Everybody is a Star - The Sly Stone Songbook

Despite his status as a recluse for much of the past thirty years, Sly Stone still stands tall as one of the giants of popular music. He broke barriers, the reverberations of which are still felt within not just R&B and hip-hop but pop music as a whole. The omnipresence of tunes like ‘Everyday People’ and ‘Family Affair’ is a constant reminder of Sly’s pivotal role in shaping black music.

Everybody Is A Star: The Sly Stone Songbook seeks to celebrate the songcraft and influence of Sly Stone’s work via the interpretations of others across the past fifty years. Differing shades of jazz musicians such as Al Jarreau, Gene Harris and David T Walker flocked to his material, while the R&B world often used Sly tunes to bolster their own career, such as Ike and Tina Turner’s storming ‘I Want To Take You Higher.’

Rather than the expected treatments, we also showcase unusual and frequently fascinating covers from the likes of Iggy Pop, Magazine and Jeff Buckley. From Bobby Freeman’s soulful waltz ‘Friends’ to the Raincoats’ angular 80s take on ‘Runnin’ Away’ and Eric Benet’s teasing modern soul version of ‘If You Want Me To Stay,’ Sly’s music touched all genres.

Everybody Is A Star also features several Sly related rarities, and is thus linked to Ace’s earlier collections “Precious Stone” and “Listen To The Voices”. There are rarely-heard Sly compositions performed by 6IX, the Magnificent Men, Diana Ross and Joe Hicks. The Family Stone itself is the artist on the uptown rarity ‘Man Does Not Live’.

With copious, well-illustrated notes by Alec Palao, Everybody Is A Star is essential for any admirer of the work of the incredible, unpredictable, one and only Sly Stone.

1. LIFE AND DEATH IN G & A (LIVE) - Joe Hicks

2. IF YOU WANT ME TO STAY - Eric Benét

3. I WANT TO TAKE YOU HIGHER – Ike & Tina Turner & the Ikettes

4. EVERYDAY PEOPLE - Jeff Buckley

5. DON'T CALL ME NIGGER, WHITEY - Gene Harris

6. EVERYBODY IS A STAR - The Five Stairsteps

7. FRIENDS - Bobby Freeman

8. THANK YOU (FALETTINME BE MICE ELF AGIN) – Magazine

9. OPEN UP AND GET RICHER - The Magnificent Men

10. SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOU - Al Jarreau

11. MAN DOES NOT LIVE (demo) – Sly & the Family Stone

12. LE LO LI - Diana Ross

13. RUNNIN' AWAY - The Raincoats

14. SING A SIMPLE SONG - The Hearts Of Soul

15. I'LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN – John Lee's Groundhogs

16. I'M JUST LIKE YOU - 6IX

17. I GET HIGH ON YOU - Rose Banks

18. FAMILY AFFAIR - Iggy Pop

19. NITE PEOPLE MAKE IT – George & Teddy & the Condors

20. YOU'RE THE ONE - The Three Degrees

21. HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME - David T Walker

22. STAND - The Jackson 5