‘First Lady of Southern Soul’ Calls Music Her God-Given ‘Purpose’

Published: June 30, 2026

By Movieguide® Staff

“First Lady of Southern Soul” Candi Staton shared her 70-year journey through the music industry.

“My first record was ‘I’d Rather Be an Old Man’s Sweetheart Than a Young Man’s Fool,’” she told CBN, joking, “It went 700,000 because they thought I was Aretha [Franklin] before they knew who I really was.”

Over the years, Staton would go on to release over 30 albums, ranging from soul and gospel to R&B and disco. This year, she even scored her first Grammy nomination since 1987, with a Best Roots Gospel Album nomination for Back to My Roots.

“That was the last thing I was expecting to hear. Really? Really? 40 years? Whoa. I had four of them. Yeah. Four nominations, but I never won,” she said of that moment.

So, does Staton have any plans to slow down?

“I’m going to do it until the Lord calls me home,” the singer said. “That’s my job. He gave me a purpose and I’m standing on that purpose, standing firm. Nothing can stop me. I’ve had all kinds of obstacles. Satan has tried every trick in the book to kill me because he can’t kill me because God ain’t going to let him. I’ve been through cancer. I’ve been through divorces. I’ve been through hard times. I’ve been through everything that you can imagine.”

In a 2024 interview, Staton spoke more about her cancer diagnosis, saying, “I would pray, ‘Lord, let me be able to sing again someday.’ And he answered my prayers.”

The singer has also spoken about her pivot from pop music to gospel, pointing to recent track “1963,” which retells the story of the 16th Street Church bombing. The KKK bombed a church in Alabama, killing four young girls. Staton was at a church nearby and remembers being evacuated among the chaos.

“We were guests at a local church and my pastor was about to preach when the deacon came in the church and said, ‘Get out. Y’all need to get out,’” she told CBC. “We had to go right down through downtown. I pray nobody have to experience that. I was so scared. I thought we were going to die that day.”

Now, she’s dedicated to sharing her faith with others through music.

“I’m still going to sing all the types of genres of music that He’s given me to deliver, but my heart is in gospel,” Staton said. “People need the gospel now.”

Through the decades, Staton has delighted audiences with her powerful voice, catchy songs and faith-filled messages.

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