We Speak Music
Gerald Lucas Honors Musical Icon Sly Stone with New Cover of “If You Want Me To Stay”
An inspired tribute from one multi-instrumentalist to another
Acclaimed musician, singer, and composer Gerald Lucas announces the release of his new cover of “If You Want Me To Stay,” a heartfelt tribute to the legendary Sly Stone. The release arrives in the wake of Stone’s passing on June 9, 2025, honoring the profound influence he had on generations of artists.
“I played Sly Stone’s records all the time growing up,” Lucas recalls. “I was always amazed how Sly could play many different instruments as he blended and fused various musical styles.” Inspired by that legacy, Lucas set out to reimagine one of his favorite Sly Stone songs—performing every instrument on the track himself as a nod to Stone’s groundbreaking artistry.
The result is a deeply personal and musically rich rendition that captures the spirit of the original while showcasing Lucas’s own versatility and creative voice. Much like his musical hero, Lucas demonstrates his mastery across multiple instruments, delivering a layered and soulful performance that bridges past and present.
Gerald Lucas is an internationally recognized multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, composer, and arranger. His career has taken him to some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including Carnegie Hall and multiple appearances at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Known for his dynamic musicianship and genre-blending approach, Lucas continues to push artistic boundaries while paying homage to the icons who shaped his sound.
With “If You Want Me To Stay,” Gerald Lucas not only celebrates the enduring legacy of Sly Stone but also reaffirms his own place as a powerful and innovative voice in contemporary music.
Singer-songwriter, producer, and visual artist Meg Pfeiffer has unveiled an intimate acoustic version video of her song “Kill Me,” offering a raw and unfiltered lens into one of the most emotionally charged moments in her catalog.
“Kill Me (Acoustic Version)” confronts the experience of working with someone in the music industry who fails to fully commit—leaving collaborators suspended both emotionally and professionally. Stripped of heavy production, the acoustic version places Pfeiffer’s arresting voice and piercing lyrics front and center, amplifying the song’s sense of vulnerability, frustration, and disillusionment.
At the heart of the song is a striking metaphor drawn from the true story of mountaineers Simon Yates and Joe Simpson, whose survival after a catastrophic climbing accident later inspired a well-known film. Pfeiffer opens the song with the line:
“We won’t survive this like Simon Yates and Joe Simpson,”
suggesting that her own experience felt even more unforgiving than the harrowing tale of endurance and escape.
Throughout the song, Pfeiffer weaves sharp, evocative imagery to articulate betrayal and instability, including the lyric:
“You switched sides like the weather in England. Now you’re with the liars who tell you all the wrong things.”
In the bridge, she distills the chaos of broken alliances into a single cutting line:
“Befriended a clown, now I gotta deal with the circus.”
The accompanying video mirrors the song’s emotional honesty. Minimalist and unadorned, it reflects Pfeiffer’s long-standing artistic approach—prioritizing truth over polish and emotional clarity over spectacle.
Meg Pfeiffer is a singer-songwriter, music producer, and video director whose work has reached millions worldwide. Her video productions have amassed over 200 million views, and her music has been streamed more than three million times on Spotify. She has performed in over 25 countries, captivating audiences with her sharp lyrical instinct, quiet intensity, and confessional live performances that often feel more like intimate conversations than traditional concerts.
Her early career caught the attention of Sony Music and Universal Music Publishing, where chart success came quickly. Ultimately, Pfeiffer chose independence, founding her own label alongside her husband, Italian fingerstyle guitarist Luca Stricagnoli. Now based in Nashville, the duo operate with full creative control and are both voting members of the Recording Academy.
Meg is known for her hands-on artistry—writing, recording, producing, mixing, mastering, and directing her own videos. Her discography spans from her 2006 debut Man from the Woods to expansive releases like Nope and Unsent, the polished pop-leaning Perspective, and her critically acclaimed album Red Wine Philosophy, a sixteen-track work praised for its patience, complexity, and emotional depth.
Over the years, Pfeiffer has received multiple international honors, including the Intercontinental Music Award, Global Music Award, Indie Songwriting Award, and several German Rock & Pop Awards, along with a Josie Music Awards nomination in Nashville.
With “Kill Me (Acoustic Version),” Meg Pfeiffer once again reaffirms her commitment to honesty over trends and freedom over formulas—delivering a performance that is as confronting as it is quietly powerful.
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