Introducing: Norah Jones is Playing Along

00:00:15 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Today, we're sharing an episode from a great artist who also happens to have one of our favorite podcasts. It's called Nora Jones is Playing Along. Nora is, of course, a multi Grammy winning artist who loves to collaborate with other musicians, so she started a podcast where she can do just that. Each episode features a different musical guest, and you, as a listener, get to be a fly on the wall in the studio as musicians come together from promptu music making and candid conversations. With guests like Jeff Tweedy, Robert Glasper, and Lucas Nelson, you'll hear everything from their hits to classic covers to songs written on the spot. The episode we're sharing today is with the legendary Mavis Staples. You'll be treated to stories from her time as a member of the iconic Staples Singers, spreading powerful messages of peace through gospel and soul music. Mavis also talks about her current projects, It's a Solo Artist and Beyond. We'll also hear Mavis and Nora play gospel classic as well as pay homage to Mavis's father, Pop Staples, along with a few other surprises. So listen and then follow and subscribe to. Nora Jones is playing along wherever you get your podcasts to hear more great episodes with fantastic guest artists. Without further ado, Please enjoy. Nora Jones is playing along with Mavis Staples. Hi, I'm Norah Jones and today I'm playing along with Mavis Staples, just playing alone, just playing alone. Hi, welcome to the show. I'm Nora, and with me as always is Sarah Oda. Hello. Hello. Today's show was so fun to record and pretty emotional. I don't know how you felt about it, Oda, but for me it was it was very very special. I feel like maybe Staples is a force, but like a very sweet, tender, loving, huggable force. Yeah. I like, Yeah, She's just an amazing human. She is full of love and we love her. You cannot be in a bad mood when she's in the room. No, And we talk about that a little in this episode, about her her energy and where it comes from. Maybe Staples, of course, was part of the Staples singers. Mavis and her family were iconic throughout the Civil rights movement. Her father was friends with doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Yeah, and they performed at rallies and protests before his speeches. They inspired people when people needed it the most. We enjoyed talking to Mavis about her family and the dynamic at the Staple Singers Pops, and of course now she's also a solo artist in her own right. She's influenced so many people. Everybody loves her and aside from the incredible music that she makes, all the stories that come along with the history she's had and the people she's encountered along the way, I mean, I could just listen to her talk all day long. Yeah, we talk about all this and we sing several songs together, some that I didn't even know we were going to sing in this episode, So that was really fun. She just goes with it at all times, and that's what's so fun about being around Mavis. I met her for the first time in twenty ten when we were both honoring Paul McCartney at the Kennedy Center Honors and she saw me. We talked about this too, but she saw me and she took my hand and she said, oh, hey, you be my daughter. Yeah, she just hugged me and it was just, you know, pure love. Ever since then, so I was so honored that maybe this could join me and we could play songs together and reconnect. It's been a long time since I'd seen her. Yeah, And we recorded this episode at Jeff Tweedy's studio in Chicago called the Loft, and start off by talking about a song that he wrote for her called You Are Not Alone. I hope you enjoy. So that's the Maybe's corner. I didn't know that when I was here. You don't have a corner. I don't. I've been all over the knocks even Yeah. Well I tell you, I got my first Grammy from here. Really. Yeah, Yeah, You're Not Alone. I wasn't from the staple things from just Maybe's uh huh. Yeah, that was my first grand That's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. It is beautiful and you and I got down on it too, and the apollo. Yeah, I was hoping we could start with it actually, just to warm us up. Yeah, okay, yeah, I know the words to that. Did whenever he brought it to you, were you moved by the lyrics? I was just I and and see what he did. He was writing it right here in the studio, really, and I was standing over him. And he got through that first verse and I a shill bumps came up, you know, and all of a sudden he stopped. I'm waiting for him to go into the second verse, and he stopped, and I said, what's you're doing. He says, I need more time, more time, he said. I said, oh, tweety, and he said, I'm gonna have it for you tomorrow. I gotta take it home. I'm gonna have for tomorrow. I said, okay, tweet. But he gave me the part of the melody, and I I I laid with that the night that I before night, I was at home, and when I came in the next day, he laid it on me. Man, I tell you, I I it just it just hit me. And because at that time, you know, I was feeling alone. Really yeah. I had lost my sister, my my oldest sister, and and uh my other sister was sick, you know, so it it the song hit me. You know, it was for me. It was for me. It feels made for you. Yeah, it was made for me. And uh I I love it. We sing it every show. We don't go off the stage without singing. You're not alone. I've heard you sing this many many times. Yeah, I love it. I was around the house singing it. Well if you feel alone? If no, I don't really feeling. I just love the song I'm doing. Okay now see I got you, babe, I love you. I love you two little girl. Well, let's try it. Okay, you wanna try it? Yeah? Yeah, I love. The thing I love about this song is how there's harmony the whole way through. Yes, and it has that not alone feeling it does. It's so beautiful and it just and and and it makes you feel it's so much better. It makes you feel like you're you. You're just telling the truth. You're not alone. I know you're not alone. And I tell you people people love it. People as soon as we hit it, they go combab It's the best hit it. You're love lone I with you A lonely to what's that song? Candy song? B you? A broken Heart? I broken home, iolate and and afraid open up. This is a rag I wanna get through you your Oh not alone, You're not alone either, re nice. I stand in your place, heilly tease on every face, taste the same, Oh yeah, oh yeah. A broken Dream a broken heart. I slay and afraid, open up. This is rad I want to get it through you. You're not alone, an open hand and open heartt there's no need to be afraid, open up. This is a rad. I wanna get it through you. You're not alone. No no, I want to get it through to you. You're not alone. No no, I'm gonna get it through to you. So not alone. Help me, Oh my gosh, help me. That was pretty. Think. Oh that's a beautiful you are. So you played all that. There was notes and that and that, that dream and that beautiful, so beautiful tweety A broken dream, a broken part. It hurts, it truly hurts over. I just love it so much. And I loved Jeff. I was so glad you're saying that with me and the Apollo. That was really fun. And at first they couldn't find a piano. Oh well I put it on a world it's her right. Yeah. Yeah, I prayed, I said, ain't gonna get her, and here they're going. You prayed for a piano for me? Yeah, yeah, I'm honored. Yes, indeed, that was really fun. That was your birthday. It was my idea. That's crazy checked that out. Wow, you helped me celebrate my birthday. That was the second time, because I was with you in Newport on one of your birthdays at the Folks. Yes, yes, that must have been. That must have been my seven year probably, I think I don't know. I don't. I can't remember. I stop trying to remember. I don't remember how old I am. Sometimes I get it. Yeah, yeah, but but but who cares. I don't. I don't feel like any different. I feel like we're buds and we're this could be the same age or you know what I mean. Like, it doesn't God doesn't feel it doesn't feel very different. It doesn't feel very different though you've you've got sore experienced than me. I mean, you know, yes, and I you know, I'm I'm I'm I'm the old girl. I'm just I'm just senior. I'm the golden girl. But I'm hanging with young blood. You are, and people love young people love you. That makes me feel it's it's you know, you walk into the room and you make me feel young. I don't know, you just bring the sunshine with you. Yeah, it really makes me feel good that the the young adults. I have one friend who works at Columbia College over here, and she teaches, you know, she teaches music, and she tells her students, uh stories, and she lets me know. She said, maybes, these kids love you. These kids. Uh no, you don't know her hermit terry hermit, No, no, yeah, but she she tells me all the time, and it makes me feel so good. They do though, they love you so much. Yeah. Yeah, well see they they see that I'm a kid too, you are, I can't admit. I agree. Yeah, I'm I've I've never grown up. Yeah, I'm in my heart, I'm still a little kid, you know. And I just I just I love to play, I love to sing. I just love people. So I love babies. Yeah, oh man, are you take everybody's back? Are you good with him? I'm good with yeah. Oh. We get on the plane and and and and I always take this little bottle of bubbles with me, just in case and it's something baby is going to cry on that plane, and I wait on it. When I hear a baby cry, I get my bubbles out, finding the baby, and I started blowing bubbles and the baby looks at the bubbles, and Mama would be so happy that I came along. Yeah, I I what I'm bubbles. Yeah, that's your nickname, right, that's my nickname. Yeah? Who gave you that nickname? My mother? Really, since you were a little girl, since you were little. No, not, it wasn't until I was about I wasn't thirty yet. I was in my twenties. Okay, And uh, I asked, I said, Mama, while you calling me bubbles? She said, maybe it's because you're so bubbly. You're just always so happy. Just you know, you just came out that way. I came that way. I was gonna ask that where that comes from. But I think people who have that just are like that. I'm just happy, go lucky all the time. You know. Well, that's a great way to be. It really is. And I'm grateful because every now and then I'll let something get on my nerve. But it's gotta be strong, yeah, you know, because most of the time I overlook it whatever. You know, if it was supposed to get on my nerve, I can overlook it and stay happy. Right, I'll take some of that, please, Can I have some of that? She's free of charge. I'm pretty happy in general, but I'm not a bubbly person. You know what I mean. Like, I don't bring the sunshine into every room, but I don't get too sad. Usually I'm pretty even. Yeah, I don't realize it, but you do bring the sunshine. Well that's kind of you. But I mean, and and when I'm talking about you bring in the sunshine, you're on a hole. Well I I come in noisy, noisy crew. Yeah, you know. Yeah, And and and Prince used to tell me, he said, maybes you're talking too loud. Really save your voice. Yeah, what a thing to say, he would be. I was grateful though, because also a flat told me that. Really, but I've always you know, there were five of those children in the house. Yeah. And and if you want to be heard, you you gotta let your voice be here. I was just I come from a noisy crew, just like I said. All yeah, big families, That's that's what it's about. Right, But right, And I'm I'm just grateful. I know I should talk softer, and you saved my voice. I think at this point you're good. Did they say that out of concern for your singing voice? Yeah? Oh okay, yeah, yeah, I mean I got I get that. But if it hadn't been a problem yet, right then, right, I'm not talking about all my life. Yeah, I don't think it's gonna be. But I guess they were just used to being around own people who talked under their voice. Yes, and uh now he he. I was surprised his voice, so, Mavis, Prince he had a little speaking voice, right, yeah. I met him once, but he did, he and he was very soft spoken. He was, he was, and he observed a lot, right yeah, yeah, oh yeah. I I took him to I said, Prince, I'm it's just gonna have to make you my son. Al right, maybes I'll be his son. And I loved him talk because his voice was just raw. Yeah, you know, but when he sing, you know, it was a heavy voice when he sing too, but to talk. I saw him do an interview with Arsenio Hall one time, and man, his boy Arsenio was shocked. He was shocked too. But some people, uh talk in a different voice than they sing. My kids told me that when they hear my voice singing, they think I sound different when I'm just home, you know, yeah, telling them what to do, that's what they tell me. Oh yeah, they tell you you you want to see, Yes, your voice your singing voice is very mellow and sweet and soft and and and you you could make a person hurt themselves. Yeah, it comes from listening to you. Just go you, just calm you down. You said, when I first heard what's the name, oh don't know why. I don't don't know why. Yeah. When I first don't know, I didn't don't know why. I was around the house or something. And then that came on the radio and I stopped whatever I was doing. I had to stop and listen. And then the next time, I said, damn, this a beautiful song. Next time I heard it, I saw you on you on television and I was walking around. I was getting the DV was on, and you came on and I say, is this song I saw you? I said, oh my goodness, started singing it and I it's just been one of my favorites all time. Thank you. And yeah, my friend Jesse Harris wrote that song. Really, he was in my band and he wrote the song. I wrote. Sometimes people think I wrote it, but he. I wrote a few songs on that album, but I didn't really get deep into songwriting until a little bit later. Is that right? Yeah, Well, you sing it like you wrote it. I think you have to, don't you. You have to feel like you own the song to really deliver it, even if you didn't come up with it right. And that's what you do with the Jeff Twitty songs. Yes, and that's what you do with every song. I mean, really do what you have to do? You really do. You've got to from your heart. Yeah, it's got to come from your heart if you you want to deliver it and you want people to get it and feel it and react from it the way you have That's what's the way you gotta do. You know. Parks always told me. We were in in New York one time about I was about thirteen years old, and these kids sing before us and they were just jumping all across the stage and singing loud. So when it was time for us to sing, I did that, yeah, and my father snatched me off the stage. He said, what is wrong with you? Maybe it? Wow? He said, what are you doing? I said, I'm just singing that. He said, maybe let me tell you something. You don't you your music don't need a gimmick. You don't need a gimmick. Yeah, you know, you're singing from your heart, seems to what comes from the heart reaches the heart. And that's the way you. I I've never forgotten it, never, you know. And and he said, you don't be you don't have to crown, you don't need to give me. I was I I was drawing the kids. They were jumping across the stage. Yeah, singing lie And uh he said, uh, you singing sacred music. You don't need any gimmick, sing from your heart. If you sing from your heart, you'll read the people. I agree with that one hundred percent. I also, I think his voice also had that mellow, easy going Yeah. He wasn't trying to sing over anybody, but you had to lean in to hear it. And then it hit you right right, And you're the same way. You know. You laid back. I don't know where, I don't know why, but you are. I'm just so proud to know you. A little late, Oh, I'm proud to know you. I met you at the Kennedy Center for the first time. Yeah, and you took my hands and you saw I was nervous. I remember, you knew I was nervous. I knew, Yeah, you could tell I could, So you took me and you held me you like, did did? I got to protect this little girl? I was like, what am I doing here? Yeah? I came on down there and got doing just stand right by me and we held hands all through that finale. Yes, that was so fun. It was so special meeting there. Oh man, that was a good time. Yeah, that was a good time. Anytime I see your name, I flare up. You know that could go either way. And I was seeing you. I was seeing you so much like you told me. You said it was Christmas, but Christmas needed you. I I I was, it really needed you. You know what I needed Christmas last year. And that's why I made a Christmas album because I need I needed a little joyful something to right feel right good. Well, I'm glad you made that album because they they were a feature in you all week, all day, every hour. Again, it was a Christmas exhaustion. It was beautiful. You know. We were recorded the song from Your Christmas The Staples Singers Christmas album we did the twenty fifth day of December, did you. I'll send it to you. It wasn't it wasn't on the album, but it was a bonus track. Oh, because I didn't feel like we made it it was so your version. It is so good. It was hard to beat it. But it's great. It's still a great version. And it's a great you know, I loved your I listen to your Christmas album a lot really recording. Yeah really, and that was so many years ago. Yeah, wow, but it's beautiful. It's a beautiful album. And and and Pops he wrote the song there was a Star he did. Yeah, he wrote that and uh, oh my god. You know, for a long time, you couldn't find it. We couldn't find it. Oh, they had to reissue it. Yeah, and and the Blind Boys they did some songs from that album. But I got it here twenty that was my favorite. It was so fun. Fabywhere my da May last? All go? September, October, November. It was the last month of the year. Oh yeah, twenty fifth day of December. I leave it. I mean, I kept saying when we're recording it, I kept saying the twenty second, twenty first day of December, just because it rolled off my tongue Rock and my drummer Brian, but he goes Norah. I think that's one lyric you gotta get right. It's the twenty fifth day of December, not the twenty first day Jesus birth day. Yeah, don't get that one right, No, yeah, and problems brought that. Tell me when was but Jesus born last month of the year, And when wasn't Jesus born last monily year? When one, dear boy, last motherly year you got Genus Fay, March, April and May, June, June, lie, oh go September, October. No, memberoy. It was twenty fifth del dy sam boy was the last monthy year borned by the Virgin mayor last monthy He was born by the Virgin Mary. The last mothery born by the Virgin Mary. Last mony we got January, uh huh, February, yeah, March, April, lay Lord, June and June. Lie all girl, help timberlore No, I'm the lamb boy. It was a twenty fifth d d. Samber. It was the last mother Yeah, it was fine. Oh my goodness. Yeah, well we're having Christmas today. That's right. I love the end of that song, Last Mother. So how low can you go? How low can you go? I can go down low? Oh my god, I can't go down low? WHOA how low can you go? I can go down very low. That is a man. But did you were you like that when you were younger? You know, my voice was so heavy always, and I get I take it from my mother and my grandmother. They had strong voices. But I would yeah, when I was a kid, it was my voice was higher. Now when I get my tonsils removed, Oh really, it got tired. Yeah, that's it's weird. Oh yeah, I just didn't really be I would fight. Kids would tell me you sound like a boy. Wow. And when we started traveling, if I called down for breakfast, the lady would say yes, mister Staples, yes, said and I heard it so much the less. I said, I'm a lady, and they said, oh, I'm sorry, you know, but yeah, it's always been. Uh, I've always had a heavy voice. And and I used to sing bass our first record, you know, will the will the Willow Who that's insane? And how old were you? I was a kid, I was like like nine years old. That's when came. Day came when I was thirteen, okay, twelve thirteen, but but uh, they wanted to record us when I was a kid, and Pops wouldn't allow it. The president of VJ Records, Vivian Carter. She called dad and she said, she said, state you those kids, y'all need to be on record. And Pops and well, Vivian, I don't know nothing about those records. You know. He would almost were green, we did, you know, And he said, I'm not gonna let my children get on those records. He was afraid because he was too young, right, he didn't know what business of it. Wow. And and that my sister Yvan, she would go. She wouldn't have books. She got this big read book, this business on music. She learned. She helped him a lot. Really, people, Oh yeah, she got that book and help you guys figure that's incredible. Yeah, she sure did. She stayed right with him, you know, booking and and she taught him a lot. But also people like the soul Stirs and and uh sister Halia Jackson, they were already recording and they would tell Daddy different things, you know, they would tell him, you know, what to do and how to do and watch out for this. So when I was about twelve, perhaps called Vivian and told her. He said, okay, Vivian, we'll make that record. I let my children. And after he'd read the book, Yeah, he knew the Yeah, he felt good in confident. Yeah yeah he cause Pops Popsia didn't know. You know, well we didn't. We were just singing. Yeah. He He used to sing with an all male group, six guys, and these guys wouldn't come to rehearsal, so poppib would be frustrated. He come home, man, you know he came on that third time and he went in the closet, pulled out a little guitar that he had. We didn't even know he had a guitar. He couldn't play at he he could play it. He didn't. He couldn't have all the strings, but he could make it sound good. And he told my aunt Katie, he said, I'm gonna sing with my children. He called all of us into the living room, set us down on the floor in a circle, and began giving us voices that he and his sisters and brothers used to sing when they were in Mississippi. That's incredible. People thought we were old people when we we we would go places and they just knew we were old. Didn't heard us. And cause cause we had a little radio fifteen minute radio show Sunday morning, and we would singing and they thought we were old people because Pops we were singing those old voices like his sisters and brothers. We would walk in little stairs steps and they said, that's the stable thing. You were old already. Yeah, yeah, but that's yeah. He would give us those voices and and that's how we started singing. My aunt Katie lived with us, okay, and she came through one night. She says, chocks, y'all sound pretty good, and that God want y'all to sing in my church. Son, we had you already been singing in church your whole lives. No, you we've been singing. We hadn't. As the family, we hadn't been singing in church. We didn't start. We started doing programs at churches. But but uh, my sister and brother were in the young people's choir. I was too young to go. Okay, yeah, so you didn't really sing much until he started doing that, until he started, don't sing it. What's your order? There's five of you kids. I'm the baby, you're the baby. Yeah, okay, bubbles, I get it now. Yeah, I'm the baby. Oh no, Cynthia, I'm the I'm I was the baby for twelve years. Oh wow. And my baby sister came along, and you know, I didn't like how did that go? I didn't like that. I would be putting diapers on that baby and I stick her. Mama said maybe you were stick in that. I said, no, ma'am mama. But Cynthia and I became the best of friends. Were we became the type. I called her blessed. Oh, and she called me Raybel. She couldn't say my name o Rabel and and uh and oh, but she was h yeah, she was, she was. I told her Papa, I said, we gotta put Cynthia. She would sing songs with us when we were in Chicago at the different churches, you know. But yes, Cynthia and see Mama and Daddy. They were just My mother was heavy set, so I never knew she was pregnant, you know, she just happened. I didn't know where this baby came from. And and they told me, uh to pacify me made uh uh. Cause when my mother came home, she didn't bring the baby. She had to leave the baby there and and and and Mamma said, you go with with with Robuck, get to pick up the baby. I said, what baby? What baby? Oh, my gosh, and uh. And they started telling me that we had this baby, and so they let me name her. They did, Oh yeah, Cynthia Marie, thinking you'd be cool with it. If your name, that's gonna pass your baby. I named her, Oh boy. And see because because what happened, my father, he would he would he wouldn't, he wouldn't pass me up. He goes straight to that baby a bed or wherever she was and and blow. He used to blow it, not stomach, make me laugh, tore me up in the air when he'd come from work. And he all that stopped. Oh yeah, yeah, and so somebody should have been around to talk to him, let him know he was supposed to keep doing that. That's interesting. Yeah. I grew up an only child, so it's like just I can't even imagine what it was like being in a family, Like oh wow, yeah, it was good being in him. We we we uh, we would have we would disagree, We didn't have any We fuss sometimes, but Mama would tell us, don't do that. You love your sister and and that's your sister. Now you all make up apologize. But you know, Yvonne and Cleady they would do most of the argument. Oh, yeah, because they were the close older. That makes sense. Yeah, whenever you guys were traveling, when how old were you when you started really traveling around and touring? I guess, but oh, yes we were touring. Was how old were you in that started? I was, I was like about thirteen. Wow. Uncloudy Day was a hit. It was a hit, and he were thirteen years old, Uncloudy Day. This woman called property, says Staples, this record is selling like an R and B. And it turned out that it was the first gospel record to sell a million. That's insane. It was. Yeah, it was the first gospel and and and and uh. But but we would we would be We would go to to down South, we would go to Milwaukee, Gary, all around Chicago and sing and and people would bet that this jockey when we new Orleans, Memphis, the this jockey would get on the radio and say this is a little neighbor's staple. This little girl is singing this. People would bet that I was not a little girl. Yeah, because you had that deep I'm saying, well, will Willow who yeah, Lord, they tell me now and I got a home, got a home and get you know, man, I'm a little girl a little skinny girl, and you're short now, so you would probably been. I wasn't even shorter. I wasn't even shorter. But but but uh, yeah, they would bet. And what we would do we would fool the people. We would seeing uncotted Dady down in harmony. Whoa they tell me all of that and then get to the end of it and I come in with will Will Willow. So what happened was my brother at that people would be sitting on it. They they all of these people that bet that I am not a little girl, And all of a sudden purvous move up my brother like he's gonna say, and you hear the people, I told you that wasn't a little girl. I told you that wasn't And I'm easy in the play, how easier to the mic? And they look up and it's really a little girls. Oh it was. We had so much fun with it. But that's so fun to travel with your family. Did it ever get sticky? Nah? No, you always anything even throughout got older, all of it, all of it. The only only thing Ivonne Clide would argue about, yeah, saying was was was what to wear? One of 'em wanted to wear this one of 'em wanted to wear that and see because you know my brother he left the group in nineteen sixty nine. It hurt me so bad, really, because Purvis and I we had this clap. Nobody could do that clap the way we would. Yeah, and and and he just got grown a man, you know, me and they they they get tired of doing what their father tell them to do. You know. He wanted to be his own man. Because Pop's asking, Pop's a purr. You sure you don't want to just take a leave of accent, No, daddy, No, I quite so. And just as he quit, I'll take you there, hit. Oh. And and his friends would would mess with him. He'd go into one of their bars or whatever, and they put a cord in the juice box and play I'll take you there. I said, y'all shouldn't do that. Yeah, But he did, all right, he he he uh managed the emotions for a while. Oh wow, So he got into the business. Yeah. Oh, he was still in the business. Yeah, he was still on the other side of it, right right. Wow. They were. They were gospel singers at first, and they were our little friends, the Hutchinson Sunbeams. I mean they wanted to sing R and B. And so that's when Purvis took them down the stacks, got him a choreographers. They yeah, yeah, but I mean it's amazing to me how close you guys stayed and that there was let you know, there could have been a lot of drama there. Oh yeah, oh yeah, but but but but my mother wouldn't allow it. Mama and daddy, you know, they just taught us. They taught us. We grew up loving one another. That's so special though, and it's it feels unique. And I don't know even an only child, but I do have a half sister who's two years younger than me, but we both grew up separately, so we didn't know each other until we were a little older. Oh wow, So but yeah, only child. That sounds like a party to me. Yeah, oh my god. Yeah, because are you spoiled? Of course you are. I'm I don't know, but if you ask my mother, she would tell you a different answer than well, you know, I met your mom, Yeah you did. Yeah, she's very tall anytime. Yeah, oh man, she is tall. She's tall. Yeah, and I'm sure she's five ten. I'm five one. Yeah, So I didn't really I might have been spoiled, but I never messed with her like I was a good kid, because I didn't want her to get mad. She was so Yeah, she was tough, and by her being so tall, you said, I've been I messed with her. Yeah, but all you had to do would leap up. Oh yeah, I don't think that would have flown with her. You did the right thing. Listen to mom. Mom knows best. I try, Yeah, you try try. Oh my god, oh man, I was wondering. Do you remember the first song you sang with Pops when he was teaching you. Oh? Yeah, The very first song my father taught us was with the Circle Beyond. Yeah. I love that. The Circle Beyond b and all that was his faith and and on our records we recorded it about four or five times. Yeah. But on the records, Pops is singing, and I loved to hear Pop sing because he was so smooth. You know, he was a singer like you. He was. He was laid back look sly Stone came to Pops one day and said, hey, Pop, give me the bag. And Pop's what you talking about? He's come on, Pop, give me the bag. I know you got it because he was so laid back. Yeah, he was on drugs. Yeah, they thought he and purpose. My brother had to tell daddy what I was talking about and pop he he It's like, you come, what choke you boy? You know I don't do that mass funny Yeah, wow, it was so funny. Funny yeah, because they they would all talk about how laid back pop sing, you know, and and his voice is just flow. Yeah. But when he taught us circle be unbroken and and and we have sang it. We sang it with Johnny Cash on his television show. It was the Staples family and the Carter family. That was years. That must have been fun. It was fun. Yeah. It was for one of one of his specials. You know, oh those TV special Yeah. I love yeah. But but and I sing it all the that's on my on my list on our shows and popsy maybe uh, because we look at us as a family, that's our circle, and he put us in a circle when he started giving us the voices the same. It was. I can just picture it. You're sitting down in the little circle and yeah, yeah, then I'm gonna sing some of it for you. You sing it too, you know. I don't know what key I singing like you know that I was thinking, g I I was standing too low? Huh is that too low? No? That's good? What you say, key? That is? That's g okay, that's a shame. I don't know what key I sing it at. I know it's not it. Probably it's changed over the years. I'd probably had Yeah, I sing it some different keys though on our shows. But it's all right. I don't need to know what year I say. I can do it in any key. You just tell me. On a you well, I think that was good. I was standing and that where you were? Yeah? When do on a cold and clouded day, when I saw the herds come rolling? Or too care my mother? The away? Will it a circle being broken by and by Lord? By and by? It is a bitter hollowaying in the sky, lording the sky? What told undertaker, please drive slow cause it's lady that you're holling? Oh? Why he to see her go? Will a circle be unbroken by and by Lord? By bye? There's a better hold away in the sky, Lord in the sky. I will follow close behind her, try to hold up and be brave. But I could not, Oh my side role when the lady her in the grave, will in the circle be unbroken? By and by, bye and bye, there's a bed. Oh my Lord in the sky, Lord in the sky, in the sky, Love in the sky, in the sky, low in the sky. Oh yeah, good, you sound just like Cleeding. Oh really, oh yeah, Cleeding in your voice. Girl, don't stop me crying. Oh I tell you my sister Cleedy. She had the best best soprano voice. Really, so you were low and she was high. Yeah, yeah, so you come from I credit her for the staple singers sound. Really Oh yeah, oh wow, she would you. Oh and look a wreath would be recording, and she tell her sister Carolin, Now, Carolin, I want you to sound like Leotha. Oh wow, that's amazing. Yeah, and and and Carolin would see Caroline told me about it. She said, maybe it's I told her I can't sound like Leotha. She was mad about it. Wouldn't be mad, Oh yeah, but it's a different pops would cleadye like a miner. She would go like, I know what I'm talking about. Yeah, you do know, I know she would go minor. And in some places, and but her boys, if you on all of our old stuff were Clydia's singing, her voice stands out, and and and her her soprano, and Pops's guitar. That's the staple singers. I love his guitar so much, just and he cool taught himself. Well that's what's good about it. It's just feeling right right right, It's simple, but it's it's got the thing, that's what. Yeah, it got the sound feeling right? When did he How did he get that electric sound? Do you know how that came? Aback? I remember when he got that tremolo, because that wasn't typical then, no gospel music, no and and and and some preachers, some preachers didn't want to Constam play his guitar in their church. And Pops had to let him know, look, you read your Bible string instruments, saying the Bible, you know the harp. The pop would name him all you know, I guess, uh, what's that other one? I can't call the name of it. But but but and and and we just wouldn't go to the churchy if they wouldn't let Pop's playing his guitar. But he learned from a blues man, Charlie Patton. Okay, see he Pop Pops was on this farm, Patrick Partris farm in Mississippi. And this man was a hollering wolf. A lot of the blues singers well on this this farm, and and and uh partist would tell us how this man, uh, Charlie Patton would be playing and and look, we didn't know for years. While we were singing gospel, our father was playing the blues on his gutter. Yeah, that's what it is. It's the marriage of those two things. Yeah, And that made it so unique, right right right. But he uh he he, he went to the guitar store one day and he came back with this trim law. He said, y'all, let listen to this. And he was strong and he Elvis Presley told me one time, the first time, yeah, the only time I ever saw him. And the first time I ever saw we were in Memphis and I was standing on the side. It was a starlight review outside and and I was standing over in the wing, and all of a sudden he come in with one of his partners. They got these leather jackets on, like they've been riding motorcycles, and and and we had sang and and uh he told me, he said, I liked the way your father played a guitar. I said, well, thank you. He said, yeah, he plays a nervous guitar, A nervous guitar. He called it a nervous guitar. What does that mean? Because of the tremor. That was a good expression. I said, well, I never heard that before. A nervous guitar. Yeah, that's what I'll never forget. And that was my meeting with Elvis Presley. Wow. I didn't know one of the the guys, David Ruffin, who sing who later sing with the Temptation, he was singing with a Gospel. He told me, he said, maybe you know who that guy? What you were talking to? I said, no, I don't know. He said, blue Sway shoes Blue. I said, that's him, that's him. That's the way he would let me know. That's amazing because the Blue Sway shoes. Wow. But yeah, Pops played a nervous guitar. Did he laugh at that description? Oh? Did he laugh? He did? He laugh? He told me, maybe, why didn't you call me over there? Let me me? I said, Daddy, I didn't really know who he was. I was just uh A. David told me who he was. Yeah, that was beautiful. That's a good expression of him though. Of Pops. It's a guitar, nervous guitar because it does it goes on. That's just the funniest thing I have heard. Yeah, yeah, but but yeah, Daddy, that's that's when he learned how to play his guitar. And he was always planning it in the house, you know, after he'd let us know we had a guitar. Yeah, because we didn't know until those guys wouldn't come to rehearsal. And he decided he probably we probably wouldn't be any staple singers if they if they had come to rehearsal. Yeah. So I think that wow for being not not there, not right, not serious about this. They were the trumpet too, and they had a good group too. Pops would sing lead and uh and Pops had a voice. He would he he he never went into his falsetto on the staple singers though, Oh but he did that. Oh yeah, he would go in. He would hard tell me what are they do it up in heaven to day? And then he go peece thereby till like a river they they say, oh possible bad. Yeah, And I recorded a song with tweety, that's what are they doing in heaven to day we I'm not singing it like pop though. Well that's okay. You thing like you? I thing like me? Yeah, I thing like me. I'm so grateful to be talking to you, a little lady. Thank you. You are. You are so different from anybody else out here. Really, Yeah, nobody's sound like you. Nobody. We want to give me a break. But that's what you want to show. Huh. But that's what you want, right to be, to be different, right. But but I'm just honored. You know, dude, I never thought I would meet you when I first heard you on the radio. I love you. Don't know why, I say, listen, who is she? Who is she? I'm still figuring it out. Yes, well no, well you you are a giant. You're a tiny little lady. Tiny, you are a giant. I tell you, I love it. And when I came to your show in the Red Rocks, Yeah we did a show together. Yes, yes, that was fun. I started it off. I warmed them up for you. You You killed it, and I was nervous to go on out of course. I was those people, all old people that came out for you, and and and I noticed you were doing some songs that I hadn't heard. Yeah, and every time you would hit one of those songs, the crowd would roar. That's so funny, that's what. Well, that's one of my favorite audiences at Red Rocks, and they're always very loving. You played there many times, right, Yes, yeah, we have oh with different people into yours was the best. We had fun. We had fun. We had recorded a song together that Pete wrote. I don't know if you remember it, but I was wondering if you feel like trying it. Oh, it'll come to me as you go, because I I I that's been Wow, what happened? Anyway? We were supposed to go on tour with that. So we were gonna go on tour and then the pandemic hit. Sure, yeah, we were gonna do a bunch of shows together. Yes, I remember. I was so happy. Me too. Oh man, we will again. We got do it again. Yeah, really, we will just do it again. We do it again, and set it up. You set it up. There's a playes far from here, gonna make it my home, swhere I belong. When I get to where I'm gone, I'll be gone. I'll be gone. When I heart gets so tired, I can't tell time. Don't you rise. When I get where I'm going, I'll be gone. I'll be gone. Which sh I could tell you that the sun was gone shine. I got a feeling that I still won't change my mind. We're running out of the time. There's a place on a mountain you can take my bones. But I go home. When I get to where I'm going, I don't be gone. I'll be gone. I gonna tell you that it's all gonna be just fine. But I don't want waste anymore your time. You didn't waste mind. Oh now you talk about a beautiful song. It's a beautiful song. Oh my, couldn't he wrote this a long time ago? Really? Yeah, I mean maybe eight years nine years ago. And yeah, at one point he mentioned, gosh, it would be cool to hear maybe I sing this. So I was like, you're right, but yeah, you know, I'm I'm a little shy. Sometimes I have a hard time reaching out and asking do things. But don't be that way with me. I don't know. I know, okay, now you know wouldn't come to me anytime, but with anything. But it came full circle, but not for like five more years. And then and then I got unshy and I asked you to sing it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was so that that blew my mind. I said, wow, it's a great one. That's what I wish I could play up yet anything And you never picked anything up. I picked up the guitar. Yeah. I told Pops I wanted to play that guitar. And he tried to teach me, but he didn't. He wasn't taught either. So and and then it was a time when Pops was still frisky. I was young. What does that mean. I mean he wasn't readily okay, didn't have to have the patience. I think I took it the wrong way. No, I don't know. I didn't mean going out on mama. Yeah you know that's that's frisky. Yeah, but no, he just wasn't patient enough. So he he gave me about it. He got me a little uh a training guitar, and he gave me about three lessons and he was done. He said, maybe I'll tell you what, baby, You go down to lyne Heally and I'm eleven years old. I don't know how to go downtown to lyne Hely to buy it to get lessons. Yeah, okay, yeah, to get lessons from them. Yeah. And I told him, I said, Daddy, I want to pick it like you and Sister Rose at the five. I don't want to, you know, but but if I had learned, if I had learned how to strom, I think that would have made it easier for him to teach me. Yeah, you know, to pick. Picking is harder, harder. Yeah, I know, yeah, I know that's but but but I would have been happy stroming. Yeah. You know. I wanted to ask you about when you guys met doctor Martin Luther King and you kind of switched from singing gospel to singing these freedom songs protest songs. Right. I read something about Pops meeting him and saying he wants to sing his words. Right, that is the most beautiful thing I've heard. That was something, Yeah, Pops, he just happened. We were in Montgomery, Alabama, when Sunday morning we didn't have to work until that night, and Pops called my sisters and I do his room and he told us, he say, listen, y'all, this man Martin is here, Martin Luther King, and he has a church here. He said, I've been listening to him on the radio. Doctor King had a radio show and Pops have been listening to him. And he said, I'd like to go to his eleven o'clock service. Do you all want to go? Which, yeah, Daddy, we wanna go. We all got in the car, went down the decks to have a new Baptist church and and we would ushered in and seated someone that doctor King. You know that we were in the service, and he acknowledged us. He said, we got to have Poper Staples and his daughter's here this morning. Hope you enjoyed the service. Well, we enjoyed the service. And at at as the the service is over, the worshippers, Doctor King stands at the doors shake the worshipper's hands as they filed out, and Pops walked past shook his hand. No, my sisters and I did first we shoot, We shoot Doctor King. Oh that was a feeling. I shook his hand and Pops we had to wait on him. He stood there and talked to him for a while. He finally came on. We get back to the hotel. He called us to his room again and he said, listen, y'all, I this man's message I really like his message, and I think that if he can preach it, we can sing it. Wow. And we started writing freedom songs, March up Freedom Highway? Why am I Treated so bad? We we we we we switched over cause we didn't feel that it was anything wrong. We felt like this was close to gospel. Yeah, you know, we singing the truth? You know, we we we we would we wanna we wan't. We joined the movement and and uh we would sing. We would sing before Doctor King would speak. We'd go to the meetings and Doctor King would tell her, stay, you're gonna sing my song to night right, probably saying, oh yeah, doctor, We're gonna sing your song. Why am I Treated so bad? Yeah? That was his favorite, and and and and people ask me what did he he he'd never talked to us girls. He'd never sit down, and he would just he would just say something, how you girls doing this morning? Y'all doing all right? Yes, said doctor King. Wow. But but he wouldn't sitting there all they he he and Pops would talk. They would tired. People would ask me, what did he talk to you about? What he didn't talk to me? You know? But what I did remember, mostly the doctor King was his laughter. He had this laughter when he laughed, cause most of the time I would see him, he either looked sad or serious, you know. And and when I'd hear him laugh, that would make my heart happy, because I said, doctor King is happy. And that would be most of the time when we would be going to the meeting and the the men would be in a huddle down in the parking lot, and all of a sudden, you hear doctor King laughing. That made me feel so good. Wow. But no, he he never held a conversation with my sisters and I. He was just asking that. He'd said the same way everything you girls doing this morning. Wow. How much older was he? You were young? Still? I was young. Yeah. How young were you then? I mean, I'm just in John, I was well in the sixties sixty This was like about sixty three, nineteen sixty three, So I was born in thirty nine. I'm not good at math. Yeah, you were in your ear you were in your early twenties. Let's say, you know, I'm not Yeah, I was in my early twenties. Yeah, and and uh, but but uh, that was when we joined the movement. Yeah, and and we became the sound track you did. Yeah, Yeah, Congressman John Lewis would tell, oh, he was my friend. Now he was my friend and and I went to his office when I did a freedom album with Rick Udo, and I asked him if he would write my line of notes. And he said, Baby, you know you and your family y'all kept us motivated, kept us inspired, to keep on watching your songs. I said, yes, sir, nothing because I was surprised he remembered me. Yeah, I see you've done. I hadn't seen him in years, and uh, I was surprised. He gave me a meeting and his office. Of course he remembered you. He did me sees baby, your family and and so he I hate I missed his birthday. Invited me to his last birthday party and I couldn't go. We were both working, you know, But but he was my friend to the end. That Yeah, the Congressman John Lewis, that's beautiful calling him uncle John, Uncle John. Yeah, when you guys were writing songs, was everybody was collectively just sort of pitching And did Pops always yeah? Was he did he ever work on songwriting like on his own all the time? Or yeah, he did? Pops was always jotting something down. Yeah, you know, and and we would help him, we would put some words in on this song. But but that's Daddy's so we don't we don't want any credit for okay, right, we give him to Daddy, all of us. Interesting, Yeah, we we we dropped, dropped words and he gonna march up Freedom's highway. Made up my mind and I won't turn around, made up mind. And there's this one thing I can't understand, my friend, that I'm proud of that cause that was me. Yeah, why some folk thing? Freedom was not designed for all men? That are so many people living their life perplex u one run in their minds what's gonna happen next? That's why we're gonna march? You know. That was the very first one we wrote for the movement. And boy we moved on and and uh we would sing that, we'd sing, oh uh, why am I treating so bad? Possible that because of the there were nine children in Little Rock, Arkansas, trying to integrate Central High School. They wouldn't meet people. They these kids would walk up there every day and their books in their arms, proud, and people would throw stones at them, spit at them. Call them names, but they never turned their head. They just kept walking. That's amazing. Oh and the they were my age, they were you know. So we would all be on the floor, passed in his recliner and were watching the news. It can't got so bad and it lasted so long. The mayor of Arkansas, of Little Rock, the governor of Arkansas, and the President of the United States said, let those children go to school, and or I wanted to we all wanted to see this on the news. That particular day, the kids were walking. They get right up to the bus and the policeman put his billy club across the door, and Pop said it right there and he said, now, why is he doing that? Why are they treating him so bad? Yeah, and he wrote that song from that that experience, I tell you it. W we have had u uh uh, baby, sister, I have. I have seen a lot. I have seen a lot, and and it just makes me more prayerful and more willing to sing my songs, you know, cause I I I I I don't have to sing love. I don't have to be like everybody else. I'm I've seen protest songs. Yeah, I've seen seeing to help us move it forward, and move it forward right, moving it forward right, and we're still going. We're still on. Yeah. And and and I I I I owe it to Pops. I owe it to my father. You know. We went to South Africa and these people wanted us to sing when the black people to be in the balcony Johannesburg. And Pop's told him, he said, no, I'm gonna allowing my children to sing, like he said, Doctor King just got that straighten out in the States. Yeah. And and we're not gonna sing like that. It's saying, now you can send us home, do what you gotta do without singing. Like. So they moved out. Show to the soccer field and sowaito, Wow, it's a waito, it's all it's all black. Uh uh. You know this is where the people live in little match boxes. Yeah. And it was the very first time that blacks and white sit together, no kind of I mean that that soccer field was back. That's amazing. Yeah. And and black and white were sitting right next to each other. And but they had these I I've never seen a uh uh uh German shepherd dogs so big, the big. The police was walking around with them, you know, I guess for just in case something went wrong. But it was peaceful. But see during that time, they wouldn't let us go downtown by ourselves. That must have been hard to go at all. It was. Yeah, they wouldn't allow it. The kids will tell me, maybe it's we will call you, we will come to you. If they they would call my, my, my, my calls would go to the white girl's room. She would be there and she would she would take goes. Then she wouldn't let the kids talk to me. They wouldn't let them in the hotel twome that it was very educational, very beautiful experience and intense, intense, intense. Yeah. Yes, you've been on tour though since the pandemic a lot. You've got to tour in these little pockets of doing and I'm really excited to hear that. I haven't at all yet. What I just haven't not since the the COVID started. Oh okay, but you know, I'm excited that you're out there doing it. Oh yeah, yeah, I'm going everywhere you're going, and we have booked. Now you don't do November, you're doing a tour with Bonnie Ray. I always do it. That's amazing. That'll be my third tour. You've known her a long time, right, Oh, yes, she's great. You know that's gonna be a show, I tell you. Oh, it's always good show. Yeah. But I used to be jealous of Bonnie. My father loved us so much. You're jealous. Yeah, And I told us, I said, look, I didn't know if I should get some red hair, or if I should learn how to play the get Talk, or if I should get real tiny because parts love. Yeah, and she loved. She came up the seat. She came to the house to see Pop when he was sick. Wow, and and Bonnie took him me so bad. Pops went upstairs. He wasn't feeling good, and he went upstairs to lie down, and she followed him. She sit on the bed and she said, now nobody can tell me I haven't been in pop staple bed. That's Bonnie. Yeah, that's Bonnie. No, it's funny, yeah, funny, it's funny. But it was so good. Made Pops feel so much better. He gave her a guitar. He had a guitar, and all of us were there. We sang, that's beautiful. It was it was, isn't it something. How music keeps you going? Yes, it really keeps It keeps you young, It keeps you young, keeps going, and it's healing and it brings joy and right, and we can't do without music, I know, no way I get that feeling from you. Yeah you know, yeah, I passed it on the passing it out. Yeah, but well, I tell you yours brought me so much job I Oh, I wish I could play watch him play guitar in person. You know what he would do, he would tell me and that maybe that's the way. Oh no, that's the way. He was crazy. You know who else you know who else gave me that feeling? Always was leave on helm Is that right? Yeah, he gave me that feeling where he all just it was just all music and it kept him going and just you know, oh man, I remember the first time I saw you on TV was watching the Weight on the Last Waltz, and I thought, my goodness, she is beautiful and she's smoking all of that. I couldn't believe it. Yeah you was, Oh my god. I was just like, and you looked six feet tall, and yeah, you look so tall for me, Yeah it's so tall. So yeah, you do we don't know the long black gown. Yeah, it was beautiful. Oh man, I mean I'd heard you were singing my whole life, but it was the first time I zero in and visually. Yeah. Yeah, and that was nice. I know you had our long friendship with Levon. Oh lord, yeah Levon. I have an album coming out, yeah with with Levon, Wow and and and uh. We we did it at his barn and he was right next to me and with them drums. But but I'll tell you about it. When we when we were doing last Walt Levon was smoking and Pops went back through. We had a break Levon pop Score. But they were tight buddies. They were pops In Levon and Poppy Levon. Man, you're spoken too cigarettes. He had a cigarette and Levon said, you gotta try this one. I don't think they were the same. Yeah, they were not the same, Pop said Leon, I don't think that mess. But that that Dady laughed about that forever. He laughed about that. But yeah, leave On. That was the best time because we stayed there about a week. We you know, we would go back to the barn every day from the hotel and make making the record. Yeah, So when did you make it about ten years ago. Yes, yeah, yes, because I was gonna say, look y'all gonna release this record now, Am I gonna be deadn't gone or what? But yeah, they it's it's coming I think in May, Okay. Yeah, yeah, I can't wait to hear it. It's been a long time, you know, because that he's gone. Especially, Yeah, it'll be so special, right. Yeah. And and Amy Amy helped, you know, I told her tell her about it. I said, Amy didn't need to release the record. Yeah, you know we're getting up in age. Yeah, and we might leave here me dude, So let's say maybe they gotta going good. But yeah, that was that was a proud time. Did you do what the songs? Did you do with Levon? Did you do all old songs? Did you do that that Nina Simone version? That's a Billy Taylor song, isn't it? I wish I knew how it would feel to be free? That's a Billy Taylor song. That's what my my my phone said when I googled it, because I mean the Nina version is. I believe it, but I think it's said Billy Taylor wrote it, really, and I it's so funny. I saw him play. Yeah, and when I was in high school, and I didn't realize that. Yeah, but yeah, that's a great song. Did you record that with Levan? Yeah? Yeah, I wish I knew. And and we recorded Trouble in Mind. Oh I love that one in mind? Yeah, and and uh, whoa, I love Nina. Did you know her? Oh? Yeah, well yeah, yes, And she was someone I met whose voice was heavier than mine. Yes, and she was bad. I saw herself bad. First saw her in the village gate and she had on a white she was playing that piano. Yea and and and all of sudd and people damn. She stopped and stood up. Do you people have cotton in your ears? Whoa? She told him off. Of course they were talking while she was sing you have cotton in your ears? And I said, whoa, go on with sister. But yeah, we got to know. We got to be very good friends. That's great. We were We were in the Bahamas though. Last time I saw her we were in the Bahamas. And uh, then she moved to New Guinea, yeah, where Miriam mckeeba was okay, and and uh she passed away over there. But but Baby's sister we were in New Guinea, don't you know these little guys they were in the auditorium where we were singing. They want to have a cool against the president or somebody. Oh god. And we got to the show and we're standing at the door, Pops and my sisters and I and this man is saying stable. That's all we could understand was staple man, you know. And and he was telling them. So they still came in with the guns and they stood on the side of the stage in the wings where we were, and as I was singing, I would look over there a little bit and it would be just dancing. That is crazy. Yeah, you know what, I'm scared us to death. You you have gone in some wild times places you've you've had it, yes, yow. Yeah, So we made it through that. I do have one more question, if you feel comfortable talking about it. Yeah. I was curious about songwriting and this where you told me yesterday. Yeah, that broke my heart, you know it. It's it's been so long ago that I'm I'm surprised I even brought it up. I mean, I don't know, somebody said something about songwriting and but and it did it. This man, you know I had written my my three songs, and and he was at Stax Records. He wanted all of my publishing. Yeah, And I'm telling him on the phone, telling him, no, uh, I've I've I'm singing twelve songs on the album. You know, you take all that public with mine. My father's always taught me I should get one hundred percent of my writers and publishing. And that's and he talked to me like, all right, misstables, all right, I understand, yes, oh all right, well we'll do as you like. And I'm thinking I've won. Yeah, the record come out and and it's it's on a different label or something, and uh, it's it's me singing. And then they have songwriter unknown and wrote, yeah the songs that I wrote. Wow, And and I said, well, you know it was so long ago, you know, no need in me trying to fix this now. But that broke my heart. And you didn't write after that. I didn't write anymore songs. But that's the that's the sad part. But but you still make all songs your own. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but that's just you know that stuff happened so much. Yeah back then, you know, it's a shame the way people are treated. Yeah, you know, it's it's not just me, you know, I'm sure. Uh. The record business has been tricky, tricky, tricky, tricky, but it was much trickier back then. Yeah, yeah, way back that was and and and and I was doing stuff. You know, I was afraid because I was these were they were secular songs, yeah, and and and you do something secular against the gospel stuff. I was lucky. I don't know how it happened. I recorded A house is not a home. I recorded a second and the church people didn't say nothing about it. Yeah, because you you got in trouble for that. I could have could call trouble, but they didn't. You know what they messed with I'll take you there. They wanted to put us out of church. Wow, they said, the staple singers or singing the devil's music. Well, the devil's music, I say you all you you gotta listen to our lyrics that they heard this beat. Yeah, and then the people would jump up and dance and I'll take you there, you know, because but up until I'll take you there, we just sang with my father's guitar. We didn't have I no rhythm sex. Yeah, we just sing with Dad's guitar and and but when this rhythm section came on, I'll take you there the Devil's it sounded different about to look, we're telling you I know a place. Ain't nobody crying? I mean, ain't nobody world. That's a gospel songs telling about taking you to hell. Yeah, I mean and lowering the whole. After all the interviewers we did talking to these people, they invited us back to church. We're going back to church. The first song requested in the pool bit I'll take you there. You know what I said. You know, you just don't know what to do to please people. It's true. That's why you gotta just speak your truth. Ye, sing your truth right and spread some love sad, put out love, Yes, put it out there, and that's what you do. I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna keep on doing it. You are my favorite fall of love. Yeah, my little sweetheart, I love you so much. Do you have one more song in you? Or can I play? Can I play you a song and you chime in if you want? Yeah, and we'll end it. We can. Let's do it. The album The Pops made the album, uh that song friendship, Oh yes, and then Jeff and the crew they kind of fixed it up right and and recorded all the recorded like you weren't happy with it, and it never got a lease, that's right. And Tweetie did all that for for Pop's album. That was that's his last work. Wow, And I wanted it. I wanted to put it out there, but I wanted to put it out properly and write and uh so he rerecorded all the stuff that you weren't happy with, right, Yes, he took the tracks of Pops and you guys singing. And I was so pleased. I come up in here to listen and tears just flowed. Yeah. You know, my sister Vaughan and I we we came to check it out. Thank you, jere It's a beautiful recording. And it's a great song. It is. That's a pop song. Yeah, yeah, it's it's a good song. It's a really good song. Say what's wrong my longtime friend? Something's bothering? You? Tell me what the problem is. I see what I can do. There's a times we disagree, we agree more than we don't. We won't always see I do lie, but we will more than We won't cause we got our friendship, the kind of last life time through to all of the timeships. You know, your friend of mine. We got our friendship, the kind of last life time through all those hearts ships. You know your friend of mine. You want to sing, why oh talk to me, oh pard of mine? If you feel you can't go home, don't you sweat. It ain't all over yet. This barn will share restrong. I've been aware you are right now. You saw me through it all. I lean on you now you can lean on me. I bet I won't lady you fall because we got friendship kind of last a life time through all the heartship. You know your friend of mine, because we got fairship, the kind of last life time throughout those heartships. You know you're a friend of mine. If you're on the street, I'll take your hand. You're hungry, I'll give you food. Yeah. If it's money you need, I got some saved. If you're sick, I'll visit you. I've been where you all right now, you saw me through it all. I'll lean on you now you can lean on me. I won't let you fall because we got friendship kind of last lie time, through all those hard ships, you know you're a friend of mine. We got friendship kind of last life time. Long know your friend of mine through all the heart ships. You know you're a friend of mine, through all the heart ships. You know your friend. Oh my oh, I had a fight that came from crap girl and I love that song and I love you. Thanks for thanks for talking with me. I'm so happy. I'm so happy you invited me. I've never done one of these. What do you call it a podcast? Podcast? Well, I'm honored that you joined me. Thank you. Maybe it's you are loved by all who know you for everything? Always, thank you, thank you. I'm just playing alone. Thanks for listening to the show that was made a Staples. It's incredible. Yeah, that was a fun way. I just want her to call me and tell me everything's going to be okay, because I believe her. We should just call her. Hey, can you tell me everything's gonna be okay? I'm sure she probably needs to hear it too. Sometimes it's true. Yeah, it's true, she is not alone. In fact, let's let's wrap this up so we can go call her, tell her how much we love Thanks for listening to the show Thank You. Our show was recorded by Mark Greenberg at The Loft and Chicago, mixed by Jamie Landry and additional engineering by Greg Tobler. Produced by Me and Sarah Oda, Sarah Oda and Moa. Photography by Servin Linnez. Artwork by Eliza Fry. See You Later.