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The One and Only Mavis Staples
Five songs you need to hear before this weekend’s Solid Sound Festival
Mavis Staples (Photo: shorefire.com)
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This weekend in North Adams, MA is the Solid Sound Festival, put together by the fellas from Wilco. Encore will be there taking photos, which will be posted early next week. Obviously we’re excited for Wilco, but we’re also looking forward to hearing Mavis Staples’ set on Saturday.
Here are five songs you need to hear from Mavis before heading to Massachusetts:
#1. There’s a reason why the Staples Singers are called “God’s greatest hitmakers.” The family group—composed of “Pops,” Cleotha, Pervis, Yvonne and Mavis—charted 15 songs in their long career, including “Respect Yourself,” which reached #2 and is included in Rolling Stone‘s list of the 500 greatest songs of all-time.
#2. Even if you don’t think you know “I’ll Take You There,” you know “I’ll Take You There.”
#3. The Last Waltz was my introduction to the Staples Singers. The Martin Scorsese-directed film showcases the Band’s final performance in 1976, with appearances by Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Neil Young and many more, including Mavis & Co. And although the Band’s performance of “The Weight” with the Staples Singers was filmed a few days after the show (a version with just the Band was done during the concert, but not to Scorsese’s liking), it’s arguably the highlight of the film. I could listen to Levon Helm, Rick Danko and the Staples Singers perform all day—just no Robbie Robertson, please.
#4. According to Mavis, none other than Bob Dylan once asked for her hand in marriage. The full story can be read here, but clearly, Dylan had (has?) a thing for her and their two paths have connected more than once. First, of course, the proposal, but there’s also the Staples Singers’ covering “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” and in 2003, Dylan dueted with Mavis on his “Gonna Change My Way of Thinking.” The song’s worth listening to just for the corny banter.
#5. The girl’s still got it. In September, Mavis is releasing a new album, You Are Not Alone, produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. A live version of the title track can be heard here, and if that song’s any indictation, it’s going to be one of 2010′s finest records.