Sly Stone — who easily ranks among the most important Bay Area musicians of all time– died Monday in Los Angeles.

He was 82.

The Woodstock veteran, who had reportedly been in poor health over the last few, died “surrounded by family after contending with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other ailments,” Stone’s publicist Carleen Donovan told the Associated Press.

Stone (whose real name was Sylvester Stewart) will be remembered of the magnetic front man of the Bay Area-based Sly and the Family Stone, the funk-rock-soul act which changed the face of popular music with such pioneering albums as “Dance to the Music” and “Stand!” in the late ’60s and early ’70s.

The group’s “psychedelic sou” music, brilliantly captured on such top 10 hits as “Everyday People” (1968), and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin),” mesmerized legions of listeners and inspired countless musicians who would try to follow in Stone’s footprints.

It’s easy to point out such fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acts as George Clinton, Michael Jackson and, especially, Prince — as well as more contemporary artists like Bruno Mars and Beyonce — as being directly influenced by Stone’s work. Yet, the visionary singer-songwriter’s impact was so great and far-reaching that it would be hard to find any soul-funk acts of the last half-century who don’t owe a debt of gratitude to Sly Stone.

In that regard, Stone had every bit as great an influence — if not greater — than any Bay Area act you want to mention, from the Grateful Dead to Metallica to Green Day.