The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon took a moment to pay tribute to musician Sly Stone, who passed away yesterday at the age of 82.
Stone was never a guest on The Tonight Show—the reclusive musician’s last late-night appearance came on Late Night with David Letterman back in 1993—but news of his death still hit home for the show.
That’s because The Roots’ own Questlove spent the last several years in the world of Sly and the Family Stone as director of the documentary Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius). Released on Hulu and Disney+ in February, the documentary traces the group’s rise and fall, examining the demands that accompany success for Black artists.
(Sly Lives! was one of two widely acclaimed music documentaries the Tonight Show bandleader helmed this year, along with Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of Music on SNL.)
Kicking off last night’s Tonight Show, Questlove first threw in nod to Stone at the end of the opening titles, replacing the episode number he usually shouts with a boisterous “S-L-Y!”
But Jimmy Fallon also acknowledged the artist’s passing directly after the monologue. “We just got some sad news,” Fallon said from his desk. “The lead singer of Sly and the Family Stone, Sly Stone, passed away today. One of the greatest musical artists of all time.”
“So many songs, so many jams,” Fallon added, mentioning the hits “Family Affair” and “Hot Fun in the Summertime.” Noting Questlove’s personal connection as documentarian, Fallon turned to the bandleader for a short remembrance.
“He’s an absolute genius. He invented the alphabet that all musicians write their books with,” said Questlove, who also acknowledged “it was hard extracting information out of [Stone]” for the documentary.
“You did an amazing job. He will be missed,” Fallon told the drummer before directing his remarks back to Stone. “We will miss you. Sly Stone, everybody.”
Questlove paid tribute to Sly Stone on Instagram ahead of the show (just hours after eulogizing another musician he worked with, Dres Tha Beatnik).
“Sly Stone, born Sylvester Stewart, left this earth today, but the changes he sparked while here will echo forever,” he wrote. “ Sly’s music will likely speak to us even more now than it did then. Thank you, Sly. You will forever live.”
