Candi Staton

The trio was an immediate hit with the church audiences.  They recorded several singles for Nashboro Records such as “I Looked Down the Line (And I
Wondered)” and “Too Late.”  The trio toured extensively, even overseas spots such as the Philippines.  They appeared on bills with the Staple Singers, the Soul Stirrers, and Aretha Franklin among others.  Mavis Staples remembers, “Canzetta was something.  I remember at one place in Shreveport the stage was real high.  Back then, gospel singers liked to go out into the aisles and work the crowd up.  Well, that stage was so high that none of the guys tried to jump down there that night; but Canzetta sure ‘nuff jumped down there and got them worked up.”

When she came of age, Candi left the group.  “We were taken advantage of and I left because of the misuse,” she says.  Instead of pursuing a career, Candi pursued marriage and motherhood.  However, after seven years of matrimony, she had grown tired of her husband’s jealousy and physical abuse.  So when her minister made a pass at her, she just snapped.  “I said forget you, forget church, and forget everybody.  I’m through with God.  Bye!  And I said, ‘I’m gonna sing the blues,’ just like that.”  The big break soon followed.  Her brother had dared her to sing on amateur night at the 27/28 Club in Birmingham.  She went up and sang “Do Right Woman” and won a booking to open for Clarence Carter, her future husband.  He liked her and asked her to open for him on the road.

After hooking up with Clarence, Candi enjoyed smash Top 10 R&B hits such as “I’d Rather Be An Old Man’s Sweetheart (Than To Be A Young Man’s Fool)”, “Sweet Feeling,” “Stand By Your Man,” “He Called Me Baby,” “Mr. & Mrs. Untrue,” “Too Hurt To Cry” and “In The Ghetto” which won a Grammy nomination and a personal letter of praise from Elvis Presley.  After 1976, Candi became a princess in the disco field with hits like “Young Hearts Run Free,” “Victim,” “Nights On Broadway” and “When You Wake Up Tomorrow.”