The Staples' story goes all the way back to 1915 in Winona, MS, when patriarch Roebuck Staples entered the world. A contemporary and familiar of Charley Patton, Roebuck quickly became adept as a solo blues guitarist, entertaining at local dances and picnics. He was also drawn to the church, and by 1937 he was singing and playing guitar with the Golden Trumpets, a spiritual group based out of Drew, MS. Moving to Chicago four years later, he continued playing gospel music with the Windy City's Trumpet Jubilees.