The Staple Singers in recording studio
Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Cleotha Staples, the eldest of the Staples siblings, died yesterday in Chicago after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s. Staples sang with her family’s legendary gospel-slash-soul act for decades; the Staple Singers, known for songs like “I’ll Take You There” and “Respect Yourself,” were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. Staples was 78.
