The Staple Singers

One of the era's standout ensembles in vocal harmony, the Staple Singers explored an unusually wide range of styles while remaining anchored in gospel traditions. Under the guidance of Roebuck "Pops" Staples, the four-member group first achieved prominence within gospel circles, later shifting toward folk material and a politically aware blend of gospel and R&B before reaching peak commercial success through several soul singles issued by Stax Records during the 1970s. Across these phases, their signature elements stayed consistent: a densely layered vocal sound that combined exuberance with measured control, Roebuck's understated yet forceful guitar work, and, during the Stax period, Mavis Staples' commanding lead performances. The compilation The Best of the Vee-Jay Years offers a strong survey of their initial gospel recordings; Freedom Highway from 1965 captures the moment when their folk and gospel influences converged with emerging social awareness; Be Altitude: Respect Yourself, released in 1972, represents the peak of their Stax hitmaking phase; and Turning Point in 1984 stands as a notable later release highlighted by a strong rendition of Talking Heads' "Slippery People."

The family's origins trace to 1915 in Winona, Mississippi, birthplace of patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples. Sharing an era and acquaintance with Charley Patton, Roebuck swiftly developed skill as a solo blues guitarist performing at neighborhood gatherings and outings. Drawn equally to religious music, he joined the Golden Trumpets, a Drew, Mississippi-based spiritual ensemble, by 1937. Four years afterward he relocated to Chicago, where he continued gospel performances alongside the Windy City's Trumpet Jubilees. Roughly ten years later Pops Staples, as he was then recognized, introduced two daughters, Cleotha and Mavis, along with son Pervis, to a church congregation, thereby establishing the Staple Singers.

The group recorded in an earlier, somewhat old-fashioned Southern sacred idiom, initially for United and subsequently for Vee-Jay. Pops and Mavis Staples divided lead vocal duties, most tracks supported by Pops' heavily reverbed Mississippi cotton-patch guitar. In 1960 the quartet moved to Riverside, a label focused on jazz and folk. Through Riverside and later Epic, the Staples sought entry into the expanding white folk market. Two Epic singles, "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)" and a version of Stephen Stills' "For What It's Worth," appeared briefly on the pop charts in 1967.

The Staples joined Memphis-based Stax in 1968. Their opening pair of albums, Soul Folk in Action and We'll Get Over, were overseen by Steve Cropper and featured instrumental support from Booker T. & the MG's. The repertoire now consisted entirely of contemporary message-oriented pieces such as "Long Walk to D.C." and "When Will We Be Paid." Pervis departed in 1970 and was succeeded by sister Yvonne. More notably, Al Bell assumed production responsibilities, steering the ensemble toward Muscle Shoals and introducing a markedly funkier sound.

Beginning with "Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)" and "I'll Take You There," the Staples amassed twelve chart entries while at Stax. Following Stax's financial difficulties, Curtis Mayfield brought the group to his Curtom imprint and produced the number-one single "Let's Do It Again." The Staples maintained further chart activity, though on a reduced scale, with Warner through 1979. A single additional album appeared on 20th Century Fox in 1981. After a three-year pause they entered a two-album agreement with Private I and returned to the R&B charts five times, including an unexpected reading of Talking Heads' "Slippery People."

The Staple Singers reached fresh listeners in 1994 through a collaboration with Marty Stuart on "The Weight" for the MCA release Rhythm, Country & Blues. Pops died on December 19, 2000, soon after sustaining a concussion in a household fall. Cleotha passed away in February 2013 following a decade-long struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Throughout the 2000s and early 2010s Mavis issued strong solo recordings on the Alligator and Anti labels. Concord issued the four-disc retrospective Faith and Grace: A Family Journey 1953-1976 in 2015. Yvonne succumbed to colon cancer at her Chicago residence in April 2018 at age eighty. Early 2020 brought another anthology, the seven-LP Come Go with Me: The Stax Collection, drawn from their Stax tenure. Pervis Staples died on May 6, 2021 in Dolton, Illinois, at the age of eighty-five.