ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE
2015 has seen the loss of Ben E. King. Percy Sledge and BB King…just three of
the giants from the era of sixties soul, r‘n’b and gospel. It will be a truly
unique chance then, on Wednesday 1 July, to still be able to watch another
true soul/gospel legend from that era, when Mavis Staples walks on stage at the
Cambridge Corn Exchange in one of just three UK concerts.
Now in her seventies, this incredible singer has been performing both solo,
and in earlier years with The Staples Singers, for over 50 years. Tracks
include classics like If
You’re Ready (Come Go With Me) and The Weight along with numerous other soul
and gospel classics. More recently Mavis Staples took the award for best
Americana album at the 2011 Grammy Awards for her album You Are Not Alone,
produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. It was an emotional first Grammy for the
Chicago-based artist in a 50 plus-year career winning against Rosanne Cash,
Willie Nelson, Los Lobos and Robert Plant.
She has just released Your
Good Fortune, a new four-song EP produced by the acclaimed young
cross-genre soul explorer Son Little.
The songs merge Staples’ iconic and soulful voice with Little’s talent for
reconfiguring genres including soul, hip-hop and heavy rock. The resulting
tracks retain every bit of Staples’ emotional delivery, while adding an array
of modernist sounds created with the cut and paste of contemporary hip-hop.
“I’m always excited to do
new songs,” Mavis says. “And
this young man wrote two just for me. Seemed like we were a team made in
heaven. He writes from his heart; he’s a great singer who sings from his
heart, and he reached my heart. I’m so glad we got to work together.
The whole experience right down to the finished product was just
extraordinary.”
Mavis Staples appears
at Cambridge Corn Exchange on Wednesday 1 July at 7.30pm. Tickets from
£22.50. Box Office 01223 357851
