1973 Sly and the Family Stone – If You Want Me To Stay
In spite of some problems caused by drugs, Sly and the Family Stone managed to release a successful album in 1971 that included the #1 hit Family Affair. Sly played nearly all the instruments on the album and used extensive overdubs to get the finished product he wanted.
Disagreements over royalty shares and other problems led several members to leave the band, but Sly had no trouble replacing them.
It would be 1973 before the band’s next album, Fresh. While the album did not sell that well, many consider it to be a pivotal album in the evolution of funk.
The first single from the album, If You Want Me To Stay, reached #23 on the Hot 100 and #15 on the R&B chart.
The band reached #32 on the Hot 100 with one more single in 1974, after which they never charted in the top forty again.
In January 1975, the band booked Radio City Music Hall in New York City for a concert. The audience only filled about an eighth of the seats, leaving the band with insufficient funds to even fly home again. The band fell apart after that failure, and Sly continued on as a solo performer. By 2011, his drug problems had resulted in Sly being homeless.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sly_and_the_Family_Stone
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sly_and_the_Family_Stone_discography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_You_Want_Me_to_Stay
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