Mavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer who has shaped popular music across more than seven decades as both a founding member of the legendary Staple Singers and as a groundbreaking solo artist. Born July 10, 1939, Staples rose to fame as part of her family's iconic ensemble, where she helped record the timeless hit singles "I'll Take You There" and "Let's Do It Again" before launching her solo career in 1969. Recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the "Greatest Singers of all Time," Staples has used her extraordinary vocal gift not only to create music but also to advance civil rights causes throughout her career.
Following decades of solo work, Staples achieved her breakthrough as a solo artist with the critically acclaimed album You Are Not Alone (2010), which became her first release to top a Billboard chart and earned her a Grammy Award. She continued this momentum with One True Vine (2013), Livin' on a High Note (2016), If All I Was Was Black (2017), and We Get By (2019), while collaborating with artists spanning generations — from Prince and Bob Dylan to Arcade Fire, Hozier, and Jon Batiste. Her recent work, including the Hozier collaboration "Nina Cried Power" and her featured appearance on Jon Batiste's We Are album, has cemented her status as an artist whose influence transcends eras.
As a member of the Staple Singers, Staples received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1999) and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2018). As a solo artist, she has garnered five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, while also receiving a Kennedy Center Honors distinction in 2016 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's inaugural Rock Hall Honors Award in 2019. A Grammy winner for Album of the Year as a featured artist, Staples remains an unparalleled voice in American music history.
