Frederick Jerome Stewart, aka Freddie Stone, was born June 5, 1947 in Vallejo, California. He grew up in Vallejo and eventually moved to San Francisco in his late teens.



Freddie studied music theory and composition, and acquired skills on many of the wind and string instruments. In 1965, he formed a group called Freddie and the Stone Souls. The group played various nightclubs and dances in the San Francisco area.

In 1967, Freddie and his older brother, Sly, joined their bands and the Family Stone was born. Sly, Freddie, trumpeter Cynthia Robinson, drummer Gregg Errico, saxophonist Jerry Martini, and bassist Larry Graham completed the original lineup. Within a year, Sly and Freddie's sister, singer/keyboardist Rose Stone, joined the band.

This collective recorded five Billboard Hot 100 hits which reached the top 10, and four ground-breaking albums, which greatly influenced the sound of American pop music, soul, R&B, funk, and hip-hop music. In the preface of his 1998 book For the Record: Sly and the Family Stone: An Oral History, Joel Selvin sums up the importance of Sly and the Family Stone's influence on African American music by stating "there are two types of black music: black music before Sly Stone, and black music after Sly Stone". The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.


As a musician, songwriter, and producer, Freddie has written songs for his sister, Rose, brother Sylvester (Sly Stone), and Larry Graham. He is also credited for his arrangement of songs on the 1995 release of the Promise Keepers album.



Freddie can also be heard on his most recent collaboration with the iconic performer, Sheila E in her politically charged album, Iconic: Message 4 America.

Along with his current musical endeavors, Freddie (now Pastor Frederick Stewart) is entering his 25th year as pastor of Evangelist Temple Fellowship Center, in Vallejo, California.

Freddie recently released a new single, “Steadfast,” earlier this year with plans to follow up with an album release at a later date.