Candi Staton is currently sharing her fascinating life story, recounting her days working in a nursing home during the day and performing in a bar at night as she chased her dreams of stardom while raising her children. She reminisces about her past, including living in a $65-a-month apartment in the rough part of Cleveland, Ohio. Despite her turbulent journey, Staton’s career has spanned various genres from gospel to R&B to house music, with her distinctive voice capturing a blend of richness and melancholy. Known for hits like „You Got the Love“ and „Young Hearts Run Free,“ Staton’s music resonates across generations, reflecting universal themes of love and heartbreak.
At 84 years old, Staton remains a vibrant storyteller, with a sharp wit and a resilient spirit. She recently traveled from Atlanta to London to receive a lifetime achievement award at the UK’s Americana music awards and promote her new album, „Back to My Roots.“ Growing up in the segregated South in the 1940s, Staton’s early music career as part of the Jewell Gospel Trio exposed her to both fame and exploitation, as she and her sister Maggie performed across the country.
Despite facing challenges and setbacks along the way, including domestic abuse and exploitation by music industry figures, Staton’s passion for music and storytelling has remained unwavering. Her resilience and determination shine through as she continues to share her inspiring journey with audiences worldwide. „I was incredibly bored.“ This boredom eventually led to her first relationship, where she danced the jitterbug with her boyfriend, Joe Williams, a church minister, on Friday nights and enjoyed burgers and fries on the weekends in his Chevy. They had a baby together, the first of four children, and eventually got married at her mother’s insistence. However, after enduring seven years of abuse in her marriage to Williams, Staton found the strength to leave and re-enter the music industry, raising her children on her own without any support from their father. She describes herself as a „supermom“ who had to be both mom and dad, drawing strength from the weakness others expected her to have.
Her life took a more stable turn with her second marriage to fellow musician Clarence Carter, although it was marred by his infidelity. Despite this, Staton’s career began to rise again alongside producer Rick Hall at Fame studios in Muscle Shoals. She received Grammy nominations, but it was her collaboration with her next partner that brought her to superstardom with a song that revealed the abuse she was enduring at home. She was signed to Warner Bros and married to music promoter Jimmy James, who she later described as abusive and controlling, threatening her life and the lives of her loved ones if she ever mentioned divorce.
Unbeknownst to her, her producer and friend was inspired by her story and wrote the song „Young Hearts Run Free“ about her experiences. She recorded it in one take, and the song became a reflection of her life in just three minutes. Despite her success, Staton battled alcohol addiction, which she eventually overcame after experiencing severe health issues. She turned to religion and released gospel music, finding solace in her faith.
After a career setback due to a divorce in the late 90s, Staton found renewed success in Europe and the UK with unexpected hits such as „You Got the Love,“ which was later remixed by Florence + the Machine. Now in her 80s and cancer-free, Staton continues to make music, including the album „Back to My Roots“ produced with her son Marcus. The album features powerful tracks like „Peace in the Valley“ and a spoken-word tribute to children lost in tragic events throughout history. Staton war eine junge Mutter zur Zeit des Birmingham-Angriffs und war an diesem Tag mit ihren beiden ältesten Söhnen in der Stadt. Sie nimmt die Stützposition ein, während sie zeigt, wie sie sich vor der Explosion schützten, die von lokalen KKK-Mitgliedern inszeniert wurde. Sie mochte nicht, wie die Medien die Opfer – Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Roberston und Denise McNair – als „vier kleine Mädchen“ beschrieben; sie nannten sie nicht beim Namen. Sie hatten Zukunft, sie hatten einen Zweck, und es wurde ihnen genommen. Nennen Sie zumindest ihre Namen. Ich habe durch die Aufnahme alles geweint. Als es vorbei war, sahen mich meine Kinder an und fragten: „Mom, geht es dir gut?“ Ich sagte: „Nicht jetzt, nicht.“ Es war wie eine Trauer. In „I’ll Take You There“ geht sie um die Kirche herum und nimmt still die Stelle auf, an der – unheimlich – nur das Gesicht von Jesus durch die Bombe aus dem bunten Glas geblasen wurde.
Es ist schwer zu glauben, dass sich in Statons Leben so viel verändert hat – und dass so viel düster gleich geblieben ist. Während Beyoncé für ihr Cowboy Carter-Album von den CMA Awards möglicherweise übergangen wurde, sind schwarze Künstler jetzt sicher prominenter in Americana und Country. Wie fühlt es sich für Staton an, mehr Anerkennung in einem Bereich zu erhalten, in dem schwarze Künstler nicht immer ihren Tribut erhalten haben? „Timing ist alles“, sagt sie. „Sie waren nicht bereit, uns zu akzeptieren. Jetzt hat sich die Musikindustrie so sehr verändert… damals hatte Rick Hall Vertrauen in mich, aber Promotion und Radio waren nicht bereit für mich, [Jolene] zu singen, weil es als weiße Musik galt.“ Was neuere Künstler betrifft, sagt sie, dass es sich „großartig“ anfühlt, sie Americana umarmen zu sehen und aufzumischen. „Ich denke, es ist an der Zeit“, fügt sie hinzu. Wenn jemand etwas über die Bedeutung des Timings weiß, dann ist es Candi Staton.
Candi Statons neues Album, „Back to My Roots“, erscheint am 14. Februar bei Beracah Records.