Yvonne Staples, a member of her family’s pop and soul group the Staple Singers, has died at the age of 80.
Yvonne died Tuesday at her home in Chicago from colon cancer, family friend Bill Carpenter confirmed to The New York Times.
The Staple Singers, known for a number of hit songs in the 1970s including “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me),” “Respect Yourself” and “I’ll Take You There,” was formed in 1948 by family patriarch Roeback Staples and was comprised of his children Pervis, Mavis and Cleotha.
Yvonne replaced Pervis in 1970 and provided background vocals for the group. She also managed the group’s business affairs.
The Staple Singers received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in 2005 and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
Mavis is the remaining Staples sister and continues to perform and tour in support of her latest album, If All I was Black. Yvonne also managed and provided background vocals for Mavis when she began her solo career in the 1980s.
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