Mavis Staples

Pervis Staples Passes Away at the Age of 85

Sentinel News ServiceMay 12, 2021

Pervis Staples, a co-founding member of the legendary gospel group, The Staple Singers, passed away suddenly on May 6, 2021 at his home in Dolton, Illinois according to Adam Ayers, a member of Mavis Staples’ 525 Worldwide Music management team. He was 85 years old. Beginning in 1956 with “Uncloudy Day” on Chicago’s Vee Jay Record label and stretching into the early 1980s, the Staple Singers were one of the most influential acts in gospel, soul, and social protest music. Their signature songs such as “Uncloudy Day,” “Why Am I Treated So Bad,” “Respect Yourself” and “I’ll Take You There”

Religion

Aretha’s Friends Recall Her Faith and Love of Gospel

Cora Jackson-Fossett, Religion EditorAugust 23, 2018

The passing of the legendary Aretha Franklin on August 16, prompted scores of admirers – from recording artists to musicians to U.S. presidents – to offer tributes and memories of her impact on the world. But before she became known as “The Queen of Soul,” Aretha was a strong believer in God and expressed her faith through her music. The Rev. Dr. Melvin V. Wade, Sr., pastor emeritus of Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Los Angeles, was close to Aretha’s father, the Rev. C.L. Franklin, and remembered that the singer had strong faith even as a child. “She was raised

Religion

Grammy Award Winner Mavis Staples Receives Woody Guthrie Award

Dr. Valerie Wardlaw (Contributing Writer)August 12, 2015

Grammy award-winning artist Mavis Staples received the second annual Woody Guthrie Award at the Grammy Museum on July 22. Given to an artist that “best exemplifies the spirit and life of Woody Guthrie,” the award celebrates those who “speak for the less fortunate through music, film, literature, dance, or other arts,” said Deanna McCloud, executive director of the Woody Guthrie Center located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A beloved member of the award-winning gospel group, the Staple Singers, Mavis Staples was honored for their work during the Civil Rights movement. “Mavis Staples and the Staples Singers were fighters for civil rights and