Fans of The Staple Singers are in for a treat.  On May 10, Omnivore Recordings will reissue Africa 80, the live album from the legendary gospel-soul group documenting their first-ever tour of the continent.

Roebuck "Pops" Staples, daughters Cleotha, Mavis, and Yvonne, and son Pervis raised their voices in song to celebrate the Lord, but also to crusade for civil rights and share musical messages of power and positivity around the world.  In the 1960s, the group transitioned from pure gospel and blues to soul and R&B, setting the stage for their commercial breakthrough at Stax Records. Following their celebrated tenure at the Memphis label which yielded such perennials as "I'll Take You There" and "Respect Yourself," they recorded for the Curtom and Warner Bros. labels, the latter as The Staples. That latter period of their career was explored by Omnivore in a series of expanded reissues in 2020.  At Curtom, the Staples returned to the top of the charts with, appropriately, "Let's Do It Again."

In 1980, the Staples were engaged in a tour of Africa sponsored by the U.S. government.  The set opened with Charlie Smalls' rousing "Ease on Down the Road" from his Broadway musical The Wiz (which, as of this writing, is once again packing houses on Broadway) and continued with a clutch of Staples favorites including "Let's Do it Again," "Respect Yourself," and "Touch a Hand, Make a Friend."  The group also brought their singular style to such varied standards as "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," "Come Go with Me," and "A House Is Not a Home."  Mavis Staples previously covered the latter Burt Bacharach/Hal David classic on her 1969 Stax/Volt solo debut.

These tracks have previously been issued under a variety of titles on numerous labels, with the first U.S. release having arrived via Nashboro Records in 1983 as Swingline.  Omnivore's reissue promises to be the definitive edition.  Africa 80 features restoration and mastering by Michael Graves and detailed, new liner notes from Tim Dillinger-Curenton.  It will be available on May 10 in both CD and digital formats.  You'll find the track listing and pre-order links below.  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The Staple Singers, Africa 80 (Omnivore OV-544, 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Omnivore)

1. Introduction
2. Ease On Down The Road
3. Let's Do It Again
4. Respect Yourself
5. Come Go With Me
6. Why Am I Treated So Bad
7. A House Is Not A Home
8. Will The Circle Be Unbroken
9. He's Alright
10. Touch A Hand, Make A Friend
11. Touch A Hand, Make A Friend (Reprise)