Mavis Staples Bio
Born in 1940 in Chicago, most of Mavis Staples' career has been
as lead singer for the Staple Singers. She first recorded solo for Stax
subsidiary Volt in 1969. Subsequent efforts included a Curtis
Mayfield-produced soundtrack on Curtom, a disappointing nod to disco
for Warner in 1979, a misguided stab at electro-pop with
Holland-Dozier-Holland in 1984, and an uneven album for Paisley Park.
Staples has a rich contralto voice that has neither the range of Aretha
Franklin nor the power of Patti LaBelle. Her otherworldly power comes
instead from a masterful command of phrasing and a deep-seated
sensuality expressed through timbre manipulation. Both the Staple
Singers and Mavis found fresh audiences stemming from their
participation on the CD Rhythm Country and Blues, and in 1996 she
issued Spirituals & Gospel: Dedicated to Mahalia Jackson. Her next
recording project didn't land for another eight years, although Have a
Little Faith on Alligator became her highest-profile release in years.
We'll Never Turn Back appeared three years later in 2007. ~ Rob Bowman,
All Music Guide
Written by Rob Bowman
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