Sly and the Family Stone are all about funk. If you like good, pre-disco music this is the CD for you. Literary Illusions is proud to offer a copy for giveaway to one lucky reader. All you need to do to win is let us know you’re interested by leaving us a comment. Add a link from your website (or blog) to ours and we will give you a second shot to win!

You must be residing in the US and be 18 or older to win this contest. We will choose a winner on November 1.

Good Luck and continue reading for information about this fabulous CD.

The final entry in the 40th anniversary restoration campaign of the great album discography of the first golden decade of Sly & The Family Stone – which kicked off with the spring release of the expanded editions of their seven original studio albums on Epic Records (1967-1974) – now comes full circle as GREATEST HITS arrives in stores.

Sly & The Family Stone – the first hitmaking interracial, mixed-gender rock and soul band – recorded and released their first album 40 years ago in 1967, A Whole New Thing. It introduced the 7-piece group lineup that would remain intact through 1972, with Sly’s brother Fred on guitar and sister Rosie on piano, Cynthia Robinson on trumpet, saxophonist Jerry Martini, bassist Larry Graham, and drummer Gregg Errico. At the center of it all was Sylvester Stewart, born in Texas and raised in San Francisco. A former disc jockey and record producer, his vision would place him in the pantheon of African-American artists who moved the music forward and broke down the barriers: James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Aretha, Jimi Hendrix – and Sly & the Family Stone.

The creation of GREATEST HITS quickly took on a life of its own that fall. The track choices were virtually pre-ordained – every one of Sly & The Family Stone’s ten sides that made the pop and R&B charts were on the menu, plus “Fun” (from Life) and “You Can Make It If You Try” (from Stand!), one of the Woodstock favorites. GREATEST HITS was a runaway Christmas best-seller, hit # 1 R&B and # 2 pop, has sold in excess of 5-times RIAA platinum to date, and is listed at # 60 on the Rolling Stone 500.

Sly & The Family Stone were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1993, and Sly accepted the R&B Foundation Pioneer Award in 2002. The eternal appeal of Sly & The Family Stone’s music was reconfirmed most recently on Different Strokes By Different Folks. The all-star tribute-cum-remix project was released on the Starbucks Hear Music label in 2005, and on Epic/Legacy in February 2006, in an expanded edition with two bonus tracks. That same month, an all-star tribute performance at which Sly performed, took place at the annual Grammy Awards broadcast.

Selections:

1. I Want To Take You Higher
2. Every¬body Is A Star
3. Stand!
4. Life
5. Fun
6. You Can Make It If You Try
7. Dance To The Music
8. Everyday People
9. Hot Fun In The Summertime
10. M’Lady
11. Sing A Simple Song
12. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)

UPDATE:

Congrats to our winner Susan Ledet!

Thanks for entering everyone and check back for new contests.

Susan, to claim your prize, please EMAIL US (CLICK THIS LINK) your snail mail address

Technorati Tags: Sly and the Family Stone, Sylvester Stewart, Music, 70s, Everybody is a Star, Everyday People, Hot Fun in the Summertime, CD, Giveaway

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