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Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples Quotes

Singer

Mavis Staples, born on July 10, 1939, is an American soul and gospel singer. She is a key member of the Staples Singers band, which had a profound impact on soul and gospel music in the mid-20th century.

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Famous Mavis Staples Quotes

“My purpose: to lift your spirit and to motivate you.”

Spirit Purpose Lifts Lift Your Spirits

Author:Mavis Staples

“Music is such a joy, just an absolute joy.”

Joy Music Is Absolutes

Author:Mavis Staples

“I have fun just about everywhere I go.”

Author:Mavis Staples

“I never sang for a Grammy, for money, for fame. That's my whole purpose for singing: for people, for the fans.”

People Whole Purpose Fans Fame Singing Grammy

Author:Mavis Staples

“I feel so good singing songs that I sang with my father.”

Feels Song Father Singing Singing Songs

Author:Mavis Staples

“Whenever somebody tells me they want me to stop singing, I'm gone.”

Want Gone Singing Want Me

Author:Mavis Staples

“I'm just singing what I feel in my heart.”

Feels Heart My Heart Singing

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Want Hands Stage Hearing Rings I Want You Jewelry

Author:Mavis Staples

“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”

Giving Reason Song Morning Inspire Singing Get Up Lifts Lift You Up

Author:Mavis Staples

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

People Feelings Intimacy Closeness Venues Great Feelings

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Years Shows Kids School Stage Talent One Day Eight Talent Show

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Home School Heard Stage Singing Grandmother Uncles My Grandmother Juniors Junior High Singing The Blues

Author:Mavis Staples

“I started writing letters home to my mother, saying that I wanted to come home, grandma won't let me sing.”

Writing Home Wanted Mother Letters Let Me Coming Home Grandma

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Kids Fighting Sound Voice Boys Heavy Like A Boy

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Ifs Knows Sometimes Kings Happenings Drs Unbelievable Luther Dr Martin Luther King

Author:Mavis Staples

“If I wasn't my age, I would turn a flip. I would do some cartwheels. That's how I feel.”

Ifs Feels Age Turns Flip Cartwheels

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Enough Running Church Fortunate

Author:Mavis Staples

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

Stills Enough Seeing Looking Good

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

People World Stills Song Ready Happenings Grateful Injustice Concerts So Grateful

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Want Wells Stills Dream Walks Lord Cases Kings Pops Want Me Drs Highways

Author:Mavis Staples

“I just had a wonderful life, and I couldn't ask for anything else.”

Asks Wonderful Wonderful Life

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Stills I Can Would Be Generations Fans Proud Blessed Pops New Generation

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Way Want Giving Said Wanted Left Voice Company Millions Records Offers Grateful Dollars Pops Missions Rhythm Branches Right Way Daddy Million Dollars Record Companies Rhythm And Blues

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Winning Strong Sides Devil Spread Stay Strong Stay Positive Your Side Love One Another Can't Win Heads Up

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Looks Winning Walks Seeing Trump Praying Devil Sticks Bunch Liars Tall Chests Heads Up

Author:Mavis Staples

“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.”

Knows Facts Song Saws Truth Is Singing Folks Hearing Enjoyed Festivals Dylan Fitting

Author:Mavis Staples

About the Author

Born: July 10, 1939
Known for: Singer
Quotes: 26

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Singing Song Stills Want Feels People Pops Stage Devil Drs

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People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

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