Today, the world lost an incomparable visionary and revolutionary spirit with the passing of Sylvester "Sly" Stone, the dynamic heart and soul behind the legendary group Sly and the Family Stone. Born on March 15, 1943, in Denton, Texas, and raised in Vallejo, California, Sly Stone didn't merely enter the music scene—he reshaped it entirely, blazing trails with infectious rhythms, groundbreaking style, and messages of unity and empowerment.

High Moon Records is proud to announce the official release of Sly & The Family Stone’s The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967, available Friday, July 18 on CD, LP, and digital download. This earliest live recording of the pioneering band is accompanied by a deluxe booklet with liner notes from the set’s GRAMMY®-nominated producer Alec Palao, featuring exclusive interviews with Sly Stone and all of the original band members, never-before-seen photos, rare memorabilia, and more.

The year was 1969. Richard Nixon was in the White House. Neil Armstrong was on the Moon. And revolution was in the air. In that backdrop, 500,000 young people gathered on a mid-August weekend in upstate New York for the promise of three days of peace and music. What they experienced at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair was something far greater.

When Sly and The Family Stone hit the scene back in the late ‘60s, the world – socially, culturally and politically – was in a state of upheaval.  And their music perfectly evangelized the moment.  Today, we stand dangerously at the edge of a similar precipice – and that message of celebratory potential and jubilant clarity is sorely needed.