WOMAD

Candi Staton

From United States

While she’ll forever be remembered for that anthem of the disco era, Young Hearts Run Free, history should never overlook Candi Staton’s contribution to that most emotional of musics southern soul. A graduate, like so many soul brothers and sisters, of a strong gospel-singing heritage, as a teenager Candi performed on the gospel live circuit as part of the Jewell Gospel Trio (“we were like the Jackson Five of gospel”, she explains). But it was when Canzetta became Candi and started recording secular music for the legendary Fame studios in Alabama that she really got noticed, cutting flawless examples of the deepest southern soul, including That’s How Strong My Love Is and her remarkable reworking of Stand By Your Man. When 26 of these songs were reissued in 2004 by Damon Albarn’s Honest Jon’s label, the world was suddenly reminded of the woman’s immense talents. As Mojo magazine rightly declared, she “deserves to be up there alongside Aretha and Gladys in the soul pantheon”. You’ll only hear words of agreement from these parts.

(Biography by WOMAD)

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