Candi Staton, “It’s Time to Be Free” (Beracah Records) Candi Staton blends gospel themes and messages of redemption and caution with dance music, funk and soul on “It’s Time to Be Free,” revisiting ...

Note: NPR's First Listen audio comes down after the album is released. However, you can still listen with the Spotify or Apple Music playlist at the bottom of the page. When Candi Staton first ...

Singer Candi Staton’s deep yearning brought together the best attributes of Southern soul and country in the 1960s and ’70s. Since gospel has kept her away from secular songs for years, this release ...

Candi Staton has been called the “First Lady of Southern Soul” thanks to a string of hits in the 1970s that included R&B versions of "Stand By Your Man" and "In The Ghetto." Later, she topped the ...

The Southern soul survivor has made an album about strength: a holistic shot in the arm to help you find the fortitude to fight. Note: NPR's First Listen audio comes down after the album is released.

If anyone has earned the right to use the title "soul survivor," it's Candi Staton. The Southern singer, a staple on early '70s R&B playlists, was driven into seclusion by a combination of domestic ...