Quotes from Mavis Staples

I get my voice from my mother's side of the family. My mother and my grandmother both had strong voices.

It's been an amazing life. It's really just been the most magical thing for me - and I have these musical friends from all walks of life.

I sang with my father for over 50 years, and now all of a sudden he's gone, and I just dropped out.

I never sang for a Grammy, for money, for fame. That's my whole purpose for singing: for people, for the fans.

I started writing letters home to my mother, saying that I wanted to come home, grandma won't let me sing.

Music is such a joy, just an absolute joy.

I'm so blessed that I can still be here to bring the music and have new generations of fans. My Pops would be so proud.

I'm old enough to be Obama's grandmom. But I still like seeing good-looking things. Nothing wrong with that.

When I come out of my dressing room, I go to my heart and say a little prayer and go out on stage. There I am, coming to lift you up and to motivate you. I want to bring joy. It's gospel, and gospel is the truth. It's what I do. I'm going to bring you the truth and lift up your spirit.

The devil ain't got no music. All music is God's music.

My high-school a cappella teacher would embarrass me in front of the choir. 'Mavis, you're in the basement. Mavis, you're singing with the boys.' I said, 'Mr. Finch, my voice isn't soprano. I can't sing up there with the girls.' So I just got out of the choir.

I can't just turn over and sing disco or rock.

I just had a wonderful life, and I couldn't ask for anything else.

The kids today have these fresh faces. It's like they're on pins and needles, waiting to see what I'm going to do. They've never seen me. In the 1960s, those were hippies. They were wired up already. The kids today know me because I've worked with Jeff Tweedy and other young producers.

Pops, he was a singer's singer. I loved to hear my father sing. He just was so laid-back and cool. I always wished I could sing like Pops.

The best music of my life I heard at my grandmother's church, this little wooden church up on a hill.

I have fun just about everywhere I go.

If you don't get out among the people, how are you going to know what they need to hear about?

I've got to sing for Pops; I've got to keep my father's legacy alive because he started all of this. So I started calling people, and nobody would give me a chance, but I didn't let that stop me. I took money out the bank and I started making me a record, and I did it in this guy's basement.

We stay strong. We stay positive, keep our heads up, love one another, spread love. The Devil can't win when you have God on your side.

I'm singing these songs to inspire you, to keep you going, to lift you up and give you a reason to get up in the morning.

My purpose: to lift your spirit and to motivate you.

I won't wear rings and jewelry on the stage because I don't want you looking at my hands. I want you hearing what I'm saying.

Well Lord, I'm still on the case. I'm still doing what Dr. King and Pops want me to do. I'm still on that freedom highway, and I'm going to walk on it until Dr. King's dream is realized.