Mavis Staples, born in 1939, is an American singer, actress, and civil rights activist. She gained prominence as the lead vocalist of the Staples Singers, a gospel group known for blending gospel, soul, and rhythm and blues. Staples’ powerful voice and socially conscious lyrics, exemplified in hits like “I’ll Take You There” and “Respect Yourself,” made her a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement. Beyond music, she has remained committed to social justice causes throughout her career. Staples continues to inspire with her soulful performances and activism, solidifying her legacy as an influential voice in both music and advocacy for equality and justice.

Mavis Staples Quotes

1. “I’m singing these songs to inspire you, to keep you going, to lift you up and give you a reason to get up in the morning.”
— Mavis Staples

2. “We stay strong. We stay positive, keep our heads up, love one another, spread love. The Devil can’t win when you have God on your side.”
— Mavis Staples

3. “There’s still injustice happening in my world. I sing my songs at concerts and I’m so grateful that the people are ready to hear them.”
— Mavis Staples

4. “Well Lord, I’m still on the case. I’m still doing what Dr. King and Pops want me to do. I’m still on that freedom highway, and I’m going to walk on it until Dr. King’s dream is realized.”
— Mavis Staples

5. “I won’t wear rings and jewelry on the stage because I don’t want you looking at my hands. I want you hearing what I’m saying.”
— Mavis Staples

6. “Music is such a joy, just an absolute joy.”
— Mavis Staples

7. “My purpose: to lift your spirit and to motivate you.”
— Mavis Staples

8. “I have to pinch myself sometimes. It’s unbelievable, but it’s not. Because I know that this would not be happening if it hadn’t been for Dr. Martin Luther King.”
— Mavis Staples

9. “I have fun just about everywhere I go.”
— Mavis Staples

10. “The Devil is a liar. He cannot win. And that’s all we’re seeing is a bunch of devils [Donald Trump]. So we have to pray and just look out for one another. Keep your chest out, stick your head up and walk tall.”
— Mavis Staples

11. “We enjoyed the fact that we were called to the folk festivals and we got to know Joan Baez, Dylan. We were singing strictly gospel, but then after we started hearing songs that they would sing, we saw that those songs were very fitting for us because they were singing the truth, and truth is gospel.”
— Mavis Staples

12. “There is a great feeling in a small venue, with the closeness of the people and the intimacy.”
— Mavis Staples

13. “I never sang for a Grammy, for money, for fame. That’s my whole purpose for singing: for people, for the fans.”
— Mavis Staples

14. “I’m old enough to be Obama’s grandmom. But I still like seeing good-looking things. Nothing wrong with that.”
— Mavis Staples

15. “I would get in fights a lot. My voice was so heavy, kids would say you sound like a boy, so I would start beating them up.”
— Mavis Staples

16. “My voice is my gift. And Pops had me using it in the right way. I had many offers to sing pop, to sing rhythm and blues. Pops said ‘Mavis, this record company want to give you a million dollars.’ I said, ‘No daddy, I want to sing with the family.’ And I did. I never wanted to branch out by myself. But I’ve had to now. It’s my mission. I’ve been left here to do it. And I’m grateful.”
— Mavis Staples

17. “If I wasn’t my age, I would turn a flip. I would do some cartwheels. That’s how I feel.”
— Mavis Staples

18. “I just had a wonderful life, and I couldn’t ask for anything else.”
— Mavis Staples

19. “My uncle was 16, in junior high, and he heard me singing and snatched me off the stage. I thought he was happy and was going to pat me on the head and say I was good. But he took me home and told my grandmother this youngin’ was at school singing the blues.”
— Mavis Staples

20. “One day, when I was about eight years old, some kids pushed me on stage at school during a talent show because they knew I could sing.”
— Mavis Staples

21. “I’m so blessed that I can still be here to bring the music and have new generations of fans. My Pops would be so proud.”
— Mavis Staples

22. “Whenever somebody tells me they want me to stop singing, I’m gone.”
— Mavis Staples

23. “I feel so good singing songs that I sang with my father.”
— Mavis Staples

24. “I was not fortunate enough to run into Obama. We were at the same church per se, but I would never be there when he was there.”
— Mavis Staples

25. “I’m just singing what I feel in my heart.”
— Mavis Staples