24A: The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers were formed in 1951 in Chicago by Pops Staples and his three young children, Cleotha, Pervis, and Mavis. (Note that their last name is “Staples,” but they drop the “s” in the band’s name.) They started out singing in the church, and then became active in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Here’s a short biography.
On this website, we’ve talked about several musicians whose songs speak up for those who often get overlooked. We’ve studied Woody Guthrie, Harry Belafonte, U2, the Clash, Bob Marley, and Public Enemy, among others. You can add the Staple Singers to that list. Here they are singing one of their big hits, “I’ll Take You There.”
Another big hit was “Respect Yourself,” a song about – okay, this is obvious – respecting yourself. The lyrics carry an important message for all of us. This came out in the early 1970s.
One of the most legendary concerts ever was the final show, in 1976, of the band, The Band. (Clever, huh?) They invited an all-star cast of musicians to play with them – Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, and others. Here, the Staple Singers join them on one of The Band’s most iconic songs, “The Weight.” This is a soulful song, made even more so by the Staples.
The family performed together off and on for 40 years. Pops Staples died in 2000. Mavis Staples, the youngest daughter, has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity during her later years.
The Staple Singers inspired many artists of today, including Chuck D, Bonnie Raitt, Run The Jewels, and Jeff Tweedy. Here are a few interviews with people who were inspired by Mavis and her family.
Those interviews were all part of a documentary about Mavis in 2015 called Mavis! Here’s the trailer.
That’s all for now. Happy Black History Month!