Mavis Staples and the late Aretha Franklin had slight beef over their 1987 duet "Oh Happy Day" when Franklin turned down Staples' vocals.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Mavis Staples, two months shy of her 80th birthday, threw a party at the Apollo Theater. The singer known for such hits as “I’ll Take You There” was joined Thursday night by David Byrne, Norah Jones among other musical guests and by a capacity crowd that stood throughout the nearly 90-minute […]

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CHICAGO (AP) — Yvonne Staples, (pictured, far right) whose voice and business acumen powered the success of the Staple Singers, has died at age 80. The Chicago funeral home Leak and Sons says she died Tuesday at her home in Chicago. Staples’ family gospel group had a string of Top 40 hits in the late 1960s, […]

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The longest, loudest standing ovation of the Kennedy Center Honors gala wasn’t reserved for Al Pacino, Mavis Staples or the Eagles. Instead, it went to the man sitting to their left, attending his eighth and most likely his last honors presentation: President Barack Obama. While politics were absent from the tributes to […]

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Singer Mavis Staples has been named among the 2016 recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, joining Al Pacino, James Taylor, the rock band The Eagles and Argentine pianist Martha Argerich on the annual list of artists lauded for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. The group will be celebrated Dec. 4 at a gala […]

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CHICAGO (AP) — Mavis Staples is getting the tribute treatment. An all-star lineup of musicians including Gregg Allman, Aaron Neville, Taj Mahal, Eric Church, Michael McDonald, Patty Griffin and more will salute Staples during the I’ll Take You There – Celebrating 75 Years of Mavis Staples tribute concert Nov. 19 in Chicago. Staples has had […]

Mavis Staples may be best known as one of the most dynamic gospel and soul singers of all time, but her involvement in the civil rights movement was just as important as her powerful voice. The vocalist and activist continues to add to her vibrant legacy as she is set to celebrate her 75th birthday […]