Candi Staton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Candi Staton
Staton in 2012
Born	Canzetta Maria Staton (1940-03-13) March 13, 1940 (age 85) Hanceville, Alabama, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Spouse(s)	Joe Williams ​ ​ (m. 1960⁠–⁠1968)​ Clarence Carter ​ ​ (m. 1970⁠–⁠1973)​ Jimmy James ​ ​ (m. 1974⁠–⁠1977)​ John Sussewell ​ ​ (m. 1980⁠–⁠1998)​ Otis Nixon ​ (m. 2010⁠–⁠2012)​ Henry Hooper ​ ​ (m. 2017)​
Musical career
Genres	Soul R&B gospel house dance disco
Years active	1953–present
Labels	Apollo Savoy Warner Bros. Fame Positiva Intersound
Associated acts	The Source

Canzetta Maria "Candi" Staton (born March 13, 1940) is an American singer and songwriter. She is well-known for her hit songs in different music styles. In the United States, she is famous for her 1970 cover of "Stand by Your Man" and her 1976 disco song "Young Hearts Run Free". In Europe, her biggest hit is "You Got the Love" from 1986, which she made with The Source. Candi Staton has been nominated for four Grammy Awards and is part of the Christian Music Hall of Fame.

Candi Staton's Musical Journey

Early Life and Gospel Beginnings

Candi Staton was born in Hanceville, Alabama. When she was about 11 or 12, she and her sister Maggie moved to Nashville, Tennessee for school. At Jewell Christian Academy, people quickly noticed Candi's amazing singing voice.

The school's pastor was very impressed. He put Candi, her sister, and another girl named Naomi Harrison together. They formed a group called the Jewell Gospel Trio. As teenagers in the 1950s, this trio traveled and performed gospel music. They sang with famous groups like the Soul Stirrers and gospel legends such as Mahalia Jackson. They also recorded many songs for record labels like Apollo and Savoy between 1953 and 1963.

Becoming a Solo Star

In 1968, Candi Staton started her solo career. She was introduced to producer Rick Hall by singer Clarence Carter. Candi became known for her Southern soul style. She had 16 R&B hits while working with Rick Hall's FAME Studios. Because of her powerful voice and successful R&B versions of songs like "Stand by Your Man" and "In the Ghetto", she earned the nickname "First Lady of Southern Soul". These songs even earned her Grammy nominations.

In 1976, Candi Staton began working with producer David Crawford. They created popular disco songs. Her song "Young Hearts Run Free" became a huge hit. It reached number 1 on the US R&B charts and number 2 in the UK. It was also a Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. The song was so popular that it was remixed and re-released in 1986.

Other successful songs followed. "Destiny" reached the Top 50 in the UK. Her version of "Nights on Broadway" was a Top 10 hit in the UK in 1977. In 1978, "Honest I Do Love You" also made it into the UK Top 50. From her 1979 album Chance, she released "When You Wake Up Tomorrow" and the title song "Chance", which were Top 20 R&B hits.

Return to Gospel and Later Career

In 1982, Candi Staton decided to return to singing gospel music. She and her husband at the time, John Sussewell, started Beracah Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia. Since then, Candi has recorded twelve gospel albums. Two of these albums were nominated for Grammy Awards.

In 1991, Candi Staton became popular again in the UK. She lent her vocals to The Source's hit song "You Got the Love". She continued to release new music. In 2000, she released her eleventh album, Here's a Blessing. In 2004, a British record label released a collection of her early soul songs called Candi Staton.

She also released a non-religious album in 2006 called His Hands. Two of her children, Cassandra Williams-Hightower and Marcus Williams, helped her on this album. Another album, Who's Hurting Now?, came out in 2009. In 2014, she reunited with Rick Hall for her southern soul album, Life Happens. A song from this album, "I Ain't Easy to Love", featured Jason Isbell and John Paul White. They performed the song on the Late Show with David Letterman. Candi Staton also had her own television show called New Direction on TBN.

She has also appeared on TV programs like Praise the Lord. In August 2018, Candi Staton released her 30th album, Unstoppable. This album was described as a retro R&B project. A music journalist from NPR said the album shows the confidence and power of a grown woman who has learned a lot from life. Candi Staton has truly lived many lives through her music, moving between soul, R&B, gospel, disco, and even electronic dance music.

Family Life

Candi Staton has been married six times and has five children. Her first marriage was to Joe Williams from 1960 to 1968. They had four children: Marcus, Marcel, Terry, and Cassandra. In 1970, she married singer Clarence Carter, and they had one child, Clarence Carter Jr. They were married until 1973.

From 1974 to 1977, Candi was married to Jimmy James, who was her manager. In 1980, she married John Sussewell, a drummer. They were married for 18 years until 1998. From 2010 to 2012, Staton was married to former baseball player Otis Nixon. Since 2017, she has been married to Henry Hooper.

In October 2018, Candi Staton shared that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Music Albums

Candi Staton has released many studio albums throughout her career. Here are some of them:

She also has compilation albums that bring together her best songs, like The Best of Candi Staton (1995) and Evidence: The Complete Fame Records Masters (2011).

Popular Singles

Candi Staton has released many popular singles over the years. Some of her most famous include:

See also

In Spanish: Candi Staton para niños