Yvonne Staples, Longtime Staple Singers Member And Manager, Dies At Age 80
Yvonne Staples, a longtime member of the world-renowned family gospel-soul-pop outfit The Staple Singers, passed away on Tuesday at her Chicago home after a fight with colon cancer. She was 80 years old. Her passing was confirmed by family friend and gospel music scholar Bill Carpenter. She is survived by her brother, Pervis Staples, and her sister, Mavis Staples.Roebuck “Pops” Staples formed the Staple Singers in 1948, which featured Yvonne’s three siblings, Mavis, Cleotha, and Pervis, for many years. Yvonne eventually replaced Pervis in the early 1970s when he was drafted into the U.S. Army. She went on to contribute to some of their most successful tracks like “I’ll Take You There” (which reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1972) and “Respect Yourself” (which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard charts in 1971), and “Let’s Do It Again”, which topped the charts in 1975.Explains Carpenter in The New York Times‘ obituary for Yvonne, “She was very content in that role. She had no desire to be a front singer, even though people in the family told her she had a great voice. … On all the big hit records, Yvonne did the background vocals.”Carpenter also notes that Yvonne Staples also acted as the group’s business manager. When Mavis began her solo career in the ’80s, Yvonne Staples continued her multi-tasking contributions for her baby sister, serving as both a backup singer and her tour manager for the better part of three decades.Yvonne Staples received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 along with the Staple Singers and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the group in 1999. Below, you can watch The Staple Singers perform “Respect Yourself” and “I’ll Take You There” at their Hall of Fame induction ceremony:The Staple Singers – “Respect Yourself”, “I’ll Take You There” – 1999[Video: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame]Rest in peace, Yvonne.