In 1936, Roebuck “Pops” Staples moved with his wife Oceola from the Mississippi Delta to Chicago , where he continued to perform, as a member of the gospel quartet The Trumpet Jubilees. By 1939 Roebuck and Oceola had four children: Cleotha (b. 1934), Pervis (b. 1935), Yvonne (b. 1937) and Mavis (b. 1939). In 1948, the family made their first public appearance, singing at the Mount Zion Church, Chicago, where Roebuck’s brother, the Rev. Chester Staples, was pastor. They signed their first professional contract in 1952, recording initially for local label United Records and then moving to Vee-Jay Records, which had a significant Gospel section. Roebuck and Mavis shared the lead vocal duties, with harmonies from Pervis and Cleotha (Yvonne replaced Pervis when he was called up for national service and later), with “Pops” leading the group and playing guitar. Their style was traditional but with acoustic guitar amplified with a lot of reverb. It was a Country Blues version of Gospel.
The earliest recording by the group was in 1953, when they cut a Gospel single “These Are They” with “Faith and Grace” on the B-side. Only a small number of 10-inch shellac 78rpm records were produced, on “Pops” Staples own label Royal, as they were sold at the Staples’ performances. It was followed by “It Rained Children” on the United Label, also issued in 1953.
By the following year, things had moved up a gear. They recorded their third single “This May Be My Last Time” / “This Same Jesus” for the Gospel label Sharp Record Company in Chicago, this time as a vinyl 45rpm single. It has been suggested that the title may have inspired the Rolling Stones! The chorus certainly finds an echo in the Stones’ song.
In 1956 the group were signed to Vee-Jay Records, releasing two albums and nine singles between 1956 and 1961, when they switched labels to Riverside Records. Their first Vee-Jay single was “Uncloudy Day”, which made an immediate impression in 1956. The Gospel song had been written by J.K. Alwood in 1879, inspired by the sight of a rainbow set against a black raincloud. At the age of sixteen, Mavis Staples took on the lead vocal and created a classic of Gospel, Blues and Soul music. The depth of feeling in the harmonies is remarkable, and the guitar playing is outstanding.
Most of the songs recorded by the Staple Singers at Vee-Jay were written by “Pops” Staples and drew deeply on the Blues tradition that he grew up in. Jimmy Bracken, Vee-Jay’s co-owner, also contributed several songs. The best of the follow-up singles to “Uncloudy Day” are “Low Is The Way” (1957) and “So Soon” (1959). The first is a slow, dramatic, Blues-based song, that highlights the call-and-response style of so many Gospel songs. The second is raw with a sense of pain in the voices, that is a million miles away from the Pop tunes that many of Vee-Jay artists were hoping to project into the charts. It is not well-known, but have a listen if you are looking for the origins of Soul music.
In 1960 Vee-Jay released “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”, probably the best-known of their early songs. The original version was written in 1907 by the English hymn-writer Ada Habershon, to a tune by Charles H. Gabriel. The chorus was added in a later version. The Staples’ version captures the joyful anticipation at meeting up again with loved ones who have passed. It is a song of hope, with a tune that invites you to join in! The last single released before the Staple Singers left Vee-Jay was 1962’s “Don’t Knock” / “I’ve Been Scorned”, with a return to a strong Blues tune for another typical call-and-response lyric.
Between 1956 and 1962, Vee-Jay issued three studio albums and a compilation by the Staple Singers: “Uncloudy Day” in 1959, “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” in 1960, “Swing Low” in 1961 and the compilation “The Best of The Staple Singers” in 1962. Following their departure to Riverside Records in New York, Vee-Jay released another Staples compilation in 1963. It was named, confusingly, “Swing Low Sweet Chariot”, echoing the 1961 album. The two albums have only three songs in common.
For lovers of Gospel music with a strong flavour of Country Blues, these are classic albums. There are some traditional spirituals, some re-worked Blues songs and plenty of original songs, written mainly by “Pops” Staples with the odd Mavis Staples composition. Mavis’s voice features prominently, and the harmonies are perfect.
The importance of these songs in the development of Chicago Soul is highlighted by songs such as “Help Me Jesus” from the 1959 album or “Pray On” from the 1960 album, with Mavis pointing the way forward. Unfortunately for Vee-Jay, the Staple Singers’ decision to record secular songs wasn’t made until several years later, when they teamed up with Steve Cropper at Stax Records in Memphis. These early iconic songs were simply regarded as niche Gospel songs. They never made the charts, but they laid a wonderful foundation.
The full story of the Staple Singers career can be found on this site: The Staple Singers: God’s Greatest Hit Makers.
