In 1975, a group of teenage siblings in Aberdeen, Mississippi, recorded an album of gospel songs focused on toil, conflict, succour and redemption. They named themselves the Staples Jr Singers in tribute to Mavis and co, their Mississippi forebears, because “a lot of Staples songs had a meaning to them”, says Annie Caldwell (then Annie Brown). She was 14 when they released When Do We Get Paid, although the album’s title track could serve as an anthem for any adult who finds themselves overworked and under-compensated.
They made 500 copies of the album, which they sold at performances and in their front yard. Once they sold out, they didn’t consider pressing more. “We were busy getting on with life,” says Edward Brown (their brother ARC completed the group). “Gospel was something we sang because we love to praise the Lord. Not some kind of show business.”
