Photo: Putland/Retna

Born March 15th, 1943 Key Tracks "Everyday People," "Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again)," "Family Affair" Influenced Prince, George Clinton

"Sly was definitive cool," says Gnarls Barkley vocalist Cee-Lo. Sly Stone's funk was so revolutionary in its conception, its writing, its arranging, it can be easy to overlook his remarkable singing. "Sometimes he sounded like he wasn't trying, and that confidence can be very attractive," Cee-Lo adds. Stone's vocals mutated from the wild exuberance of "Dance to the Music" to hazy isolation on There's a Riot Goin' On, creating moods that were radically different but no less powerful. "He started as that cheerleader," says the Roots' Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, "then pulled back the Wizard of Oz curtain and revealed a lonely shell of a man." Family Stone bass player Larry Graham says Stone's singing was always shifting: "We were never surprised when he laid down a great vocal track. We all just expected it."

1. Everyday People
2. Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Again)
3. Family Affair
4. Dance to the Music
5. Hot Fun In the Summertime
6. I Want to Take You Higher
7. If You Want Me to Stay
8. Stand!
9. Everybody Is a Star
10. Sing a Simple Song

• View List: The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time
• Listen: The Ultimate Singers Playlist
• The Ballots: View Handwritten Votes
• Legends at Work: In the Studio Photos
• Voters & Methodology