Legendary Soul Singer Has Passed Away at 76

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A member of acclaimed vocal group Soul Children, singer Anita Louis has passed away at 76.

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Anita Louis, a member of the legendary Stax group Soul Children,” read a Facebook post from the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

Soul Children

As that Facebook post recalled, Louis began her professional singing career as a member of the WDIA Teen Town Singers in Memphis, Tennessee. She was then recruited by the Memphis-based Stax record label, the home of such iconic soul acts as Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave and the Staples Singers. At Stax, Louis provided background vocals for many Stax artists’ biggest hits.

“When I met Carla Thomas, Rufus, Johnnie Taylor, and all the rest of the Stax people, I was so impressed and so honored. It was the thrill of a lifetime, and I was just getting started!” Anita said, via the Stax Records website.

In 1968, she became one third of vocal group Soul Children, formed by Stax producer David Porter and Hayes, who’d been racking up hits for Stax at the time. In addition to Louis, Soul Children consisted of Norman West, Shelbra Bennett and John “J. Blackfoot” Colbert on lead vocals.

“Each of us was asked to join the group, and Mr. Porter and Mr. Hayes were very careful to give us a couple of days to think it over,” Louis said. “Well, it didn’t take a couple of days to decide!”

Soul Children became a success for Stax. The group’s self-titled 1968 debut featured hit singles “I’ll Understand,” “The Sweeter He Is” and “Tighten Up My Thang.”

“If you listen to that first album,” added Louis, “you’ll find it was a pacesetter for where we are now. You’ll hear the same heartfelt performance, and the same style of production. We’ve got to give it all to David. He is miraculous.”

Soulful Success

The group recorded several more albums for Stax, scoring hits with singles “Hearsay” and “I’ll Be the Other Woman,” with the latter peaking at No. 3 on the R&B charts in 1973.

Sadly, the Stax story became a cautionary tale in the music industry, with the once-thriving label placed in involuntary bankruptcy in 1975. Around that same time, Bennett departed. Soul Children continued as a trio, with Louis sole female vocalist when the group was signed to Epic Records. Soul Children returned to Stax for its final album, 1978’s “Open Door Policy,” before disbanding the following year.

That marked the end of Louis’ musical career. After that she took on jobs outside of showbiz, including working for FedEx and Time Warner before returning to college and becoming a professional business trainer.

According to Louis, that had been her original goal before she became sidetracked by music.

“You see, I fully intended to go to college. In fact, I registered and paid my fees. Then I got that call from David, and I was just snatched out of college,” she shared.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to Anita’s family, friends, and all who knew and loved her,” added the Facebook post.