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Canzetta Maria "Candi" Staton (/ˈsteɪtən/, STAY-tən) (born March 13, 1940)[1][4][5][6][2] is an American singer, best known in the United States for her 1970 cover of Tammy Wynette's "Stand by Your Man" and her 1976 disco chart-topper "Young Hearts Run Free". In Europe, Staton's biggest selling record is the anthemic "You Got the Love" from 1986, released in collaboration with the Source. Staton was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame and is a five-time Grammy Award nominee.

Key Information

Biography

[edit]

Early life and career

[edit]

Born in Hanceville, Alabama, Staton and her sister Maggie were sent to Nashville, Tennessee at around age 11 or 12 for school. While attending Jewell Christian Academy, Staton's vocal abilities were soon noticed by her peers and the school's pastor. Amazed by her voice, the pastor paired Staton and her sister with a third girl, Naomi Harrison, and they formed the Jewell Gospel Trio.[7] As teenagers, the group toured the traditional gospel circuit during the 1950s with the Soul Stirrers, C. L. Franklin and Mahalia Jackson.[8] They recorded several sides for Nashboro, Apollo and Savoy Records between 1953 and 1963.[citation needed]

Solo career

[edit]

In 1968, Staton was introduced to Rick Hall by Clarence Carter and launched her solo career as a Southern soul stylist,[8] garnering 16 R&B hits for Rick Hall's FAME Studios and gaining the title of "First Lady of Southern Soul" for her Grammy-nominated R&B renditions of the songs "Stand by Your Man" and "In the Ghetto".[9] Staton appeared on the September 23, 1972, edition (Season 2, Episode 1) of Soul Train.

In 1976, Staton began collaborating with producer David Crawford on disco songs such as "Young Hearts Run Free", which reached No. 1 on the US R&B charts, No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart and went Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100[10] during the summer of 1976. It was remixed and re-released in 1986, reaching the UK Top 50.[10] Follow up song "Destiny" hit the Top 50 in the UK.[10] and her version of "Nights on Broadway" hit the UK Top 10 in 1977;.[10] In 1978, Staton scored another Top 50 hit in the UK with "Honest I Do Love You".[10] In 1979 from her album Chance, Staton released the single "When You Wake Up Tomorrow" (co-written by Patrick Adams and Wayne K. Garfield) and the title song "Chance", a top 20 R&B charted record. Other dance club chart hits included "When You Wake Up Tomorrow" and "Victim". In 1982, Staton again hit the UK chart with a version of Mark James's "Suspicious Minds".[10][11]

In 1982, Staton returned to gospel music. Staton and her then-husband, John Sussewell, founded Beracah Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia, with help from Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's PTL Ministries.[9] Staton has since recorded twelve gospel albums, two of which received Grammy Award nominations. Staton appears on the United Nations Register of Entertainers, Actors And Others Who Have Performed in Apartheid South Africa.[12]

Later

[edit]

In 1991, Staton returned to UK popular charts by lending her vocals to the Source's British hit "You Got the Love".[13] Staton signed with Intersound Records in 1995. In 2000, she released her eleventh album, Here's a Blessing. In 2004, the British record label Honest Jon's released a compilation album of her soul work from the late 1960s and early 1970s, the self-titled Candi Staton. Staton followed it up with a secular project in 2006 entitled His Hands, produced by Mark Nevers of Lambchop and with the title track written by Will Oldham. Two of Staton's children, Cassandra Williams-Hightower (background vocals) and Marcus Williams (drums), joined her on the album. A second studio album for Honest Jon's, titled Who's Hurting Now?, appeared in 2009. She and Rick Hall reunited to make a half dozen more tracks for Staton's 2014 southern soul album, Life Happens. The lead Americana radio single, "I Ain't Easy to Love", featured Jason Isbell and John Paul White (formerly of The Civil Wars). The trio performed the track on Late Show with David Letterman. Staton's television show New Direction aired on TBN.

Staton has also made appearances on the Praise the Lord telecast with the late Paul Crouch and his late wife Jan Crouch, as well as regularly performing on Robert Tilton's Success-N-Life show.[11] In August 2018, Staton released her 30th album, Unstoppable, which has been touted as a retro psychedelic R&B project. NPR music journalist, Alison Fensterstock, wrote that it, "Delivers the kind of forthright confidence and soul-girding power that can only be summoned by a grown woman who has learned a thing or two. And Staton has lived many lives. Creatively, the quadruple Grammy nominee and Christian Music Hall of Famer has moved between soul and R&B, gospel, disco and even EDM before returning to her roots as an elder stateswoman."[14]

Personal life

[edit]

Staton has been married six times and has five children. She was first married to Pentecostal minister,[15] Joe Williams, from 1960 until 1968. Together they had four children: Marcus Williams, Marcel Williams, Terry Williams and Cassandra Williams-Hightower. In 1970, Staton married singer Clarence Carter and together they had one child, Clarence Carter Jr. They divorced in 1973. Staton was married to Jimmy James, her then manager,[16] from 1974 until 1977. Two years after divorcing James, Staton married John Sussewell, who was a drummer for Ashford & Simpson and also on Dory Previn's sixth album We're Children of Coincidence and Harpo Marx in 1980. They divorced in 1998 after 18 years of marriage.[17] From 2010 until 2012, Staton was married to former baseball player Otis Nixon.[18] She has been married to Henry Hooper since 2017.

On October 30, 2018, Staton announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.[19][20] She lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Candi Staton discography

Studio albums

[edit]
  • I'm Just a Prisoner (1970)
  • Stand By Your Man (1971)
  • Candi Staton (1972)
  • Candi (1974)
  • Young Hearts Run Free (1976) UK No. 34[10]
  • Music Speaks Louder Than Words (1977)
  • House of Love (1978)
  • Chance (1979)
  • Candi Staton (1980)
  • Nightlites (1982)
  • Make Me an Instrument (1983)
  • The Anointing (1985)
  • Sing a Song (1986)
  • Love Lifted Me (1988)
  • Stand Up and Be a Witness (1990)
  • Standing on the Promises (1991)
  • I Give You Praise (1993)
  • It's Time! (1995)
  • Cover Me (1997)
  • Outside In (1999)
  • Here's a Blessing (2000)
  • Christmas in My Heart (2000)
  • Glorify (2001)
  • Proverbs 31 Woman (2002)
  • His Hands (2006)
  • I Will Sing My Praise to You (2008)
  • Who's Hurting Now? (2009)
  • Life Happens (2014)
  • It's Time to Be Free (2016)
  • Unstoppable (2018)
  • Back to My Roots (2025)

Compilations

[edit]
  • The Best of Candi Staton (1995 Warner Archives) Originals (not re-recorded)
  • The Ultimate Gospel Collection (2006)
  • Evidence: The Complete Fame Records Masters (2011) – For the first time ever all 48 of the tracks she made for Rick Hall's label between 1969 and 1974 are together in one place. 22 have never been on CD before and 12 are previously unreleased.

Singles (non comprehensive)

[edit]
  • "I'd Rather Be an Old Man's Sweetheart (Than a Young Man's Fool)" (1969) R&B No. 9 US No. 46, CAN No. 51[21]
  • "I'm Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin')" (1969) R&B No. 13 US No. 56, CAN No. 74[22]
  • "Sweet Feeling" (1970) R&B No. 5 US No. 60, CAN No. 78[23]
  • "Stand by Your Man" (1970) R&B No. 4 US No. 24, CAN No. 22[24]
  • "He Called Me Baby" (1971) R&B No. 9 US No. 52, CAN No. 67[25]
  • "In the Ghetto" (1972) R&B No. 12 US No. 48
  • "Do It in the Name of Love" (1973) R&B No. 17 US No. 80
  • "As Long as He Takes Care of Home" (1974) R&B No. 6 US No. 51, CAN No. 56[26]
  • "Young Hearts Run Free" (1976) US No. 20 UK No. 2 R&B No. 1 (1986 re-release No. 47, 1999 re-release No. 29) CAN No. 21[27]
  • "Destiny" (1976) UK No. 41
  • "Nights on Broadway" (1977) UK No. 6 R&B No. 16 US No. 102
  • "Honest I Do Love You" (1978) UK No. 48 R&B No. 77
  • "Victim" (1978) R&B No. 17
  • "When You Wake Up Tomorrow" (1979) R&B No. 13
  • "Suspicious Minds" (1982) UK No. 31
  • "You Got the Love" (1986) UK No. 95 R&B No. 88
  • "You Got the Love" (The Source featuring Candi Staton – 1991) UK No. 4 (1997 re-release UK No. 3 (Now Voyager Mix), 2005 import release UK No. 60, 2006 "You Got the Love (New Voyager Mix)" (featuring Candi Staton – re-release) No. 7 UK)
  • "Love On Love" (1999) UK No. 27
  • "Young Hearts Run Free" (re-recording) (1999) UK No. 29
  • "I Just Can't Get to Sleep at All" (2000) Energise Records, UK; limited release
  • "Love Sweet Sound" Groove Armada featuring Candi Staton (2007) UK No. 77
  • "Wilder Side" Rasmus Faber & Alf Tumble featuring Candi Staton (2010)[10]
  • "Hallelujah Anyway" (2012)[28][29][30][31][32][33]
  • "It's Your Season (B.W.Ø Remix)" (2016)

Grammy Awards

[edit]
Year Category Work Result Ref.
1971 Best Female R&B Vocal Performance "Stand by Your Man" Nominated [34]
1973 "In The Ghetto" Nominated
1984 Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female "Make Me An Instrument" Nominated
1987 "Sing A Song" Nominated
2026 Best Roots Gospel Album Back to My Roots Nominated

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Candi Staton

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Canzetta Maria "Candi" Staton (born March 13, 1940) is an American singer-songwriter whose career spans , , and genres over seven decades. She began performing as a child in church and joined the Jewell Gospel Trio at age 13, touring the circuit before transitioning to secular R&B in the early 1970s. Staton's breakthrough came with her 1970 cover of "," which earned a Grammy nomination, followed by soul hits like "I'm Just a Prisoner" recorded at in . Her 1976 single "" became a chart-topping international success, marking her entry into while drawing from personal experiences of hardship. After a return to in the , where she founded her own label and hosted a television program, Staton blended genres in later works, including dance remixes of tracks like "." A four-time Grammy nominee in both R&B and categories, Staton was inducted into the Music Hall of Fame in 2014 for her enduring contributions to American music, including million-selling records and progressive arrangements. Her resilience is evident in multiple career revivals and recent releases, such as the 2023 Unstoppable, her 30th studio effort.

Early Life

Childhood in Alabama

Canzetta Maria Staton was born on March 13, 1940, in the rural town of Hanceville, , into a poor farming and mining family headed by her father, who worked as both a and . The family resided in a modest amid the hardships of , where daily life revolved around agricultural labor, limited resources, and close-knit community ties rooted in Southern traditions. Growing up in the Jim Crow South, Staton experienced the pervasive realities of and economic deprivation that defined life in mid-20th-century , fostering early resilience amid systemic barriers and social inequities. Her family's devout faith provided a stabilizing influence, embedding traditional Southern Baptist values that emphasized moral discipline, communal worship, and spiritual reliance in an environment marked by uncertainty. From around age four or five, Staton displayed an innate vocal talent through informal family singing sessions and early church performances, which offered an outlet for expression within the constraints of her upbringing. These experiences in local congregations highlighted her precocious abilities while reinforcing the cultural and ethical framework of her rural childhood.

Entry into Gospel Music

At around age 11 or 12 in the early , Staton and her sister Maggie were sent from to the Jewell Christian Academy in , where they joined the Jewel Gospel Trio as singers, with Staton emerging as a featured soloist alongside group members including Naomi Harrison. The trio's regimen imposed rigorous discipline characteristic of mid-20th-century ensembles, emphasizing moral codes that prohibited secular influences and demanded unwavering focus on religious performance, which provided Staton with structured training amid personal instability. The group toured nationally throughout the 1950s on the , sharing stages with prominent figures such as and , which honed Staton's vocal prowess under demanding travel and performance schedules that tested endurance but fostered professional resilience. By age 13, Staton contributed to the trio's early recordings, including initial sides cut for Aladdin Records on the West Coast during tours. From 1955 to 1958, the Jewel Gospel Trio released material on Nashboro Records, such as "Ease My Troublin'" in 1958, achieving airplay on gospel radio stations and acclaim in church circuits for their harmonious style backed by a rare full band accompaniment. These formative years underscored gospel music's stabilizing role for Staton, offering empirical markers of success like consistent national bookings and label contracts that contrasted with less predictable secular alternatives, while the genre's doctrinal framework reinforced personal discipline amid the era's socioeconomic challenges for young Black performers.

Musical Career

Gospel Foundations with the Jewel Gospel Trio

At the age of 13 in 1953, Canzetta Staton joined her sister Maggie Staton and Naomi Harrison to form the Jewel Gospel Trio, embarking on national tours that demanded rigorous vocal discipline rooted in their Pentecostal upbringing. This religious framework instilled perseverance through faith, as the trio navigated travel hardships including long bus rides and modest accommodations typical of mid-20th-century circuits, honing Staton's emotive delivery via repetitive rehearsals and live performances emphasizing spiritual conviction over technical polish. The group recorded five singles for Nashboro Records between and , including tracks like "Too Late" and " Is Listening," which showcased their harmony-driven style accompanied by a full band—a rarity for ensembles of the era that typically relied on or arrangements. These sessions captured Staton's youthful leading standards that prioritized raw emotional , fostering her through the causal discipline of faith-based practice, where perseverance in austere conditions contrasted sharply with the material temptations of later secular pursuits. Influenced by the broader gospel tradition exemplified by groups like the , the trio's performances emphasized dynamic call-and-response and improvisational fervor, refining Staton's ability to convey spiritual depth amid touring rigors that tested moral resolve. By the early 1960s, Staton departed the group amid shifts in its lineup, with a successor ensemble continuing under the Jewel Gospel Singers name for Savoy Records without her involvement, marking the end of her foundational gospel phase.

Shift to Secular R&B and Soul

In the late 1960s, Candi Staton began transitioning from after meeting R&B singer , for whom she provided backing vocals during performances on the . Their professional collaboration evolved into a personal relationship, culminating in marriage on June 13, 1970. Carter, an established secular artist known for hits like "Patches," encouraged Staton's entry into R&B, leveraging his industry connections to facilitate her signing with Fame Records in , around 1969. This move represented a deliberate pivot from sacred to secular genres, driven by relational influence and the prospect of broader commercial reach beyond gospel audiences. Staton's first Fame single, the duet "Mr. and Mrs. Untrue" (recorded with Carter and released in 1970), peaked at number 20 on the R&B chart and number 109 on the Hot 100, marking her initial empirical success in with sales reflecting moderate regional appeal in Southern markets. Follow-up tracks, including her cover of Tammy Wynette's "" (1970), reached number 24 on the R&B chart, while "I'm Just a Prisoner" (1971) climbed to number 41 R&B, demonstrating growing chart traction through Fame's distribution deal with . Her self-titled debut album (1970) and (1971) featured a mix of originals and covers like "He Called Me Baby," emphasizing emotive soul interpretations that aligned with ' house style under producer , yielding combined single sales in the tens of thousands and increased radio play. By 1972, Staton's cover of Elvis Presley's "" achieved number 48 on the Hot 100 and number 12 on the R&B chart, her highest secular Hot 100 peak to date, underscoring commercial gains from the genre shift with over 50,000 units estimated in sales. However, this era correlated temporally with heightened industry pressures, including extensive touring and the secular scene's associated , which strained her marriage to Carter amid diverging career paths. The couple's in followed three years of union, coinciding with Staton's deepening immersion in R&B production cycles that prioritized output over prior constraints. These outcomes highlight a causal link between the secular pivot—facilitated by personal ties—and amplified visibility, albeit at the cost of relational stability, as evidenced by the timeline of hits paralleling marital dissolution without intervening returns.

Disco Success and Personal Turmoil

In 1976, Candi Staton achieved her greatest commercial success with the disco single "Young Hearts Run Free," written and produced by David Crawford for Warner Bros. Records. The track, drawing from Staton's experiences escaping an abusive marriage where her husband threatened to kill her and their children, topped the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart on June 5, 1976, and peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. This hit anchored Staton's transition into the disco era, with follow-up albums like Music Speaks Louder Than Words (1977), featuring soul-disco hybrids such as a cover of the ' "," and House of Love (1978), which included tracks blending R&B grooves with dance rhythms. Her final Warner Bros. release, Chance (1979), showcased further genre experimentation through extended mixes suited for club play, though it marked the waning of her secular chart momentum amid shifting musical tastes. Amid this professional ascent, Staton's personal life unraveled under the strain of from her then-husband, which she credited as the direct catalyst for ""'s theme of breaking free from entrapment. The relational abuse, involving physical threats and control that persisted for seven years, intersected with the hedonistic excesses of the scene, contributing to her emerging battles with as she navigated fame's isolation and industry pressures.

Return to Gospel and Ministry

In 1982, amid struggles with and personal instability following her disco-era successes, Candi Staton underwent a profound spiritual conversion, recommitting her life to and returning to as a path to redemption and stability. This pivot marked a departure from the secular R&B and soul phases characterized by commercial highs but correlated with health declines and inconsistent output, as evidenced by her prior battles with that peaked in the late 1970s. Staton's faith-driven renewal provided empirical anchors—sobriety, renewed productivity, and community leadership—that contrasted sharply with the relational and professional volatility of her earlier career. That year, Staton married drummer John Sussewell, and the couple founded Beracah Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia, with support from Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's PTL Ministries, focusing on gospel outreach, counseling, and spiritual guidance. The ministry served as a platform for Staton's redemptive work, emphasizing practical interventions like addiction recovery programs rooted in biblical principles, which she credited with restoring personal coherence absent during her secular peak. By channeling her soul-infused vocal style into scripture-based themes, Staton produced gospel recordings that blended emotional depth with evangelical messaging, yielding measurable artistic resurgence: her 1983 album Make Me an Instrument earned a Grammy nomination for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female, signaling industry recognition of this stabilized phase. Building on this foundation, Staton's 1986 release Sing a Song further exemplified the fusion of her heritage with gospel conviction, earning another Grammy nomination in the same category at the in 1987. These works not only sustained her output—contrasting the sporadic releases of her prior decade—but also extended ministry impacts through live performances and media, including religious television appearances that reinforced faith as a causal bulwark against earlier chaos. The ministry's evolution, including the later establishment of Upon This Rock Church in around 1993, underscored long-term stability, with Staton leading youth counseling initiatives that addressed urban challenges through faith-based realism rather than secular interventions alone.

Recent Albums and Performances

In 2014, Staton released the album Life Happens through Records, featuring collaborations with artists like Kurt Carr and songs emphasizing spiritual perseverance amid life's trials. Four years later, her 30th studio album Unstoppable followed, also on /, where Staton credited divine intervention for sustaining her career's longevity against personal and professional setbacks, contrasting it with the burnout often seen in secular phases. These releases maintained her presence on charts, with Unstoppable underscoring a faith-driven return to recording after periods of ministry focus. Staton's live performances persisted into the 2020s, blending gospel sets with soul classics to appeal across audiences. In 2023, she undertook a European tour including stops at and , drawing on her disco-era hits while incorporating gospel testimonials. This activity highlighted her cross-genre draw, with events showcasing vocal endurance post-cancer remission, which she has linked in interviews to prayer-fueled recovery enabling stage returns. Marking a hybrid shift, Staton's 32nd album Back to My Roots arrived on February 14, 2025, via digital platforms, blending Americana, , and with tracks like "Love Breakthrough" that evoke civil rights-era themes and personal redemption narratives. Released at age 85, it reflects resilience rooted in faith, as Staton noted in promotional statements tying artistic output to spiritual fortitude over secular excesses. Performances aligned with this include a scheduled November 15, 2025, appearance at the Hall of Fame & Museum for a Muscle Shoals with collaborators Linda Hall and Clayton Ivey.

Personal Life

Marriages and Relationships

Candi Staton has been married six times, resulting in five children across her unions. Her first marriage was to Pentecostal minister Joe Williams from 1960 to 1968; during this period, she endured , including beatings that she later described as trapping her in a amid raising their children. Staton's second marriage, to soul musician , lasted from 1970 to 1973 and produced a son, Clarence Carter Jr. Carter, who is blind, provided relative stability compared to her prior union, though on his part contributed to the ; Staton has reflected positively on his character and their shared professional collaborations. Her third marriage to music promoter Jimmy James, from 1974 to 1977, was marked by severe , including threats of murder if she sought , which Staton cited as the inspiration for her 1976 hit "," a song about breaking free from destructive relationships. The fourth marriage, to drummer John Sussewell (formerly of Ashford & Simpson), began in 1979 and endured for 18 years until 1998, representing her longest union; it coincided with her return to gospel music but ended amid reported lapses into substance issues on his side, though without the overt violence of prior marriages. Staton's fifth marriage to former baseball player Otis Nixon occurred from 2010 to 2012 and was characterized by intense turmoil, including allegations of abuse that mirrored patterns in her earlier relationships, leading to a swift dissolution after two years. She married her sixth husband, Henry Hooper, in 2017; this union has been described by Staton as supportive and stabilizing, contrasting with the instability and prevalent in her previous five marriages, which collectively highlight repeated cycles of and relational breakdown despite her professional successes.

Battles with and

During her childhood, Staton experienced maltreatment while performing with the Jewell Gospel Trio starting at age 11, including exploitation without wages and improper treatment of a severe cavity using , which caused ongoing pain. Police were summoned over suspected maltreatment, but Staton, protective of her situation, falsely assured authorities of her well-being, averting legal consequences. Earlier, from age 4 to 11, she endured by her , which she reported only to face further institutional mistreatment upon placement in a Nashville juvenile detention center. These early traumas contributed to enduring patterns of entering abusive relationships and substance dependency, as Staton later reflected in interviews linking unresolved childhood pain to adult vulnerabilities. In adulthood, Staton faced prolonged across marriages, notably a seven-year union with Joe Williams marked by physical and emotional abuse, from which she escaped with four children but no financial support. Her third marriage to music promoter Jimmy James in the involved severe control and threats, including vows to murder her, her mother, and children should she pursue divorce, exacerbating her distress amid rising career demands. Paralleling this, intensified in the late and early , beginning with champagne at industry events and escalating to daily Johnnie Walker consumption for performance anxiety and sleep, alongside a habit that deepened dependency. Incidents included onstage collapses from intoxication, such as a fall in , underscoring failed attempts at amid relational and professional strains. By 1982, acute health crises—kidney pain and blackouts—prompted Staton to quit alcohol , rejecting secular interventions like formal rehab in favor of a faith-based . Influenced by her mother's urging and encounters with born-again Christianity, including church attendance with peers, she committed to gospel ministry, halting secular pursuits and crediting divine intervention for breaking cycles that prior coping mechanisms could not. This contrasted sharply with the glamorized disco-era narratives that obscured her private unraveling, as her accounts emphasize faith's causal role in empirical and relational escape over transient industry fixes.

Family, Health, and Faith Journey

Candi Staton is the mother of five children: Cassandra Williams-Hightower, Marcus Williams, Marcel Williams, Terry Williams, and . She is also a grandmother to 19 and great-grandmother to 20, often crediting her extended family's presence as a source of emotional strength amid personal trials. In October 2018, Staton was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly before rehearsals for a tour, prompting immediate medical intervention including 12 weeks of chemotherapy followed by 30 rounds of radiation over 10 weeks. By July 2019, she announced her remission, declaring herself cancer-free after enduring the grueling treatments. During this period, her family rallied around her, providing direct support through the 18-month ordeal, while her faith served as a sustaining force, with Staton later emphasizing its role in maintaining resilience. Staton's faith trajectory, rooted in childhood exposure, underwent significant renewal in adulthood following her era, marked by a recommitment to Christian principles as a bulwark against life's instabilities. In 1982, she co-founded Beracah Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia, alongside then-husband John Sussewell, leveraging support from PTL Ministries to establish a platform for spiritual outreach that anchored her personal recovery and family-oriented stability. This initiative reflected a causal pivot toward ministry as a stabilizing force, intertwining her roles as and ordained minister to foster familial and communal redemption.

Legacy and Impact

Achievements and Awards

Candi Staton has earned four Grammy Award nominations, primarily in soul gospel categories for her later work. Her 1986 album Sing a Song received a nomination for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Female at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards. Covers of country songs such as "In the Ghetto" and "Stand by Your Man" also garnered Grammy nominations during the 1970s. Her 1976 disco single "Young Hearts Run Free" achieved number one on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, number twenty on the , and number two on the UK Singles Chart. This track exemplified her ability to blend gospel-inflected vocals with secular soul and production, contributing to her recognition as the "Queen of ." Staton's influence extends to subsequent artists through her raw, emotive vocal delivery that fused gospel intensity with R&B phrasing, cited by performers including and as a stylistic touchstone. In 2023, she released the track "1963," a personal reflection on witnessing the , underscoring her role in documenting civil rights-era events through music.

Reception, Influence, and Critiques

Candi Staton's vocal versatility, blending gospel fervor with soulful grit, has garnered acclaim for its emotional rawness and endurance across genres. A Rolling Stone profile highlighted her "powerful" and "soulful" delivery, emphasizing how it conveys profound depth amid personal adversities like cancer, sustaining a career over six decades. Similarly, The Guardian lauded her nuanced phrasing on Unstoppable (2018), where micro-inflections capture indignation, self-doubt, and resolve, elevating tracks to convey universal hardship without sentimentality. Her influence extends to disco-soul fusions, with "Young Hearts Run Free" (1976) exemplifying a hybrid that propelled her as a pioneer, inspiring later artists through its blend of upbeat rhythms and introspective lyrics on relational entrapment. Critiques from gospel traditionalists center on her 1968 pivot to secular R&B, viewed as a compromise that eroded spiritual grounding and precipitated personal instability. Staton herself attributed a period of spiritual disconnection to secular pursuits, halting them after blaming the music for her estrangement from faith, a sentiment echoed in church backlash against remixes like "" (1991) as "devil's music." Faith-oriented outlets, such as Cross Rhythms, frame her 1982 return to not as mere resilience but as causal redemption, where ministry restored direction amid secular-era excesses, contrasting mainstream narratives that prioritize individual over for choices leading to familial and output disruptions—evident in sporadic releases during her peak amid marital and substance struggles. This perspective underscores empirical patterns: her most consistent productivity aligned with phases, while secular detours correlated with turbulence, challenging framings in left-leaning media that downplay such causal links in favor of victim-survivor tropes.

Discography

Studio Albums

Candi Staton's studio discography reflects her transition from and in the 1970s to contemporary , with early recordings produced by at and later works on her label emphasizing faith-based themes. Her albums include collaborations with producers like Dave Crawford and feature verifiable releases documented across music databases and streaming platforms.
YearTitleLabelNotes
1970I'm Just a PrisonerFameDebut album; produced by Clarence Carter.
1971Stand by Your ManFameSoul covers album.
1972Candi StatonFameFeatures hits like "He Called Me Baby."
1974CandiFameContinued Muscle Shoals sound.
1976Young Hearts Run FreeWarner Bros.Peaked at No. 34 on UK Albums Chart; disco-soul hit single.
1977Music Speaks Louder Than WordsWarner Bros.Title track single reached US R&B No. 10.
1979ChanceAriolaSecular disco phase.
1982Make Me an InstrumentBeracahReturn to gospel.
2006His HandsHonest Jon'sGospel album recorded in Jamaica.
2008I Will Sing My Praise to YouEmtro GospelContemporary gospel.
2014Life HappensBeracahFaith and personal testimony themes.
2016It's Time to Be FreeBeracahGospel release.
2018UnstoppableBeracahUpbeat gospel.
2025Back to My RootsBeracahLatest return to foundational styles.

Compilation Albums

The Best of Candi Staton, released in 1995 by Warner Bros. Records, compiles 14 remastered tracks from her mid-1970s disco and soul output, including "Young Hearts Run Free" (1976) and "Nights on Broadway" (1979), illustrating her commercial peak on the label. A 2004 self-titled compilation by Honest Jon's Records focuses on her early Fame Records period, assembling 26 Muscle Shoals-recorded tracks like "I'm Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin')" (1970) and "Evidence" (1971), emphasizing southern soul roots and previously scarce material that spurred renewed archival appreciation. Greatest Hits & More (2013, Marathon Media International) features 16 rerecorded selections of crossover hits such as "Victim" (1978) and "" (a 1991 collaboration), targeting updated accessibility for streaming eras while prioritizing enduring singles over deep cuts. The Complete Albums 1970-1980 (2019 digital reissue) consolidates 78 tracks from her foundational Warner and Fame releases, providing exhaustive retrospective utility for tracing stylistic shifts from raw to polished without selective curation.

Notable Singles

Staton's breakthrough secular single, a cover of Tammy Wynette's "" released in August 1970, peaked at number 24 on the and number 4 on the Hot R&B Singles chart, demonstrating her ability to adapt material to arrangements. Her 1976 disco track "," written by David Crawford and released on May 29, marked a commercial pinnacle, reaching number 20 on the , number 1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, and number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, where it became one of only two top-10 entries for her. Another versatile hit, her 1977 cover of the ' "," entered the top 10, further highlighting her crossover appeal from to . In her return to , singles like "Sin Doesn't Live Here Anymore" from 1984 emphasized spiritual themes and received acclaim in outlets, though they did not achieve mainstream secular chart success comparable to her earlier releases.

References

  1. https://www.alamhof.org/candistaton
  2. https://www.grammy.com/news/candi-staton-interview-gospel-disco-back-to-my-roots
  3. https://www.candi-staton.com/bio/
  4. https://www.soulexpress.net/candistaton.htm
  5. https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/staton-candi/
  6. https://www.cbs42.com/news/local/candi-staton-the-gospel-queen-from-rural-alabama/
  7. https://tmcsh.org/tmsjrc/sixty-years-later-songstress-candi-station-relives-the-16th-street-church-bombing/
  8. https://musicrepublicmagazine.com/2025/02/candi-staton-track-record/
  9. https://www.sirshambling.com/articles/candi_staton/index.php
  10. https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Candi_Staton
  11. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jan/28/candi-staton-i-was-a-pistol-packing-mama
  12. https://www.facebook.com/groups/985478235347920/posts/1446186199277119/
  13. https://www.bear-family.com/jewell-gospel-trio-the/
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSnWDOVGCH0
  15. https://www.facebook.com/groups/GospelHistory/posts/984968696128323/
  16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2VU2RrIaJk
  17. https://journalofgospelmusic.com/gospel/the-jewell-gospel-trio-many-little-angels-in-the-band/
  18. https://www.facebook.com/groups/GospelHistory/posts/476454896979708/
  19. http://opalnations.com/files/Gospel_Celebrities_Celestial_Lights_Fantastic_Voyage_FVD0077_2010__Liner_Notes.pdf
  20. https://www.smoothradio.com/news/music/candi-staton-age-husband-children-songs/
  21. https://acerecords.co.uk/evidence-the-complete-fame-records-masters
  22. https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Candy_Staton_Moving_from_gospel_to_RB_and_back_to_gospel_the_diva_speaks_out/36543/p1/
  23. https://www.musicvf.com/song.php?id=63096
  24. https://www.musicvf.com/Candi%2BStaton.alb
  25. https://famestudios.com/candi-staton/
  26. https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Booed_Off_Stage_/67538/p1/
  27. https://www.rhino.com/article/june-1976-candi-staton-hits-1-with-young-hearts-run-free
  28. https://people.com/candi-staton-disco-classic-was-inspired-by-abusive-husband-who-almost-killed-her-exclusive-clip-8656967
  29. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jan/29/he-said-if-i-divorced-him-hed-kill-us-all-candi-staton-on-abuse-alcohol-and-the-story-of-young-hearts-run-free
  30. https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/staton-candi
  31. https://www.allmusic.com/album/music-speaks-louder-than-words-mw0001880824
  32. https://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/staton-candi/
  33. https://www.npr.org/2006/05/08/5390090/the-trials-and-triumphs-of-candi-staton
  34. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/mar/24/popandrock
  35. https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Candi_Staton_Gospel_singers_double_UK_chart_success/32539/p1/
  36. https://www.grammy.com/artists/candi-staton/12573
  37. https://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1987-235.html
  38. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1994/01/15/singer-finds-her-soul-in-urban-youth-ministry/1e8bfef7-49cd-4e67-9c3f-fafb45223687/
  39. https://www.albumoftheyear.org/artist/8634-candi-staton/
  40. https://www.candi-staton.com/
  41. https://news.theurbanmusicscene.com/2025/02/candi-staton-to-release-32nd-album-back-to-my-roots/
  42. https://entertainment-focus.com/2025/01/16/candi-staton-sets-february-release-for-new-album-back-to-my-roots/
  43. https://www.facebook.com/TheRealCandiStaton/
  44. https://www.petepaphides.co.uk/writing/i-was-fighting-for-my-life-candi-staton-2006
  45. https://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-culture-articles/after-a-hellish-marriage-to-otis-nixon-candi-staton-returns-with-life-happens/
  46. https://protomouldplastics.co.uk/candi-staton-husband-henry-hooper/25730455/
  47. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/candi-staton-unstoppable-interview-745657/
  48. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/oct/30/candi-staton-diagnosed-with-breast-cancer
  49. https://pitchfork.com/news/candi-staton-reveals-breast-cancer-diagnosis/
  50. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/soul-disco-icon-candi-staton-cancer-free-856897/
  51. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPZq-GFkhi0/
  52. https://www.billboard.com/artist/candi-staton/
  53. https://www.sessiondays.com/2019/01/1976-candi-staton-young-hearts-run-free-us20-uk2/
  54. https://www.bluesandsoul.co.uk/feature/1028/candi_staton_unstoppable_talent/
  55. https://religionnews.com/2023/09/15/from-nights-on-broadway-to-1963-candi-staton-recalls-16th-st-baptist-bombing/
  56. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/aug/24/candi-staton-unstoppable-review-a-soul-survivor-to-cherish
  57. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/may/28/candi-staton
  58. https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/apr/17/candi-staton-singer
  59. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/candi-staton-mn0000542976
  60. https://www.discogs.com/artist/17399-Candi-Staton
  61. https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/candi-staton-young-hearts-run-free/
  62. https://www.disco-disco.com/artists/candi.shtml
  63. https://music.apple.com/us/artist/candi-staton/795789
  64. https://open.spotify.com/artist/3S34Unhn5yRcaH5K9aU5Et
  65. https://www.discogs.com/release/668757-Candi-Staton-The-Best-Of-Candi-Staton
  66. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/487821/Candi-Staton:Best-Of-Candi-Staton
  67. https://www.allmusic.com/album/candi-staton-compilation--mw0000039982
  68. https://www.discogs.com/release/626524-Candi-Staton-Candi-Staton
  69. https://music.apple.com/us/album/greatest-hits-more-rerecorded/1467206951
  70. https://music.apple.com/ca/album/the-complete-albums-1970-1980/1476524057
  71. https://www.musicvf.com/Candi%2BStaton.songs
  72. https://www.officialcharts.com/songs/candi-staton-young-hearts-run-free/
  73. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqnaQ-bKFl8
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