Mavis Staples facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mavis Staples
Staples performing at Chicago Blues Festival in 2012
Background information
Born	(1939-07-10) July 10, 1939 (age 86) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul gospel
Occupation(s)	Singer activist
Years active	1950–present
Labels	Epic Stax/Volt Curtom Alligator Anti- Paisley Park/Warner Bros. Verve ANTI-
Associated acts	The Staple Singers Prince

Mavis Staples, born on July 10, 1939, is an American singer known for her powerful rhythm and blues and gospel music songs. She is also a dedicated civil rights activist. Mavis first became famous as a member of her family's band, The Staple Singers. She is the only surviving member of this legendary group.

With The Staple Singers, Mavis recorded popular songs like "I'll Take You There" and "Let's Do It Again". In 1969, she released her first solo album, called Mavis Staples. She continued to release solo albums for many years. Mavis also worked with famous artists such as Prince, Arcade Fire, and Bob Dylan.

Her album You Are Not Alone (2010) was a big success. It was her first solo album to reach number one on a Billboard chart, topping the Top Gospel Albums chart. This album also earned Mavis her first Grammy Award. She later released other albums like One True Vine (2013) and Livin' on a High Note (2016).

Mavis Staples has received many honors, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She has won three Grammy Awards, including one for Album of the Year for her work on We Are by Jon Batiste. Rolling Stone magazine named her one of the "100 Greatest Singers of all Time". As a member of The Staple Singers, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1999) and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2018). In 2016, she was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors. The Blues Hall of Fame inducted her as a solo artist in 2017.

Early Life and Music Journey

Mavis Staples was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 10, 1939. She started her music career with her family group, The Staple Singers, in 1950. At first, they sang in local churches and on a weekly radio show. In 1956, The Staple Singers had a hit song called "Uncloudy Day".

After Mavis finished high school in 1957, the group began touring. The band included Mavis, her father Pops Staples (who played guitar and sang), and her siblings Cleotha, Yvonne, and Pervis. People called them "God's Greatest Hitmakers."

Music and the Civil Rights Movement

The Staple Singers became very popular gospel singers. They later became important voices for the civil rights movement in the mid-1960s. This was inspired by Pops Staples' friendship with Martin Luther King Jr.. They sang "message" songs that shared positive ideas. These included songs like "Long Walk to D.C." and "When Will We Be Paid?". They also covered songs by other artists, such as Bob Dylan's "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall".

In 1968, the group signed with Stax Records. They combined their gospel harmonies with the musical style of Booker T. and the MGs. Between 1971 and 1975, The Staple Singers had eight songs in the Top 40. Two of these, "I'll Take You There" and "Let's Do It Again," reached number one.

Staples in 1971, while signed to Stax Records

Solo Career and Collaborations

Mavis Staples released her first solo album in 1969 on the Stax label. After another album in 1970, she released a soundtrack album called A Piece of the Action. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she released two albums produced by the famous artist Prince. Her 1993 album, The Voice, was named one of the Top Ten Albums of 1993 by People magazine.

In 1996, she released Spirituals & Gospels: A Tribute to Mahalia Jackson. This album honored Mahalia Jackson, a close family friend and a big influence on Mavis. In 2004, Mavis made a big return with the album Have a Little Faith. This album featured spiritual music.

Staples singing during the 2006 NEA National Heritage Fellows concert.

In 2007, she released We'll Never Turn Back, an album focused on gospel songs from the civil rights movement. This album was produced by Ry Cooder. Mavis's voice has been used in songs by many popular artists, including Salt 'N' Pepa and Ice Cube. She has also recorded with a wide range of musicians, from Bob Dylan to Ray Charles.

Recent Work and Performances

Mavis Staples has performed at many important events. In 2003 and 2004, she performed at the Orpheum Theater in Memphis. This was part of events celebrating the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. In 2010, she performed at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear with singer Jeff Tweedy. She also performed at the 33rd Kennedy Center Honors, honoring Paul McCartney.

Staples singing in Brooklyn, New York (2007)

In 2016, Mavis released her album Livin' on a High Note. This album featured songs written just for her by artists like Nick Cave and Neko Case. Mavis said she wanted "joyful songs" to "lift people up." She felt "refreshed and brand new" by the experience.

Staples at the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas (2014)

In 2017, Mavis was a guest singer on "I Give You Power" by Arcade Fire. She also appeared on the Gorillaz album Humanz. Her album If All I Was Was Black was released in November 2017. This album featured all original songs co-written by Mavis and Jeff Tweedy. She toured with Bob Dylan after its release. In 2018, she sang on Hozier's song "Nina Cried Power".

In May 2019, Mavis celebrated her 80th birthday with a concert at the Apollo Theater. She first performed there as a teenager in 1956. The show included special guests like David Byrne and Norah Jones. In 2020, she worked with Run the Jewels on their album RTJ4. In 2022, she released Carry Me Home, a collaboration with Levon Helm recorded in 2011.

Film and Television Appearances

Mavis Staples has appeared in many films and TV shows. These include The Last Waltz, Graffiti Bridge, and The Cosby Show. Her music has also been used in movie soundtracks like The Help and Charlie Wilson's War. She sang the theme song for the 1989 movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

A documentary called Lightning in a Bottle (2003) features Mavis performing with other famous musicians. Mavis!, a documentary about Mavis and The Staple Singers, premiered in 2015. It was later shown on HBO and won a Peabody Award. Mavis has also been a guest on talk shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Her performances at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival are featured in the 2021 documentary Summer of Soul.

Personal Life

Mavis Staples married Spencer Leak in 1964. They divorced eight years later. She does not have any children. In the 2015 documentary Mavis!, she shared that Bob Dylan once asked her to marry him, but she said no.

Awards and Special Honors

Mavis Staples has received many awards and honors throughout her career.

In 1999, The Staple Singers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2005, Mavis and The Staple Singers received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Mavis Staples also received a 2006 National Heritage Fellowship. This is the highest honor in the United States for folk and traditional arts.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Mavis Staples as No. 56 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time in 2008. In 2011, she won her first Grammy Award for Best Americana Album for You Are Not Alone. She was very emotional, saying, "This has been a long time coming."

Mavis has also received honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music (2011) and Columbia College Chicago (2012). In 2016, she was recognized as a Kennedy Center Honoree. She was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2021, she received the Order of Lincoln, Illinois' highest honor. In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked her at No. 46 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. In 2024, she received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Mavis Staples (1969)
• Only for the Lonely (1970)
• Oh What a Feeling (1979)
• Time Waits for No One (1989)
• The Voice (1993)
• Spirituals & Gospel: Dedicated to Mahalia Jackson (with Lucky Peterson) (1996)
• Have a Little Faith (2004)
• We'll Never Turn Back (2007)
• You Are Not Alone (2010)
• One True Vine (2013)
• Livin' on a High Note (2016)
• If All I Was Was Black (2017)
• We Get By (2019)

See also

In Spanish: Mavis Staples para niños