Candi Staton

Young Hearts Run Free

Candi Staton started out as a gospel singer in the Jewel Trio in the mid 1960's. She was married for the second time, to Clarence Carter (Looking for a Fox) and had a major hit in the USA and UK with Young Hearts Run Free. (Warner Brothers).

She has become another soul singer with gospel roots who returned to her gospel roots  - she released the album - Make Me An Instrument, on the Myrrh label.

Candi Staton sings soul and Young Hearts Run Free as far as I can gather was never a hit at the Northern Soul clubs when it was released, a type of 'souled out' chauvinism. It's a great track but ignored due to its general popularity and availability. Unfortunately these seem to be abhorrent qualities which are shunned by the Northern scene. Why? There is no doubt it is a soul record - a great one and joins a large list of magnificent tracks by great artists that are ignored by the present day Northern Soul scene for being too popular - but don't get us  started...

I don't think I have been to a wedding for the last fifteen years or so when the track hasn't had at least one outing and got everyone dancing, from kids to grandmas - that's got to be a good thing.

She started singing gospel when she was five. In 1968 she was still singing gospel at the Baptist church in Birmingham, Alabama. Candi used to sing in churches with Aretha Franklin when they were teenagers, singing with the Jewel Gospel Trio. she later became close friends with Lou Rawls, when a singer with the Pilgrim Travellers.