Homeless Sly Stone says he's OK

NEW YORK, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Funk music icon Sly Stone, who is living out of a van in Los Angeles, says he wants to reassure his fans he's going through a rough patch, but is OK.

Stone, 68, was the front man for Sly and the Family Stone in the 1960s and '70s, but in recent years has been known more for his substance abuse and legal woes than for his music.

He filed a lawsuit last year claiming his former manager stiffed him out of royalty payments for more than 20 years, leaving him penniless and residing in his vehicle.

"Sometimes you have bad times," Stone said on Tuesday's episode of TV's "Inside Edition."

Asked what he wants his fans to know, the singer replied: "I love them. And, I'll be right with them. And, I'm just going through this little thing. And, I'll be OK."