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Sly and the Family Stone Deliver a Delirious ‘I Can’t Turn You Loose’ in Rare 1967 Recording

Sly and the Family Stone deliver a blistering cover of Otis Redding's 'I Can't Turn You Loose' in the latest track from a rare 1967 live album.

The Otis Redding cover appears on the upcoming LP TheFirst Family, which contains the earliest known live recording of the band It was recorded on March 26, 1967, near the end of the group’s residency at the Winchester Cathedral, a small nightclub in Redwood City, California. During that run, from December 1966 through April 1967, Sly and the Family Stone quickly developed into a live force, which is more than apparent on their delirious, hard-charging version of “I Can’t Turn You Loose.” The performance also offers a unique glimpse into how Sly and the Family Stone tackled Redding’s tune, before flipping it into their own song, “Turn Me Loose,” on their 1967 studio debut, A Whole New Thing.

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