On every face
Tastes the same"
Not feeling the song battle vibe today so wanted to change
it up and throw a little positivity out to the universe. I first saw Mavis
Staples live at Wilco’s inaugural Solid Sound Festival in 2010. I was familiar with
“I’ll Take You There” by her family band The Staples Singers but once she hit
the stage I received an education and history lesson from someone that has seen a lot in her life. Since that performance
I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Mavis and her band 4 times. Most recently at
her 80th birthday party at the Apollo theater which included
collaborations with Jason Isbell, David Byrne, Lake Street Dive, Norah Jones,
Jon Batiste…just to name a few. Yes, it was awesome. Every time I see Mavis she
talks about the ups and downs her and her family went through on the road in
the 60’s/70's and their work with Martin Luther King Jr. Even though I’ve heard her
stage wrap multiple times these stories still get to the pit of my stomach and I
find myself tearing up. The picture above is from the 2018 Travelers Rest music
festival in Missoula, Montana. Hearing Mavis Staples sing and preach with the backdrop
of the big sky Montana mountains was truly a religious experience. (Plus I’m
pretty sure Mavis winked at me during her performance)
If you need a pick me I highly recommend the
documentary Mavis! From 2015 (check out the trailer below) You’ll laugh, cry,
be inspired, hear stories about smooching with Bob Dylan and her work with the Purple
One…Prince! The song I picked for today is off her Grammy award winning album You Are Not Alone. Have a great Sunday everyone.
