Died On This Date (December 19, 2000) Pops Staples
themusicsover Roebuck “Pops” Staples
December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000
Pops Staples was the leader and father of renowned gospel and R&B group, the Staple Singers. His daughters Mavis, Cleotha and Yvonne, as well as son Pervis, all performed alongside him in the group. Staples grew up in Mississippi, where he was influenced by listening to or playing with local bluesmen like Robert Johnson, Son House and Charley Patton. He formed the Staple Singers in the late ’40s and began making records with them in early ’50s. One of their earliest songs, “This May Be The Last Time” became a hit for the Rolling Stones in later years. By the ’60s, the group were recording for Stax Records and churning out more pop-leaning hits like “Respect Yourself” and their biggest single, “I’ll Take You There.” During the ’80s, Staples performed as a solo act, mostly going back to his blues roots. His Father, Father album of 1995 won him a Best Contemporary Blues Album Grammy, and in 1999, the Staple Singers were inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. Pops Staples was 85 when he died on December 19, 2000 from head injuries sustained in a fall.
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Big Joe Williams was a Delta blues guitarist and singer who recorded several blues hits for Bluebird Records during the late ’30s and early ’40s. He was renowned for playing the 9-string guitar. Some of his songs, like “Calling King Snake,” and “Baby Please Don’t Go” have been covered by both blues and rock artists ever since. He enjoyed a career renaissance during the folk revival of the ‘6os, playing the major festivals and coffeehouse circuit of America. Big Joe Williams was 78 when he passed away on December 17, 1982.
