The Staple Singers were an iconic American musical group led by patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples alongside his children Cleotha, Pervis, Yvonne, and Mavis, famously bridging the gap between gospel, soul, and R&B while becoming a vital voice of the Civil Rights Movement. Starting in Chicago-area churches in 1948, the family developed a signature "mysterious" and deep acoustic gospel-folk style that influenced peers like Bob Dylan before transitioning to a more mainstream sound on Epic Records with protest songs like "Freedom Highway." Their commercial peak arrived in the early 1970s after signing with Stax Records, where they collaborated with the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio to produce massive funk-infused hits including "Respect Yourself," "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)," and the chart-topping "I'll Take You There." Following the bankruptcy of Stax, they achieved one final number-one pop hit with the Curtis Mayfield-produced "Let's Do It Again" in 1975 and famously appeared in The Band's film The Last Waltz. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, the group’s legacy is carried on today by Mavis Staples, the last surviving member, following the deaths of Pops in 2000 and her siblings between 2013 and 2021.
About The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers were an iconic American musical group led by patriarch Roebuck "Pops" Staples alongside his children Cleotha, Pervis, Yvonne, and Mavis, famously bridging the gap between gospel, soul, and R&B while becoming a vital voice of the Civil Rights Movement. Starting in Chicago-area churches in 1948, the family developed a signature "mysterious" and deep acoustic gospel-folk style that influenced peers like Bob Dylan before transitioning to a more mainstream sound on Epic Records with protest songs like "Freedom Highway." Their commercial peak arrived in the early 1970s after signing with Stax Records, where they collaborated with the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio to produce massive funk-infused hits including "Respect Yourself," "If You're Ready (Come Go with Me)," and the chart-topping "I'll Take You There." Following the bankruptcy of Stax, they achieved one final number-one pop hit with the Curtis Mayfield-produced "Let's Do It Again" in 1975 and famously appeared in The Band's film The Last Waltz. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, the group’s legacy is carried on today by Mavis Staples, the last surviving member, following the deaths of Pops in 2000 and her siblings between 2013 and 2021.