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With her deep, soulful voice and uplifting, spiritual lyrics, Mavis Staples has been a pillar of the gospel, blues and R&B scene since the '50s. She is best known as an integral member of her family band, the Staples. More recently, she's become known for being a successful solo artist who has collaborated with Aretha Franklin,
Bob Dylan
,
Arcade Fire
and
Gorillaz
. Staples is a member of the Rock and Hall of Fame 1999 class and the Blues Hall of Fame 2017 class. She was also honored with a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for Arts.
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Mavis Staples joined her family band the Staples at around the age of 11 when it was still playing at churches and local gigs. In the '60s, The Staples became an influential voice of the civil rights movement with its powerful message of equality and progress. The Staples received multiple nominations from the Grammy Awards, including the 1961 Best Inspirational Performance for Swing Low, the Best Soul Gospel Performance for Long Walk to DC and three separate nominations for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, one of which went to the No. 1 smash hit I'll Take You There. Around the same time, Mavis Staples released two of her own solo albums: her 1969 self-titled debut and the 1970 album
Only for the Lonely
. After signing with Curtis Mayfield's Curtom Records, The Staples produced another No. 1 hit, Let's Do It Again. The group released its final album,
Turning Point
, in 1984 but continued performing up until 1994. Following the dissolution of the group, Mavis Staples would continue her solo career. Her collaboration with Bob Dylan on the song Gonna Change My Way of Thinking earned a 2003 Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. A year later, she received another nomination for Best Gospel Performance with Lay My Burden Down. The Staples won a 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award for their contribution to the gospel and R&B genres, while her 2010 album
You Are Not Alone
finally won an individual Grammy Award for Best Americana Album. She would win another Grammy in 2015 for Best American Roots Performance with See That My Grave Is Kept Clean.
''Tickets are available at the worldwide online vendor StubHub.'
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Mavis Staples is currently embarking on her We Get By Tour for the remainder of 2019. She is appearing at locations throughout North America, including
Madison Square Garden
in New York City, the
Rialto Theatre
in Montreal and the
Minnesota State Fair
in St. Paul. On the festival circuit, she is also appearing at the
Outside Lands Music Festival
in San Francisco, the
FreshGrass Festival
in North Adams, Mass., the
Borderlands Festival
in East Aurora, N.Y. and the
Shoals Fest
in Florence, Ala. Staples will be joined by
Brandi Carlile
and
Van Morrison
for select events.
''Mavis Staples plays a selection of songs from her solo career and the Staples, including If You're Ready (Come Get Me), Take Us Back, Build a Bridge, Change, Anytime, Who Told You That, Stronger, Respect Yourself, Touch a Hand, Make a Friend and No Time for Crying. She also performs covers of Love and Trust by Ben Harper and Can You Get to That by Funkadelic.'
'Mavis Staples concerts are a classic blend of blues, gospel, R&B and soul. As the lead singer, she is accompanied by a full band and a suite of backup singers on stage. Her backup singers also take the lead on certain songs.'
'A typical concert can last around an hour, depending on the venue.'
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If you enjoy gospel and soul music, then you might want to check out the Grammy-nominated singer
Bettye Lavette
or the 11-time Grammy winner
Al Green
.
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