Of course. Sly & the Family Stone were lightyears ahead of anyone.
I didn't want to name The Jimi Hendrix Experience for fear of starting another "Who was better, The Experience or The Band of Gypsies?" plus "Could Noel Redding really play bass?" suada!!! IMHO: Jimi was as much a visual as a musical phenomenon and in the former, the "black cat fronting a white outfit" was a key component. I have no opinion on which backing band line up played better, they were just different. I believed for decades that the chromatic walking bass line in Hey Joe were Noel's, so don't ruin my tried and trusted convictions today!!!