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  Staton sang with the Jewell Gospel Trio as a teenager. They toured the traditional gospel circuit in the 1950's with the Soul Stirrers, C. L. Franklin, and Mahalia Jackson. They recorded several sides for Nashbro, Apollo, and Savoy Records between 1953 and 1963.

In 1968, Staton launched solo career as a Southern soul stylist, garnering 16 R&B hits for Rick Hall's Fame Studios and gaining the title of First Lady of Southern Soul for her Grammy-nominated R&B renditions of the country tunes "Stand by Your Man" and "In the Ghetto." ^[2] In 1975, Staton began collaborating with producer David Crawford on dance songs such as "Young Hearts Run Free" and "Victim".^[3] In 1997, singer Kym Mazelle recorded "Young Hearts Run Free" for the film adaption of Romeo and Juliet.^[4] Staton collaborated with acclaimed pop/r&b songwriter, Wayne K. Garfield, Change, Luther Vandross, and Janet Jackson on her 1979 album title song "Chance" and album single "When You Wake Up Tomorrow" (co-written by Patrick Adams).

In 1982, Staton returned to Gospel music. She married her fourth and current husband, John Sussewell (drummer for Ashford & Simpson). Together they founded Beracah Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia with help from Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Bakker's PTL Ministries. ^[2] She has since recorded eight Gospel albums, two of which received Grammy Award nominations.

In 1992 returned to popular mainstream charts with a Top Ten British hit, "You Got the Love," a club-styled dance hit that sold two million copies .