<back - THE STAPLE SINGERS - The Staples Singers are the most successful Gospel crossover group in the history of popular music. They had hit upon hit throughout the seventies, yet managed to accomplish it all with out having the term 'sell-out' ever foisted upon them. 'Respect Yourself' from 1971 summarizes their entire approach to life: 'If you don't respect yourself. Ain't nobody gonna give a cahoots. Respect yourself, respect yourself'. Immortal words to live by till this day! Roebuck 'Pops' Staples, who also achieved considerable success as a solo artist before passing away on Dec 19, 2000, was the paternal wellspring of The Staples Singers, and his progeny were being groomed for the Gospel Circuit as early as 1950.

The heart and soul of the group consisted of daughters Mavis, Yvonne, and Cleotha and son Pervis Staples, who was also part of The Staples Singers up until 1971. Born 1915 in Winona Ms, Pops quickly came under the guitar influence of such legendary Bluesmen as Robert Johnson, Bukka White, and Big Bill Broonzy. In 1935, he and his wife moved to Chicago and eventually had 4 children. Their first recordings were Gospel albums for Chicago's Vee-Jay label from 1955 to 1960. Their breakthrough Gospel hit was 1956's Uncloudy Day. The final step to prominence occurred with their signing to Stax in 1967, which provided them with a more-produced sound. The Staples Singers, along with Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder, and the Temptations would go on to become the musical embodiment of the Black yearning for equality and self-dignity. A couple of releases on Epic had earned them brief chart action, including Why Am I Treated So Bad. Between 1967 and 1976, the Staples charted 15 hits on the Billboard Top 100, including For What It's Worth (1967), Heaven Makes You Happy (1971), Respect Yourself (1971), I'll Take You There (#1 in 1972), and Touch A Hand, Make A Friend (1974). Their last mega-hit was Let's Do It Again (#1 in 1976), produced by Curtis Mayfield and also distributed on his Custom label. The Staples Singers continued placing entries on the R&B charts for most of the 80s. Their appearance on a rendition of The Band's, 'The Weight' on 1991's Rhythm, Country and Blues along with Marty Stuart, introduced them to a new generation of appreciative listeners. Meanwhile, Pops was winning accolades for his solo releases, such as 1991's Peace To The Neighborhood and 1994's Grammy-winner Father Father. The Staples Singers are at the vanguard of a caravan of artists, including Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, The 5 Blind Boys of Alabama, and many others. The Staple Singers received the R&B Foundation's Pioneer Award (1992) and inducted into the Rock&Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
-Gary Tate/ MP3- Lay My Burden Down | Respect Yourself | I'll Take U There |