In the 1960s and 1970s, Grinnell had a national reputation for securing some of the best musical acts in the country, by finding talented performers who were on the cusp of breaking through to stardom (due to the legendary work of Georgia Dentel, the “activities counselor” who managed the events programming throughout this period). One  example of this was the Staples Singers, who played Darby Gym on February 17th 1964 (pictured here from the S&B).  In the 1950s and early 60s, this family act had established a name for itself in Gospel circles, but was just beginning to develop cross-over appeal to audiences more attuned to the new sound of “soul” and R&B. In 1965, the group gained more national attention with the release of Freedom Highway (an album that engaged heavily with the events of the civil rights movement) and then signed with Stax Records, in Memphis TN, where they became leaders of the soul movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s (alongside other Stax artists like Isaac Hayes, Sam and Dave, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, and Wilson Pickett).