MAVIS STAPLES

b. 1940, Chicago, Illinois, USA. The exceptional lead voice of the Staple Singers began a simultaneous solo career when the group was signed to the Stax label in 1968. Here she began recording distinctly secular material including songs by Otis Redding “Good To Me”, “Security”, Sam Cooke “You Send Me” and Joe Simon “The Chokin' Kind”. The singer's gospel fervor enhanced such compositions, although her first R&B hit came with an original song, “I Have Learned To Do Without You”. This progress was waylaid in the wake of the Staple Singers’ own success with “Heavy Makes You Happy” and her career was only resumed in 1977. “A Piece Of The Action” was a fine collaboration with Curtis Mayfield, but later releases swamped her magnificent voice in disco and electro-pop beat. In 1987 the singer was signed to Prince's Paisley Park organization, the fruits of which appeared on Time Waits For No One, released two years later. Staples also made a guest appearance on Aretha Franklin's gospel set, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.

Discography: Mavis Staples (Volt 1969)**, Only For The Lonely (Volt 1970)***, A Piece Of The Action (Curtom 1977)**, Time Waits For No One (Paisley Park 1989)***, The Voice (NPG 1995)***, with Lucky Peterson Spirituals & Gospel (Verve/Gitanes 1996)***.

Compilations: Don't Change Me Now (Stax 1988)***.

Filmography: Soul To Soul (1971), Wattstax (1973), The Last Waltz (1978), Graffiti Bridge (1990).