Died On This Date (February 20, 2013) Cleotha Staples / The Staple Singers
themusicsover Cleotha Staples
1934 – February 20, 2013
Cleotha Staples, along with her siblings, Mavis, Pervis and Yvonne, and their father, Pops Staples, made up one of the most influential soul groups of the 20th Century. Formed in Chicago by Pops in 1948, the Staple Singers got their start singing in churches in and around Chicago. In 1957, they released their first hit single, “Uncloudy Day.” In 1970, the group signed with Stax Records and began releasing a string of hits that ran through much of the decade. Their hits included “I’ll Take You There,” “Respect Yourself,” and “Let’s Do It Again.” In 1976, they performed an epic version of “The Weight” with the Band in the latter’s legendary swan song film, The Last Waltz. In 1999, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cleotha was the oldest of the Staples sisters, and it is her beautiful soprano that can be heard on their classic recordings. She suffered from Alzheimer’s disease through most of the 2000s, and passed away on February 20, 2013. She was 78.
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 
