In the late 60s, perhaps the most positive change in the music industry was that age-old genre barriers were finally starting to crumble. The days of segregating the styles of rock, country, folk, soul and R&B were coming to an end and the result was an exciting new era of musical exploration. At the forefront of this melding of styles was Sly and the Family Stone, a group instrumental in defining, then refining, the funk sound. By infusing elements of pop, rock and psychedelica into a heavy R&B rhythmic foundation, the band created some of the most energetic and grooving hits of the era. And leading the charge in these defining times, was the creative talent of Sly Stone.