The Staple Singers kind of peaked out in the 1970’s but they had had a long career by then, dating back to the early ‘50’s.
They were an influence on Bob Dylan, who loved them, and as the years moved on, their sound changed a lot. They recorded “I’ll Take You There” with the Swampers in Muscle Shoals in 1972 and it became a huge, enduring hit.
When The Band announced their breakup and planned the Last Waltz concert and film, director Martin Scorsese included a version of “The Weight,” perhaps The Band’s greatest song, as accompanied by the Staple Singers.