Kelly Tucker May 25th, 2019 - 6:53 PM
The ever inspiring, soul and gospel singer Mavis Staples will turn 80 this July and she’s turning up the heat. She just completed three shows in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles in tribute of Mavis & Friends: Celebrating 80 Years Of Mavis Staples shows across the country to benefit the Newport Festivals Foundation’s support of music education programs.
At the Los Angeles finale, which took place at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, Staples was joined by friends and collaborators: Jason Isbell, Phoebe Bridgers, Brandi Carlile, M. Ward, Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison, Dawes’ Griffin and Taylor Goldsmith, Benjamin Booker, Ben Harper, Lucius, Trombone Shorty, Joe Henry, Son Little, the War & Treaty, and more.
@mavisstaples @brandicarlile belting it out at @theatre_acedtla Happy 80th Mavis!! What a party! https://t.co/lBjR3lTIaB pic.twitter.com/jdOFTSIpK3
— Jeff Kravitz (@jeffkravitz) May 23, 2019
She just released a new album, We Get By, which is a collection of songs written and produced by Ben Harper. Mavis Staples shared through social media, “My new record is out today!! Thank you to @BenHarper and everyone who made this release possible. Have a listen and let me know what you think. Get ‘We Get By’ HERE. She also added, “No matter what happens I’ll be there for you. We get by.”
My new record is out today!! Thank you to @BenHarper and everyone who made this release possible. Have a listen and let me know what you think 🖤Get ‘We Get By’ here: https://t.co/mBek3BQoJc
“No matter what happens I’ll be there for you. We get by.” pic.twitter.com/8BNIUy9tAA
— Mavis Staples (@mavisstaples) May 24, 2019
In a Rolling Stone article, Staples is described as an artist who has emerged as perhaps the hardest working singer of her generation, releasing more albums of original material over the past decade (five, and counting) than even her famously prolific contemporary Willie Nelson. Beginning with the rebirth of 2010’s You Are Not Alone, Staples has cycled through a series of taste-making producers (Jeff Tweedy, M Ward), and a host of younger songwriters to create material that fits her prophetic voice.
