Mavis Staples Kick Starts Huge Year at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College, Jan. 31, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.
January 15, 2015
Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.
Legendary gospel and R&B singer Mavis Staples takes the stage at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 7:30 p.m., singing hits both old and new from her incredible 60-year career.
Mavis Staples launched her musical career as a member of her family’s musical group, the Staples Singers, with her father and siblings, and their songs “I’ll Take You There” and “Let’s Do It Again” quickly became chart-toppers. (The late Pops Staples’ final album, finished by Mavis and her album’s producer, Jeff Tweedy of indie band Wilco, will be released in February 2015, and has been the talk of the music industry as of late.)
In these early years, Staples was heralded as the “voice of the civil rights movement” of the 1960s, as she belted out message songs like “Long Walk to D.C.” and “Respect Yourself” with her iconic, soulful voice, and family friends like MLK, Jr. and Bob Dylan.
In the 1980s, Staples branched out into a solo career – one that would continue for the next three decades and beyond, producing hit after hit. Even now, at the age of 75, Staples shows no signs of slowing down.
“This prolific artist could be resting on her laurels at this point in her career, but she’s making new music!” says Katie Fox, Executive Director at Harbison Theatre at Midlands Technical College. “She never stops creating and inventing, and that’s inspiring.”
In the past five years alone, Staples has been quite busy, producing two new albums, “You Are Not Alone” and “One True Vine,” as part of an ongoing collaboration with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy.
Staples won her first GRAMMY Award as a solo artist in 2010 for “You Are Not Alone” in the category of Best Americana Album. “One True Vine” was also nominated for a GRAMMY in 2014. In 2013, she performed for President Obama at “In Performance and the White House: Memphis Soul” alongside Justin Timberlake, Sam Moore, Ben Harper and Queen Latifah.
Staples recently celebrated her 75th birthday in style during a special show, “I’ll Take You There – Celebrating 75 Years of Mavis Staples,” in her hometown of Chicago, Ill. The concert featured a star-studded list of musicians honoring Staples’ extraordinary career, including Gregg Allman, Patty Griffin and Otis Clay, with Staples also performing.
What will 2015 hold for the legendary singer? In addition to an extensive U.S. and international tour, and frequent features at music festivals like the hailed Newport Folk Festival, Staples’ current influence is reaching beyond the realm of music.
Mavis!, a new documentary directed by Jessica Edwards, will premiere at South by Southwest indie film festival in March 2015, showcasing Staples’ incredible career’s breadth, from her impact on the American civil rights movement to her freshest award-winning music making and unexpected collaborations. This is the first feature-length film about the legendary gospel/pop singer.
Guests at Staples’ Harbison Theatre performance on Jan. 31, 2015 will enjoy the ultimate Mavis experience: a live show that will have them dancing in the aisles.
Ticketing Details
Mavis Staples is one of 12 shows selected for Harbison Theatre’s 2014-2015 Signature Season.
Individual show tickets and The Flex Pass, offering a 10% discount with the purchase of 4 or more tickets, can be purchased at www.HarbisonTheatre.org.
Buyers may also order tickets via phone at 803-407-5011, or in person at the Harbison Theatre Box Office, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The box office also will open two hours prior to each show in the Signature Series.
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