The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967

The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967
Live album by
Sly and the Family Stone
ReleasedApril 12, 2025
RecordedMarch 26, 1967
VenueWinchester Cathedral, Redwood City, CA
Length48:41
LabelHigh Moon Records
ProducerAlec Palao, Edwin Konings, Arno Konings

The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 is an album containing a historic early live recording by Sly & the Family Stone. It was released in 2025.

Background

Sly & the Family Stone was the resident band at Winchester Cathedral club in Redwood City, California from 16 December 1966 to 28 April 1967. The performance on the album occurred in the early hours of 26 March. The songs performed are a mix of contemporary soul and R&B covers along with one original composition.[1]

The recording was made by the group's first manager Rich Romanello, who was also owner of Winchester Cathedral. This was before Sly & the Family Stone was signed to Epic Records in 1967, so after he lost control of the act, Romanello put the tapes aside.

In 2002 Dutch collectors Edwin and Arno Konings learned of the Winchester recordings when visiting Romanello, after which archivist and reissue producer Alec Palao examined the tapes. At this stage, despite the obviously superlative performance they contained, these were not deemed worthy of release, due to some sonic flaws. However, Romanello expressed a desire for it to be heard, and made arrangements in that regard with the Konings. Further restorative work by Palao on the recordings would bring them to a releasable standard for The First Family.

The package was produced by Palao and the Konings for High Moon Records, initially as a deluxe Record Store Day pressing with gatefold cover, clear vinyl and 24-page booklet with notes by Palao. The record was one of the Record Store Day Releases mentioned on 7 February 2025 by The Music as scheduled for Saturday, 12 April.[2]

A regular single sleeve, black vinyl edition was announced for release on 18 July, along with a CD edition that includes an extra track, "Try A Little Tenderness."

Several songs from The First Family. were featured in the documentary Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

Reception

The review of the album at Tinnitist said that it had intoxicating energy and was a fascinating recording, and it "explicates Sly Stone’s genius on a tremendously exciting and atmospheric set of vintage soul covers". The article finished off by referring to it as a historic document and that it was required listening.[3]

Music collector magazine Goldmine mentioned the quality of the packaging, the clear vinyl and the 24-page booklet. The reviewer also said that acquiring a copy should be a no brainer.[4]

Guitar Player magazine said in their review that "The First Family — Live at the Winchester Cathedral is an incredible early document of Sly and the Family Stone just a few weeks after formation and doing their first residency, which led directly to signing with Epic Records. Talk about a big bang moment!" They stated that "The earliest live Sly and the Family Stone recordings are among the treasures from San Francisco's Summer of Love era rediscovered and released by High Moon Records" [5]

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians

References

  1. ^ Goldmine, Apr 30, 2025 - RSD 2025 was good to Soul music fans all across the globe
    From the U.S. to the U.K., Record Store Day 2025 produced a great selection of soul music releases. Goldmine explores some of the best.
    TONE Scott, SLY & THE FAMILY STONE | The First Family — Live at the Winchester Cathedral 1967
  2. ^ The Music, 7 February 2025 - Record Store Day Release List Revealed, Sly & the Family Stone - The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967 (Deluxe Color LP) / 12
  3. ^ Tinnitist, 2025-04-06 - Next Week in Music | April 7-13 • The Short List: 18 Titles You Want to Hear (Part 2)
    Sly & The Family Stone, The First Family: Live At Winchester Cathedral 1967
  4. ^ Goldmine, Apr 30, 2025 - RSD 2025 was good to Soul music fans all across the globe
    From the U.S. to the U.K., Record Store Day 2025 produced a great selection of soul music releases. Goldmine explores some of the best.
    TONE Scott, SLY & THE FAMILY STONE | The First Family — Live at the Winchester Cathedral 1967
  5. ^ Guitar Player, May 24, 2025 - The earliest live Sly and the Family Stone recordings are among the treasures from San Francisco's Summer of Love era rediscovered and released by High Moon Records
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