Cynthia Robinson, Sly and the Family Stone trumpeter, dies at 71

Cynthia Robinson, the trumpeter for the iconic group Sly and the Family Stone, died on Monday. She was 71 years old.

Jerry Martini, a friend, told The New York Times that the cause was cancer. She died in Carmichael, California.

Robinson’s death was confirmed on her Facebook page, with the statement asking her fans to support the Cynthia Robinson Cancer Care Fund. The message was also posted on the Sly and the Family Stone page.

Reuters notes that Robinson was among the first female horn players to be a member of a major American pop band. She played with Sylvester Stewart before he started his famous band in 1966. Her voice can be heard on the hits “Dance To The Music” and “I Want To Take You Higher.”

The Sacramento native was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the band in 1993.

Robinson is survived by two daughters, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was remembered by drummer/producer Questlove on Instagram last week.

All The Squares Go Home. Goodbye to Cynthia Robinson. Music's original "hypeman" 20 years before Public Enemy pioneered the "Vice President" position. But she wasn't just a screaming cheerleading foil to Sly & Freddie's gospel vocals. She was a KICK ASS trumpet player. A crucial intricate part of Sly Stone's utopian vision of MLK's America: Sly & The Family Stone were brothers & cousins. friends & enemies. black & white. male & female. saint & sinner. common man & superheroes. guarded & vulnerable. poets & punks. hip & square. She was so cool to us the day we opened up for #SlyAndTheFamilyStone she never ever lost a step or a beat. Even when we weren't so sure if Sly was coming or going during that "comeback" tour (he'd play 20 mins, come onstage and cameo w em for 2 songs, leave, watch them then come back 30 mins later) Cynthia Robinson held that band down. Until her passing The Family Stone was one of the last few #RRHOF groups from the 60s in which ALL original members were still present & accounted for. part of me held hope that #LarryGraham would bury the hatchet & return to the fold just one more time (could you imagine HOW powerful a Sly #GCS combo coulda been? Even if Sly pulled that 6 song ish you know and I know #Prince would be in the wings as pinch hitter and we'd all be the more wiser for it. Cynthia's role in music history isn't celebrated enough. Her & sister Rose weren't just pretty accessories there to "coo" & "shoo wop shoo bob" while the boys got the glory. Naw. They took names and kicked ass while you were dancing in the aisle. Much respect to amazing #CynthiaRobinson

A photo posted by Questlove Gomez (@questlove) on

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