In 2016, Prince passed away without ever getting to work with his hero: “He never called”
Questlove paid tribute to Prince after his death in 2016, focusing on how the musician reshaped funk and soul. The article recalls that Prince admired Sly Stone and wanted to work with him, a potential meeting of two influential artists that never became a recording collaboration.
Stone said Prince met his partner and manager, Arlene Hirschkowitz, at the Roxbury and told her he would like to work with Stone. Stone was enthusiastic and expected a call, but said Prince never contacted him. Both musicians have since died, leaving the imagined collaboration unrealised.
In short
- Prince wanted to work with Sly Stone.
- Stone welcomed the idea but never received a call.
- Their possible collaboration remains a musical what-if.
Explained simply
Prince was an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose music drew on funk, soul, rock and pop. Sly Stone was the frontman of Sly and the Family Stone, a band known for blending funk and soul with rock.
Prince admired Stone and hoped they might work together. Their musical styles and influence made a collaboration an intriguing possibility, but the two never recorded together.