! (1969), breakthrough album with the string of hits “Every¬day People,” “Sing A Simple Song,” “Stand!” and “I Want To Take You Higher,” five bonus tracks including three mono single versions and two previously unreleased tracks; with new liner notes by England’s Barney Hoskyns;
•    THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON (1971), landmark #1 album with “Family Affair,” “Runnin’ Away,” and “(You Caught Me) Smilin’,” four bonus tracks including one mono single version and three previously unreleased instrumental tracks; with new liner notes by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Joel Selvin;
•    FRESH (1973), with “If You Want Me To Stay,” “Frisky,” “If It Were Left Up To Me,” and “Que Sera, Sera” (the only cover in Sly’s entire original album catalog), five bonus tracks – all alternate mixes of unreleased album masters; with new liner notes by Touré;
•    SMALL TALK (1974), the group’s final Epic album, with “Time For Livin’” and “Loose Booty,” four previously unreleased bonus tracks including three alternate versions; with original liner notes by Steve Lake of Melody Maker, and new liners by Alex Stimmel

    The eternal appeal of Sly & The Family Stone’s music was reconfirmed most recently on Different Strokes By Different Folks, an all-star tribute-cum-remix project released on the Starbucks Hear Music label in 2005, and in an expanded edition with two bonus tracks on Epic/Legacy in February 2006.  The CD’s s re-grooved version of “Family Affair,” featuring John Legend and Joss Stone with Van Hunt, was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.  The nomination follows up the all-star tribute performance, at which Sly performed, which took place at the Grammy Awards broadcast in February 2006. 

The Sly & The Family Stone Limited Edition Expanded Editions on Epic/Legacy:

    A WHOLE NEW THING by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (Epic/Legacy 82796 90277 2, originally issued late-1967, as Epic 26456)  Selections: 1. Underdog • 2. If This Room Could Talk • 3. Run, Run, Run • 4. Turn Me Loose • 5. Let Me Hear It From You • 6. Advice • 7. I Cannot Make It • 8. Trip To Your Heart • 9. I Hate To Love Her • 10. Bad Risk • 11. That Kind Of Person • 12. Dog • Bonus tracks: 13. Underdog (single B-side version, mono) • 14. Let Me Hear It From You (single B-side version, mono) • 15. Only One Way Out Of  This Mess • 16. What Would I Do • 17. You Better Help Yourself (instrumental track, previously unreleased).  Produced by Sly Stone.

Note: All tracks recorded June 1967, except: track 15 recorded August 1967 and released 1995 (as bonus track on Life expanded edition); track 16 recorded July 1967 and released 1995 (as bonus track on A Whole New Thing expanded edition); and track 17 recorded August 1967.

    DANCE TO THE MUSIC by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (Epic/Legacy 82796 90274 2, originally issued April 1968, as Epic 26371)  Selections: 1. Dance To The Music • 2. Higher • 3. I Ain’t Got Nobody (For Real) • 4. Dance To The Medley (a. Music Is Alive / b. Dance In / c. Music Lover) • 5. Ride The Rhythm • 6. Color Me True • 7. Are You Ready • 8. Don’t Burn Baby • 9. I’ll Never Fall In Love Again • Bonus tracks: 10. Dance To The Music (single version, mono, Hot 100 #8, R&B #9) • 11. Higher (unissued single version, mono) • 12. Soul Clappin’ • 13. We Love All (previously unreleased) • 14. I Can’t Turn You Loose (previously unreleased) • 15. Never Do Your Woman Wrong (instrumental track, previously unreleased).  Produced by Sly Stone.

Note: All tracks recorded September 1967, except: track 11 recorded May 1967.  Track 12 released 1995 (as bonus track on Dance To The Music expanded edition).

    LIFE by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (Epic/Legacy 82876 83945 2, originally issued November 1968, as Epic 26397)  Selections: 1. Dynamite! • 2. Chicken • 3. Plastic Jim • 4. Fun • 5. Into My Own Thing • 6. Harmony • 7. Life (single, Hot 100 #93) • 8. Love City • 9. I’m An Animal • 10. M’Lady (single B-side) • 11. Jane Is A Groupee • Bonus tracks: 12. Dynamite! (single version, mono) • 13. Seven More Days (previously unreleased) • 14. Pressure (previously unreleased) • 15. Sorrow (instrumental track, previously unreleased).  Produced by Sly Stone.

Note:  All tracks recorded May 1968.

    STAND! by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (Epic/Legacy 82876 75912 2, originally issued April 1969, as Epic 26456)  Selections: 1. Stand! (3rd single, R&B #14, Hot 100 #22)  • 2. Don’t Call Me Nigger, Whitey • 3. I Want To Take You Higher (4th single, R&B #24, Hot 100 #60/1969, Hot 100 #38/1970) • 4. Somebody’s Watching You • 5. Sing A Simple Song (2nd single, R&B 28, Hot 100 #89) • 6. Everyday People (1st single, Hot 100 #1, R&B #1) • 7. Sex Machine • 8. You Can Make It If You Try • Bonus tracks: 9. Stand! (single version, mono) • 10. I Want To Take You Higher (single version, mono) • 11. You Can Make It If You Try (unissued/cancelled single version, mono) • 12. Soul Clappin’ II (previously unreleased) • 13. My Brain (Zig-Zag) (instrumental track, previously unreleased).  Produced by Sly Stone.

Note:  All tracks recorded 1969, except: tracks 5, 8, 11 recorded 1968.

    THERE’S A RIOT GOIN’ ON by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (Epic/ Legacy 82876 75911 2, originally issued November 1971, as Epic 30986)  Selections: 1. Luv N’ Haight • 2. Just Like A Baby • 3. Poet • 4. Family Affair (1st single, Hot 100 #1, R&B #1) • 5. Africa Talks To You “The Asphalt Jungle” • 6. There’s A Riot Goin’ On • 7. Brave & Strong • 8. (You Caught Me) Smilin’ (3rd single, R&B #21, Hot 100 #42) • 9. Time • 10. Spaced Cowboy • 11. Runnin’ Away (2nd single, R&B #15, Hot 100 #23) • 12. Thank You For Talkin’ To Me Africa • Bonus tracks: 13. Runnin’ Away (single version, mono) • 14. Untitled instrumental track #1 (previously unreleased) • 15. Untitled instrumental track #2 (previously unreleased, mono) • 16. Untitled instrumental track #3 (previously unreleased, mono).  Produced by Sly Stone.

Note: All tracks recorded 1971; tracks 14-16 from original album sessions.

    FRESH by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (Epic/Legacy 82796 90275 2, originally issued June 1973, as Epic 32134)  Selections: 1. In Time • 2. If You Want Me To Stay (1st single, R&B #3, Hot 100 #12) • 3. Let Me Have It All • 4. Frisky (2nd single, R&B #28, Hot 100 #79) • 5. Thankful N’ Thoughtful • 6. Skin I’m In • 7. I Don’t Know (Satisfaction) • 8. Keep On Dancin’ • 9. Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) • 10. If It Were Left Up To Me (3rd single, R&B #57) • 11. Babies Makin’ Babies • Bonus tracks: 12. Let Me Have It All (alternate mix, unreleased album master) • 13. Frisky (alternate mix, unreleased album master) • 14. Skin I’m In (alternate mix, unreleased album master) • 15. Keep On Dancin’ (alternate mix, unreleased album master) • 16. Babies Makin’ Babies (alternate mix, unreleased album master) .  Produced by Sly Stone.

Note: All tracks recorded 1973.

    SMALL TALK by SLY & THE FAMILY STONE (Epic/Legacy 88697 04540 2, originally issued July 1974, as Epic 32930)  Selections: 1. Small Talk • 2. Say You Will • 3. Mother Beautiful • 4. Time For Livin’ (1st single, R&B #10, Hot 100 #32) • 5. Can’t Strain My Brain • 6. Loose Booty (2nd single, R&B #22, Hot 100 #84) • 7. Holdin’ On • 8. Wishful Thinkin’ • 9. Better Thee Than Me • 10. Livin’ While I’m Livin’ • 11. This Is Love • Bonus tracks: 12. Crossword Puzzle (previously unreleased) • 13. Time For Livin’ (alternate version, previously unreleased) • 14. Loose Booty (alternate version, previously unreleased) • 15. Positive (instrumental track, previously unreleased).  Produced by Sly Stone.

Read Jeff Kaliss‘ feature in the LA Times: Stone Is At Work But He Keeps It On The Sly And don’t forget to check out Sly & The Family Stone’s Discography for more classic Sly tunes!