Stone Flower was a record label founded by Sly Stone with David Kapralik. It served as an outlet for some of the artists that Stone had written for and produced.
Background The label was founded by Sly Stone and his manager David Kapralik in 1969. Its parent company was Stone Flower Music, Inc., a production company they had founded two years prior.Billboard, September 6, 1969 - Page 8 Atl to Handle Stone FlowerI Want to Take You Higher, The Life and Times of Sly and the Family Stone, By Jeff Kaliss · 2024 - - Page 78Mojo Magazine, 17 July 2025 - Every Sly Stone Album Ranked, 8. Various, I’m Just Like You: Sly’s Stone Flower
Stone was the head of A&R and had the responsibility of producing singles and albums for the label. Kapralik who had a twelve-year history with CBS / Columbia had the job of seeking out new talent and singing them to the label. The label had two locations. The Hollywood location was at 1771 North Vine Street, Los Angeles. This was the home office and Steve Topley; the director of national promotion worked from there. The other office was at 180 Madison Ave., New York. Barbara Baccus, the vice-president of administration was based at that location.Billboard, September 6, 1969 - Page 8 Atl to Handle Stone Flower
History It was reported in the 6 December 1969 issue of Record World that Stone Flower was one of the important record labels that Atlantic Records had entered into a distribution deal with. The other two were, San Francisco Records and Track Records. According to the magazine, a release from Stone Flower was expected in early January.Record World, December 6, 1969 - SECTION II Page 78 Atlantic: A Growing Reputation For Hot New Labels
Little Sister recorded "You're the One" which was released on Stone Flower 9000. It was reviewed in the 7 February 1970 issue of Cash Box where it was one of the three Newcomer Picks. Having already broken in some markets the reviewer wrote that with the "peculiar rhythmic drive and hypnotic repetition", it should be a teen blockbuster.Cash Box, February 7, 1970 - Page 26 Cash Box Record Reviews, Newcomer Picks, LITTLE SISTER (Stone Flower 9000) You’re The One- Pt. 1
As published in the 22 August 1970 issue of Billboard, Stone Flower had three places in the "Top Soul Records, Artists and Labels For 1st 6 Months of 1970" charts. "You're the One" was at No. 15 on the Top Soul Singles chart,Billboard, August 22, 1970 - Page 13 TOP SOUL RECORDS, ARTISTS AND LABELS FOR 1st 6 MONTHS OF 1970, TOP SOUL SINGLES, 15. YOU'RE THE ONE-Little Sister (Stone Flower) Little Sister was at No. 25 on the Top Soul Singles Artists chart,Billboard, August 22, 1970 - Page 13 TOP SOUL RECORDS, ARTISTS AND LABELS FOR 1st 6 MONTHS OF 1970, TOP SOUL SINGLES ARTISTS, 25. LITTLE SISTER-Stone Flower (1) and the Stone Flower label was at No. 25 on the Top Soul Singles chart.Billboard, August 22, 1970 - Page 13 TOP SOUL RECORDS, ARTISTS AND LABELS FOR 1st 6 MONTHS OF 1970, TOP SOUL SINGLES LABELS, 25. STONE FLOWER (1)
6ix was a group that was made up of Dale Radcliff, Paul Stallworth, Del Riker, Chuck Higgins, Gil Bottliiglieri, and Marvin Baxter. Their name came from David Kapralik who had been inspired by a Bank of America commercial. According to band member Paul Stallworth, 6ix was a group that wasn't based on any particular person and was basically an image or what Kapralik wanted to see in a band.I'm Just Like You: Sly's Stone Flower 1969–70, Light in the Attic – LITA 121, Booklet, Pages 22 & 23. They had backed Little Sister for a period of time. I'm Just Like You: Sly's Stone Flower 1969-70, Light in the Attic – LITA 121, Booklet, Part Three, Ever Stop to Think About a Downfall, Pages 36 released a single of their own, "I'm Just Like You" / "Dynamite" on the Stone Flower label in 1970.45Cat - 6ix - I'm Just Like You It was a Four-Star Single Pick in the 31 October issue of Record World. The reviewer wrote that the sound of the group was like Screamin' Jay Hawkins and Pink Floyd. There was also a question on how the name of the group should be pronounced.Record World, October 31, 1970 - Page 6 record world FOUR STAR PICKS Single Reviews, 6IX-Stone Flower 9002 I'M JUST LIKE YOU (Stone Flower, BMI) DYNAMITE (Daly City, BMI)
Little Sister recorded "Somebody's Watching You" which was produced by Sly Stone. Backed with "Stanga", it was released on Stone Flower S-9001.45Cat - Little Sister - Somebody's Watching You The record debuted at No. 34 on the Record World Singles Coming Up chart for the week of 31 October.Record World, October 24, 1970 - Page 22 record world Singles Coming UpRecord World, October 31, 1970 - Page 26 record world Singles Coming Up, 34. SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOU The song was a Four Star Pick in the 7 November issue of Record World. The reviewer referred to the single as perfect.Record World, November 7, 1970 - Page 8 record world Single Reviews FOUR STAR PICKS, LITTLE SISTER-Stone Flower 9001 SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOU (Stone Flower, BMI) It had also moved up to No. 26 on the Singles Coming Up chart that week.Record World, November 6, 1970 - Page 15 record world Singles Coming Up, 26. SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOU The following week, the single was at No. 18. The chart would then change its format and name. It was now the 101 to 150 Singles Chart, and "Somebody's Watching You" had moved from No. 118 to No 104.Record World, November 14, 1970 - Page 24 record world Singles Coming Up, 18. SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOURecord World, November 21, 1970 - Page 48 THE 101 - 150 SINGLES CHART, 104 118, MEBODY'S WATCHING YOU LITTLE SISTER-Stone Flower 9001 (Daly City, BMI) By 12 December, the single was in its second week on the Record World Singles Chart, having moved up from No. 96 to No. 89.Record World, December 12, 1970 - Page 31 THE SINGLES CHART WEEK OF DECEMBER 12, 1970, THIS WK. 89, LAST WK. 96, SOMEBODY'S WATCHING YOU LITTLE SISTER/Stone Flower 9001 (Atlantic), WKS. ON CHART 2
The last record released on the label was "Life and Death in G&A" in October 1970.45Cat - Joe Hicks - 7" Singles Discography, A: Life And Death In G&A According to Ed Ward in his article "Sly Stone: The Early Days In The East Bay" which was published on NPR on 18 August 2011, the record remained one of the most disturbing records he'd ever heard.NPR, August 18, 2011 - Sly Stone: The Early Days In The East Bay By Ed Ward
Later years In 2014, the I'm Just Like You: Sly's Stone Flower 1969–70 album was released on the Light in the Attic label. It featured releases by 6ix, Little Sister, Joe Hicks and Sly Stone. There were also ten unreleased tracks on the album.Mojo Magazine, 17 July 2025 - Every Sly Stone Album Ranked, 8. Various, I’m Just Like You: Sly’s Stone Flower The album was reviewed by Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times in 2014.Los Angeles Times, Nov. 6, 2014 - New release gathers Sly Stone’s drum machine tracks of ‘69-’70 By Randall Roberts
References
External links Discogs - Stone Flower