Sly & The Family Stone – A Whole New Thing album art
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On June 9, 2025, we lost Sylvester “Sly” Stewart, a Black genius and major innovator of funk, psychedelic soul and rock — in return developing progressive soul, influencing artists and musicians of all backgrounds. Prior to Sly’s passing, trumpeter and “original hypeman” Cynthia Robinson left us on November 23, 2015.
In 1966, Stone formed the Stoners, which featured trumpeter Cynthia Robinson. Though the Stoners didn't last long, he brought Robinson along as one of the core members of his next group, Sly & the Family Stone. Formed in November 1966, the Family Stone also featured Fred Stewart (guitar, vocals), Larry Graham, Jr. (bass, vocals), Greg Errico (drums), Jerry Martini (saxophone), and [Rose] Stone (piano), who were all of different racial backgrounds. The group's eclectic music and multiracial composition made them distinctive from the numerous flower-power bands in San Francisco, and their first single, “I Ain’t Got Nobody,” became a regional hit for the local label Loadstone. The band signed with Epic Records shortly afterward, releasing their debut album, A Whole New Thing, in 1967. The record stiffed, but the follow-up, Dance to the Music, generated a Top Ten pop and R&B hit with its title track early in 1968. Life followed later in 1968, but the album failed to capitalize on its predecessor's success. “Everyday People,” released late in 1968, turned their fortunes back around, rocketing to the top of the pop and R&B charts and setting the stage for the breakthrough success of 1969’s Stand!
The cover of A Whole New Thing, released on Epic Records in 1967, features the widely identifiable and clowned upon Hobo, tightly set in white for the artist’s name and green for the album's name, both in all caps. Helvetica appears on the rest of the back cover. It is not known who designed the cover, as no designer credits appear, although for the 1970 reissue, Teresa Alfieri is credited as designer, with Stephen Paley for photography credits.
The reissue cover of A Whole New Thing uses Bauhaus Prisma Q for “SLY” and Jazzbeau for “& THE FAMILY STONE”, along with the album’s name. The reissue uses images from 1969’s Greatest Hits, although the cover is incorrect considering Rose Stone did not join the Family Stone until Dance to the Music – yet she appears on the cover.
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Back cover with liner notes by John Hardy
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1970 reissue
This post was originally published at Fonts In Use