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Biography
Refimprove|date=December 2008Infobox musical artist | name = The Staple Singers| image =Staple Singers on Soul Train.jpg| caption = The Staple Singers with Soul Train host Don Cornelius in 1974.| image_size =| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = Chicago, Illinois , United States | genre = Soul music|Soul , Gospel music|Gospel , Blues , R& B , Funk music|Funk , Pop music|Pop | years_active = 1948–1994| label = United Records , Vee-Jay Records , Checker Records , Riverside Records , Epic Records , Stax Records , Columbia Records|Columbia , Curtom Records|Curtom , United Artists Records|United Artists , Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros. | associated_acts = Curtis Mayfield , Steve Cropper , Booker T & the MG's The Ross Singers| website =| current_members =| past_members = Pops Staples|Roebuck "Pops" Staples Cleotha Staples Pervis Staples Yvonne Staples Mavis StaplesThe Staple Singers were an United States|American Gospel music|gospel , soul music|soul , and R& B singing group. Pops Staples|Roebuck "Pops" Staples (1914–2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha (b. 1934), Pervis (b. 1935), Yvonne (b. 1936), and Mavis Staples|Mavis (b. 1939). They are best known for their 1970s hits " I'll Take You There ", " Respect Yourself ", and " Let's Do It Again (song)|Let's Do It Again ".
Career
The family began appearing in Chicago -area churches in 1948, and signed their first professional contract in 1952.Preiser, David (2002). Uncloudy Day CD liner notes. New York:Koch Jazz. During their early career they recorded in an acoustic gospel- folk music|folk style with various labels: United Records , Vee-Jay Records (their "Uncloudy Day" and "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" were best sellers), Checker Records , Riverside Records , and then Epic Records in 1965. While the family surname is "Staples", the group used the singular form for its name, resulting in the group's name being "The Staple Singers".
It was on Epic that the Staple Singers began moving into mainstream Pop music|pop markets, with "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)" and " For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield song)|For What It's Worth " ( Stephen Stills ) in 1967. In 1968, the Staple Singers signed to Stax Records and released two albums with Steve Cropper and Booker T & the MG's & mdash; Soul Folk in Action and ''We'll Get Over''. By 1970, Al Bell had become record producer|producer , and with Engineer Terry Manning , the family began recording at the famed Muscle Shoals Sound Studio , and Memphis' Ardent Studios , moving in a more Funk music|funk and soul music|soul direction.
The first Stax hit was "Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)". Their 1971 recording of " Respect Yourself ", written by Luther Ingram and Mack Rice , peaked at #2 on the R& B charts and was a #12 pop music|pop hit as well. The song's theme of self-empowerment had universal appeal, released in the period immediately following the intense American civil rights movement of the 1960s. In 1972, the group had a huge #1 hit in the United States with " I'll Take You There ". It topped both pop and R& B charts. " If You're Ready (Come Go With Me) " would become another big hit, reaching #9 pop and #1 on the R& B chart in 1973.
Then, after Stax's bankruptcy in 1975, they signed to Curtis Mayfield 's label, Curtom Records , and released " Let's Do It Again (song)|Let's Do It Again ", produced by Mayfield; the song became their second #1 pop hit in the US and the album also. In 1976, they collaborated with The Band for their film The Last Waltz , performing on the song " The Weight " (which The Staple Singers had previously covered on their first Stax album). However, they were not able to regain their momentum, releasing only occasional minor hits. Their 1984 album Turning Point featured their final Top 40 hit, a cover of Talking Heads ' "Slippery People" (which also reached the Top 5 on the Dance chart). In 1994, they again performed the song " The Weight " with Country music artist Marty Stuart for MCA Nashville Records|MCA Nashville 's Rhythm, Country and Blues compilation, somewhat re-establishing an audience. The song "Respect Yourself" was used by Spike Lee in the soundtrack to his movie Crooklyn , made in 1994.
In 1999, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Pops Staples died of complications from a concussion suffered in December 2000. In 2005, the group was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . Mavis Staples has continued to carry on the family tradition and continues to add her vocal talents to both the projects of other artists and her own solo ventures.
Discography
Studio Albums
1959: Uncloudy Day ( Vee-Jay Records|Vee-Jay )
1961: Swing Low Sweet Chariot (Vee-Jay)
1962: Swing Low (Vee-Jay)
1962: Hammer and Nails ( Riverside Records|Riverside RM 3501)
1962: The 25th Day of December ( Riverside Records|Riverside RM 3513) - US Pop #11
1963: This Land ( Riverside Records|Riverside RM 3524)
1964: This Little Light ( Riverside Records|Riverside RM 3527)
1965: Amen! ( Epic Records|Epic )
1965: Freedom Highway ( Epic Records|Epic )
1967: ''For What It's Worth ( Epic Records|Epic )
1968: Soul Folk in Action ( Stax Records|Stax )
1969: Will the Circle Be Unbroken (Vee-Jay)
1970: The Landlord ( United Artists Records|United Artists )
1970: '' We'll Get Over (album)|We'll Get Over (Stax)
1971: The Staple Swingers (Stax) - US Pop #117, US R& B #9
1972: Be Altitude: Respect Yourself (Stax) - US Pop #19, US R& B #3
1973: Be What You Are (Stax) - US Pop #102, US R& B #13
1974: City in the Sky (Stax) - US Pop #125, US R& B #13
1975: '' Let's Do It Again (soundtrack)|Let's Do It Again ( Curtom Records|Curtom ) - US Pop #20, US R& B #1
1976: Pass It On ( Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros. ) - US Pop #155, US R& B #20
1977: Family Tree (Warner Bros.) - US R& B #58
1978: Unlock Your Mind (Warner Bros.) - US R& B #34
1981: Hold on to Your Dream ( 20th Century Records|20th Century )
2004: The Ultimate Staple Singers: A Family Affair (Kent/Ace)
Charted singles
Year
Single
url=Allmusic
US
US R& B
UK cite web
1967
"Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)"
95
& mdash;
& mdash;
" For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield song)
66
& mdash;
& mdash;
1970
"Love Is Plentiful" (A-side)
& mdash;
31
& mdash;
1971
"Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)" (B-side)
27
6
& mdash;
"You've Got to Earn It"
97
11
& mdash;
" Respect Yourself "
12
2
& mdash;
1972
" I'll Take You There "
1
1
30
"This World"
38
6
& mdash;
1973
"Oh La De Da"
33
4
& mdash;
"Be What You Are"
66
18
& mdash;
" If You're Ready (Come Go with Me) "
9
1
34
1974
" Touch a Hand, Make a Friend "
23
3
& mdash;
"City in the Sky"
79
4
& mdash;
"My Main Man"
76
18
& mdash;
1975
" Let's Do It Again (song)
1
1
& mdash;
1976
"New Orleans"
70
4
& mdash;
"Love Me, Love Me, Love Me"
& mdash;
11
& mdash;
1977
"Sweeter Than the Sweet"
& mdash;
52
& mdash;
"See a Little Further (Than My Bed)"
& mdash;
77
& mdash;
1978
" I Honestly Love You "
& mdash;
68
& mdash;
"Unlock Your Mind"
& mdash;
16
& mdash;
1979
"Chica Boom"
& mdash;
82
& mdash;
1984
"H-A-T-E (Don't Live Here Anymore)"
& mdash;
46
& mdash;
"Slippery People"
109
22
78
"This Is Our Night"
& mdash;
50
& mdash;
1985
"Are You Ready? "
& mdash;
39
& mdash;
"Nobody Can Make It on Their Own"
& mdash;
89
& mdash;
"—" denotes the release failed to chart
References
reflist
External links
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/staple_singers_the/artist.jhtml The Staple Singers at VH1
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p5519
Stax Records DEFAULTSORT:Staple Singers, (The) Category:African American musical groups Category:American rhythm and blues musical groups Category:Family musical groups Category:American gospel musical groups Category:Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees? Category:American soul musical groups Category:African American singers Category:Vee-Jay Records artists Category:Charly Records artists Category:Epic Records artists
