Candi Staton
Band members Related acts
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line-up 1 (1969-) - Candi Stanton (aka Canzetta Staton-Sussewell) -- vocals
supporting musicians: (1970) - Jesse Boyce -- bass - Freeman Brown -- drums, percussion - Ronald Eades -- sax - Albert S. Lowe Jr. -- guitar - Clarence Carter -- guitar - Harrison Calloway -- trumpet - Clayton Ivey -- keyboards - Jerry Masters -- bass - Travis Wammack -- guitar - Cornell McFadden -- drums, percussion - Jack Peck -- trumpet - Fred Prouty -- drums, percussion - Dale Quillen -- trombone - Harvey Thompson -- sax - Aaron Varnell -- sax - Bob Wray -- bass
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- The Jewell Gospel Trio
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Genre: soul Rating: 5 stars ***** Title: I'm Just a Prisoner Company: Fame Catalog: ST-4201 Country/State: Hanceville, Alabama Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Catalog ID: 5991 Price: $70.00
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Candi Staton's early career reads like a screenplay for one of those Hallmark Hall of Fame inspirational movies so I'm going to avoid the details ... She was born and raised in Hanceville, Alabama. Her family was extremely poor, but devote leading to an early introduction to Gospel music. In the early 1950s her parents divorced. With her mother relocating to Cleveland, Candi and her sister Maggie were sent to Nashville where they attended the Jewell Christian Academy. Impressed with their vocal talents, the school paired the sisters with friend/schoolmate Naomi Harrison and as The Jewell Gospel Trio, the group began performing on the Southern Gospel circuit, recording occasional singles for a series of smaller labels.
By the late-1960s Staton was frustrated with her personal and professional lives. She divorced her husband and quit the Jewell Gospel Trio, deciding to pursue a career in secular music. Her big break came in 1969 when singer/songwriter Clarence Carter heard her performing in a small club. Impressed with Staton's chops, Carter helped her get sign with Rick Hall's newly formed Capitol-affiliated Fame label.
Produced by Hall and recorded in Muscle Shoals with support from the cream of local sessions players, 1969's "I'm Just a Prisoner of Love" was simply a classic soul album. With mentor and future husband Carter pulling together a top-rate collection of material (Staton co-wrote two of the songs with Carter), you'd be hard pressed to find a better debut. For her part Staton had a killer voice that was instantly recognizable and simply tailor made for the southern soul genre. Tough, gritty, and in-your-face, add to that, she seemed more than willing to tap into her own frustrations and personal life for inspiration. On tracks like ''I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart' and '' this was definitely one ticked-off woman ... Imagine the spunk of Millie Jackson, but without the abject crassness. Eight out of ten fantastic slices of late-1960s soul. Can you imagine having that kind of success percentage in any aspect of your life? One of those rarities where the hype is well deserved !
"I'm
Just a Prisoner" track listing: 1.) Someone You Use (Mann - Clarence Carter - Inglese - Stough) - 2:32 Curiously, penned by Carter, 'Someone You Use' was one of the less impressive numbers. Staton's performance was fine, but the song itself was kind of a bland country-soul number. rating: ** stars 2.) I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart (Than a Young Man's Fool) (Clarence Carter - George Jackson - Raymond Moore) - 2:05 rating: ***** stars 'I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart (Than a Young Man's Fool)' kicked the album into high gear. A classic Carter tune, this one had it all; great tune, fantastic rhythm section, and Staton's take-no-prisoners vocal. Easy to see why Fame tapped this one as a single. It should have been an even bigger hit.
- 1969's 'I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart' b/w 'Never in Public' (Fame catalog number P-1456) # 9 R&B; # 46 pop 3.) You Don't Love Me No More (Clarence Carter - Candi Staton) - 2:19 rating: ***** stars 'You Don't Love Me No More' was a simmering ballad that brought out the aching edge in Staton's voice. Beautiful song with some killer horn charts. My only criticism is that the song faded out just as the horns were hitting the hook. 4.) Evidence (Raymond Moore - George Jackson) - 2:35 rating: ***** stars Kicked along by a great Roger Hawkins drum beat, 'Evidence' was easily the album's toughest performance. Staton sang this one with such conviction you just knew that the poor guy didn't stand a chance. Whoever he was, he was looking at a long stretch in the slammer. 5.) Sweet Feeling (Clarence Carter - Candi Staton) - 2:45 rating: ***** stars Tapped as the album's third single, 'Sweet Feeling' effortlessly blended a breezy groove with a bluesy, deep-soul delivery. Another standout performance.
- 1970's 'Sweet Feeling' b/w 'Evidence' (Fame catalog number P-1466) # 5 R&B; # 60 pop
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2) One of those double entendre lyrics that make you snicker, 'Do Your Duty' sported one of the album's best hooks and would have made a dandy fourth single. 2.) That's How Strong My Love Is (Roosevelt Jamison) - 3:25 rating: ***** stars In spite of her extensive background in Gospel, Staton seemed to go out of her way to avoid the influence on this album. The exception was her cover of Roosevelt Jamison's 'That's How Strong My Love Is'. Built on a '50s influenced arrangement, a song like this usually wouldn't do much for me, but this was one of those rare exceptions. Killer performance. 3.) I'm Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin') (George Jackson - Eddie Harris) - 3:09 rating: ***** stars 'I'm Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin')' started out with a distinctive blues feel, but quickly exploded into one of the album's toughest funk numbers and possibly Staton's best performance. Try sitting still while this one's playing. Fame tapped this as the second single.
- 1970's 'I'm Just a Prisoner' b/w 'Heart on a String' (Fame catalog number P-1460)# 13 R&B; # 56 pop 4.) Another Man's Woman, Another Woman's Man (Greene - Penn - George Jackson) - 2:30 rating: ** stars A '50s-styled ballad with an arrangement that sounded like something Atlantic's Jerry Wexler might have done for Aretha Franklin,, 'Another Man's Woman, Another Woman's Man' was pretty, but never really kicked into gear. 5.) Get It When I Want It (Raymond Moore - George Jackson) - 2:25 rating: ***** stars With a driving rhythm, 'Get It When I Want It' was easily the hardest rocking song on the album. A lot of soul singers opt to go shrill when singing more-rock oriented numbers (think Tina Turner), but Staton avoided that mistake, in the process turning in one of her most enjoyable performances. Great track.
© Scott R. Blackerby September 2025
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Genre: soul Rating: 4 stars **** Title: Stand By Your Man Company: Fame Catalog: ST-4202 Country/State: Hanceville, Alabama Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: still in shrink wrap (opened) Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5430 Price: $80.00
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As far as I'm concerned, Candi Staton has a voice that could stop a truck (to say nothing of her stunning looks) ... Tough yet vulnerable, Staton's voice is an amazing gift that allows her to handle virtually any musical genre. Since hearing her early 1970s work when I was a child, she's become one of my favorite artists and I'm at a loss why she's seldom heard on contemporary radio; let alone how is she's largely unknown outside of collector circles.
Her
second album for Fame Records, 1970's "Stand
By Your Man" found Staton continuing her collaboration
with the late producer Rick Hall. Propelled by that wonderfully raspy voice,
Wonder if anyone else shudders when they read the liner notes that include the following: " ... an intense, serious look, lips slightly parted, warm and generous ... smiling with soft and steady eyes, an intense inner glow - a categorically, breathtakingly beautiful girl. A black girl."
"Stand
By Your Man" track listing: 1.) Stand By Your Man (Bill Sherrill - Tammi Wynette) - 2:53 rating: **** stars As good as the Tammi Wynette version was (and I don't even like country music), Staton's soul infused cover of "Stand By Your Man" was even better. She didn't really mess with the original melody and arrangement (the backing vocals sounded like the could have been lifted from the original version), but her soulful delivery was simply amazing.
- 1970's "Stand By Your Man" b/w "How Can I Put Out the Flame (When You Keep the Fire Burning)" (Fame catalog number P-1472) # 4 R&B; # 24 pop
Courtesy of YouTube I found a live performance of the tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCY6k4tUULw 2.) How Can I Put Out the Flame (When You Keep the Fire Burning) (George Jackson - Raymond Moore) - 3:10 rating: **** stars Anyone who doubted Staton's Southern soul credentials only need to check out this slow burner. Killer performance. The song also appeared as the "B" side on her "Stand By Your Man" single. 3.) I'm Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin') (George Jackson - Edward Harris) - 3:08 rating: **** stars That weird little hook she had in her voice was just amazing ... bluesier than some of her pther work, but when the backing singers kicked in ... Talk about an Aretha Franklin vibe - heavenly. 4.) Mr.and Mrs. Untrue (Toni Wine- Joey Levine) - 3:26 rating: **** stars Few artists can pull off a cheatin' tune as well as Staton. Perhaps then-husband Clarence Carter ... The joy, pain and regret in her voice was simply palatable. Throughout most markets this track was tapped as the "B" side to her "Too Hurt To Cry" 45. The exception with Holland where it was released as an "A" side 45:
- 1970's "Mr. and Mrs. Untrue" b/w "Too Hurt To Cry" (EMI/Capitol catalog number 5C 006-80 860)
5.) Too Hurt To Cry (George Jackson - Edward Harris) - 2:53 rating: **** stars Not that Staton ever held back, but "Too Hurt To Cry" saw her really cut loose and the bouncy keyboard rff was icing on the melodic cake ... One of the standout performances on an album that was full of standout performances. This one was also tapped as a single.
- 1970's "Too Hurt To Cry" b/w "Mr. and Mrs. Untrue" (Fame catalog number P-1478) # 20 R&B; # 52 pop (the 'B' side hit # 109 pop)
(side
2) Staton's restrained, heartbreaking delivery simply slays, but the razor sharp horns and the amazing bass line are what make this one so great.
- 1970's "He Called Me Baby" b/w "What Would Become of Me" (Fame catalog number P-1476) # 9 R&B; # 52 pop 2.) Sweet Feeling (Clarence Carter - Candi Staton - Rick Hall - Marcus Daniel) - 2:42 rating: **** stars Co-written with then-husband Clarence Carter, "Sweet Feeling" was one of those bluesy numbers that sounded like it would have fit on a classic Aretha album. Always loved the stinging lead guitar that went with it and her nod to "In the Midnight Hour". Another single, though in Holland the 45 was flipped with the non-LP track "Evidence" serving as the "A" side.
- 1970's "Sweet Feeling" b/w "Evidence" (Fame catalog number P-1466) 3.) To Hear You Say You're Mine (Candi Staton) - 3:06 rating: *** stars A pretty, laidback ballad, "To Hear You Say You're Mine" also exhibited a distinctive Gospel edge. Her breathy vocals were impressive, but as good as the song was, it wasn't one of the album highlights. 4.) What Would Become of Me (Barbara Wyrick) - 2:45 rating: **** stars I've always loved the arrangement on this bluesy ballad. Add to that Staton delivers one of the best "baby, baby. baby' refrains in soul music. Only complaint on this one is it faded out too earlier. Another "B" side appearance - this time on her "He Called Me Baby" single. 5.) Freedom Is Just beyond the Door (George Jackson - Earl Cage Jr.) - 2:47 rating: **** stars If I had to pick (not that I'd want to), "Freedom Is Just beyond the Door" would be my choice for the album's best performance. Great driving vocal (you can just feel the edge in Staton's voice), fantastic arrangement and the guitar work was great.
Staton also has a nice website at: http://www.candi-staton.com/
© Scott R. Blackerby September 2025
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the results made for what was simply classic Southern soul. All
hyperbole aside, you knew that anyone who good take a sappy country hit like Tammi Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" and turn it into a spunky soul
workout was special and Staton repeatedly displayed those gifts throughout
the album. While virtually every one of these ten tracks was
worthwhile, Staton seemed to reserve special affection for material written
by George Jackson. Tracks like "I'm Just a Prisoner (Of Your Good
Lovin')", the breezy "Too Hurt To Cry" and "Freedom Is Just beyond the
Door"
were unbelievable. That's
not to downplay the other material, including a mesmerizing cover of Harlan
Howard's "He Called Me Baby" (check out the way she stretches out
the "baby, baby, baby all night long" refrain), her collaboration with
then-husband Clarence Carter
"Sweet Feeling", or the bluesy Staton original "To Hear You Say You're
Mine". Perhaps just
a shade less impressive than "Candi Staton", but a worthy addition
to any soul collectors stash. Four awesome singles
!!! It's one of those albums I've never gotten tired of
hearing. It's also one of those albums that I've sold multiple times
and every time I do, I immediately regret it and start looking for a
replacement. 
