Sly & The Family Stone Reignite Their Earliest Flame On "Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967"

Written By: Big C

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Every revolution has a starting point. Long before their global rise with Dance To The Music, Sly & The Family Stone were setting fire to late-night stages, fusing soul, funk, rock, and something entirely their own. Now, High Moon Records officially releases The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967, the band’s earliest known live recording. From brassy soul covers to early original compositions, The First Family is a time capsule of genre-blending brilliance—complete with liner notes, rare photos, and interviews with Sly and every original band member. The newly premiered I Gotta Go Now / Funky Broadway proves it, Sly was in command and the future of funk was already taking form.

Recorded in the early hours of March 26, 1967, during the band’s tenure as the house act at Winchester Cathedral in Redwood City, CA, the set was tracked live by then-manager Rich Romanello and shelved for decades. Rediscovered in 2002 by Dutch archivists Edwin and Arno Konings and restored by GRAMMY®-nominated producer Alec Palao, the album brims with both spontaneity and precision. With restoration and mastering by Dan Hersch and lacquer cut by Kevin Gray, this 50-minute live recording is not just an archival gem—it’s living proof that Sly & The Family Stone’s innovation didn’t evolve slowly, it arrived fully formed. Stream “I Gotta Go Now / Funky Broadway” to witness the moment when funk history found its first heartbeat.

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