Funkatropolis: Sly Stone’s Early Doo-Wop Days With The Viscaynes

Sly & The Family Stone revolutionized popular music in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with their brilliant amalgam of funk, rock, soul, gospel and psychedelia. However, before the band altered the music landscape, its leader and guiding light Sly Stone was a member of the doo-wop group the Viscaynes. The group was formed in the late 1950s at Vallejo High School in California’s San Francisco Bay. A 17-year-old Sly (then known by his birth name Sylvester Stewart) joined the group in 1960 as a keyboardist and vocalist. He was previously a member of the doo-wop group the Webs (also formed at Vallejo High School) and a longtime member of his family gospel group, The Stewart Four, and played guitar for a band called the Monarchs.

The Viscaynes lineup at the time was Sly, Frank Arellano, Charlene Imhoff, Maria "Ria" Boldway and brothers Charles and Vern Gebhardt. In a 2020 interview with Goldmine Magazine, Charles Gebhardt said Sly aced his audition when the group was looking for a replacement for a departing member. “It wasn’t even close,” said Gebhardt. “He was in.” And as a bonus, Sly could already play several instruments. “It didn’t matter if it had a couple of broken strings,” Gebhardt said. “He could still make music with it. The guy was–and is–a musical genius.”

The racial makeup of the Viscaynes was unique, as there were very few integrated doo-wop groups at the time. The Viscaynes consisted of four white members (Maria Boldway, Charlene Imhoff, and Charles and Vern Gebhardt), a Filipino member (Frank Arellano) and a black member (Sly). There was also an interracial romance between Sly and Maria Boldway. It was discreetly concealed from the public due to prevailing hostile attitudes toward interracial couples at the time–particularly those that involved a black man and a white woman.

The Viscaynes performed at high school shows, proms, weddings, and well-known venues such as Vallejo’s Ranger’s Hall, Solano County Fairgrounds, Travis Air Force Base and Carpenters’ Hall. Their repertoire mainly consisted of cover tunes. The group chose songs that were conducive to their rich vocal harmonies. According to Gebhardt in the same Goldmine Magazine interview, all group members contributed to song arrangements. He added that Sly’s considerable talents and deep music knowledge naturally placed him in a leadership role. Sly always ensured that the pitches were right, said Gebhardt. “He could hear that right away.”

In the spring of ‘61, the vocal sextet took home first prize at a Bay Area talent show hosted by Dick Stewart of TV show KPIX Dance Party. This win earned them a trip to Hollywood and a recording contract. The group released their first single, “Stop What You Are Doing,” on the San Francisco-based Tropo label in July of ‘61. Its B-side was “I Guess I’ll Be.” Both are catchy, well-sung doo-wop tunes written by Gary Stites. The group scored a regional hit with “Yellow Moon” (1961), which features Sly on lead vocals. It charted in the top 60 on San Francisco’s KYA Radio. The finely crafted doo-wop tune showcased Sly’s budding vocal talent, although his vocals were sped up a bit. Also, one of the saxophone players on the song was Jerry Martini, who went on to be a founding member of Sly and the Family Stone. Its B-side “Heavenly Angel” also featured Sly on lead vocals, delivering another impressive performance. “Yellow Moon” is credited to George Motola (the song’s producer) and his wife Rickie Page, and “Heavenly Angel” is credited to Earl Washington and Rickie Page. However, Sly was the actual composer of both songs according to Gebhardt. Sly also penned the irresistible Vicscaynes song “Help Me With My Broken Heart,” which features him on lead vocals. And he’s listed as the songwriter this time.

Also in 1961, the Viscaynes provided background vocals for R&B/doo-wop singer Jasper Woods (real name Richard Berry) on his single "Hully Gully Papa" / "I'm Coming Home." "Yellow Moon" eventually caught the ear of Autumn Records co-founder Tom Donahue, who liked what he heard. This led to Sly signing with the label as a producer and songwriter. The Viscaynes broke up in late ‘61. The members were no longer happy and felt they were being exploited. Additionally, Sly’s solo appearance (billed as Danny "Sly" Stewart) on November 24, 1961, was another factor that contributed to the group’s dissolution.

Being a member of the Viscaynes was a great training ground for Sly as a music artist. It helped him improve his stage presence and hone his vocal skills. It also gave him good hands-on experience working in a diverse group setting. One of his great attributes is the ability to work and thrive in various music milieus and collaborate with musicians of different races, genders and cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

The compilation album Yellow Moon: Complete Recordings 1961 - 1962 was released on March 5, 2021 on UK label Ace Records. The collection features 19 songs recorded by the Viscaynes in the early ‘60s.

"Heavenly Angel"