Mavis Staples: Last News

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic If the planet was under threat of annihilation from beyond, and we had to present our divine or interplanetary overlords with just two musical emissaries to make a case that humankind is worth being spared as a species, Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples might be the couple we’d want to pick. Fortunately, with no such emergency yet in sight, they’ve managed to pair up of their own volition for a segment of Raitt’s current headlining tour that makes for a two-sided portrait of what heart, soul and understated heroism look like in music. Not that those kinds of superlatives showed up anywhere but in the subtext of Saturday night’s show at the Greek Theatre in L.A. It was a show where you could think about what Staples meant during the civil rights movement, and since, or about Raitt’s role as a warrior without uniform in the early days of women fighting to get their due in rock. Or you could just enjoy the chops and grease that feed into the respective performances of historically significant figures who wear their mantles as lightly as anything else they’d need to peel off upon stepping into a humid roadhouse.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Cher, Beck Trey Anastasio and Alicia Keys were just four of the highlights of Thursday night’s ninth annual Love Rocks NYC Benefit Concert for God’s Love We Deliver. Held at New York’s Beacon Theatre, the concert raised more than $4 million for the organization, which cooks and home-delivers nutritious, medically tailored meals for people unable to shop or cook for themselves.

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Alicia Keys, Beck, Cher, Trey Anastasio, Mavis Staples, the War and Treaty, Michael McDonald, Peter Frampton, Kate Hudson, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Dave Stewart Eurythmics feat. Vanessa Amorosi, Eric Burton of Black Pumas, Grace Bowers, Jesse Malin, Luke Spiller, and more will performed at the ninth annual Love Rocks NYC 2025 benefit concert, taking place March 6 at the Beacon Theatre in New York. The event, executive produced by John Varvatos, Greg Williamson and Nicole Rechter and presented by Bloomberg Philanthropies, will also feature appearances by Alex Edelman, Amy Schumer, Susie Essman and Tracy Morgan.

Martin Scorsese is set to direct the filming of a tribute concert in honour of The Band‘s Robbie Robertson.Robertson died in August 2023, aged 80, and previously Scorsese documented The Band’s farewell show in The Last Waltz, which was released in 1978 and is widely considered an all-time classic music documentary.He scored several of Scorsese’s films, including Raging Bull, Casino, The Wolf Of Wall Street The Irishman and Killers Of The Flower Moon.Now, it has been confirmed that Scorsese will direct the ‘Life Is A Carnival: A Musical Celebration Of Robbie Robertson’ tribute concert, which is due to take place at LA’s Kia Forum tonight (October 17), for a future release.Scorsese will also serve as one of the executive producers of the concert, along with Jared Levine, Keith Wortman and Scooter Weintraub, reports Variety.Among the artists expected to perform at the show are Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, U2 producer Daniel Lanois, Mavis Staples, Margo Price, My Morning Jacket‘s Jim James, Trey Anastasio, Eric Church, Warren Haynes, Bruce Hornsby, Taj Mahal, Robert Randolph, Nathaniel Rateliff, Allison Russell, Bobby Weir and Lucinda Williams.The house band will also feature Ryan Bingham, Jamey Johnson, Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Don Was, John Medeski, Dave Malone, Terence Higgins, Cyril Neville, Mark Mullins and the Levee Horns.You can find further information on the concert here and tickets can be purchased here.The format in which a film of the Robertson concert might come out has not yet been revealed.Meanwhile, Scorsese is also producing a new Beatles documentary coming to Disney+ next month.The film, titled Beatles ’64, is set to arrive exclusively on the streaming platform on

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Martin Scorsese will direct the filming of a Robbie Robertson tribute concert in L.A. Thursday night for a future release, it was announced Tuesday morning. The filming of “Life Is A Carnival: A Musical Celebration Of Robbie Robertson,” a Blackbird Presents production, may provide a kind of bookend to the the first movie Scorsese did with Robertson, when he directed the concert film “The Last Waltz,” which commemorated the last concert the singer-songwriter-guitarist did with his group the Band in 1976.

‘Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson’ concert, in honor of the recently deceased Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.Icons set to take part inthe star-studded, Martin Scorsese-produced affair include ’60s and ’70s icons Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Bobby Weir, Mavis Staples and Taj Mahal.Noah Kahan, Elvis Costello, Eric Church, Nathaniel Rateliff and Margo Price will also pay their respects to The Band founder.We’re still just getting started.Phish frontman Trey Anastasio, My Morning Jacket singer Jim James, Lucinda Williams, Warren Haynes and Bruce Hornsby are slated to perform as well.In total, 23 artists have been confirmed for ‘Life Is a Carnival’ with more on the way.As for what to expect, “the concert promises to include work from Robertson’s solo career, which began in 1987, as well as selections from the Band’s recordings, which ran from 1968’s “Music From Big Pink” through 1977’s ‘Islands,'” according to Variety.Fans can purchase tickets for ‘Life Is a Carnival’ on sites like Vivid Seats; the official on-sale is Friday, Aug.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Some of the most illustrious names in rock — and other genres — will pay tribute to Robbie Robertson in a celebratory concert at the L.A.-area Kia Forum on Oct. 17, with the musician’s longtime friend and collaborator Martin Scorsese among the executive producers. The lineup for “Life Is a Carnival: A Musical Celebration of Robbie Robertson” includes some contemporaries who came up with the Band‘s late songwriter-guitarist in the ’60s.

Hozier covered The Band‘s song ‘The Weight’ with Mavis Staples, Joan Baez and more at the Newport Folk Festival last week. See the footage below.The Irish singer-songwriter played a headline set at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, Rhode Island last Friday (July 26).Per Setlist.FM, Hozier was joined on stage by a host of guests to deliver a live rendition of The Band’s 1968 track ‘The Weight’ towards the end of the show.

White Stripes frontman Jack White joined Conan O’Brien for ‘We’re Going to Be Friends’ at Newport Folk Festival.O’Brien, who introduced himself to the crowd as “folk music legend Conan O’Brien” played the festival on Sunday (July 28), in what turned out to be a star-studded affair.O’Brien’s long-time friend and podcast partner White was the final guest of the evening, which included guest appearances from Langhorne Slim, Nick Lowe, Brittany Howard, Nathaniel Rateliff and Mavis Staples.The two traded verses on the ‘White Blood Cells’ hit ‘We’re Going to Be Friends’, which is the theme song for O’Brien’s podcast Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend. White was on electric guitar and O’Brien on acoustic.Jack White joined Conan O'Brien to perform "We're Going to Be Friends" at Newport Folk Fest pic.twitter.com/DgKKIgk4SC— CONSEQUENCE (@consequence) July 29, 2024Throughout the set, the former Tonight Show host was riffing with the crowd, warning them early on: “I am here to prove I can ruin any genre.”After playing the White Stripes classic, White and O’Brien performed Eddie Cochran’s ‘Twenty Flight Rock’, which O’Brien followed by bringing out singers from throughout the day for a Newport finale sing-along of the traditional ‘Midnight Special’.‘Forty Days‘Ramblin’ Man‘Found My Heart’ (with Langhorne Slim)‘So It Goes’ (with Nick Lowe)‘Cruel to Be Kind’ (with Nick Lowe)‘Buckets of Rain’ (Bob Dylan cover)‘Come and Get Your Love’ (with Brittany Howard)‘Everybody’s Talkin’ (with Nathaniel Rateliff)‘Let It Bleed’ (with Nathaniel Rateliff)‘I’ll Take You There’ (with Mavis Staples)‘We’re Going to Be Friends’ (with Jack White)‘Twenty Flight Rock’ (with Jack White)‘Midnight Special’Elsewhere in the show, O’Brien played an original song

Farm Aid is coming to Saratoga Springs, NY’s Broadview Stage at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.Taking place Saturday, Sept. 21, the annual extravaganza will deliver country music, classic rock and a bit of soul along with family farm-identified, local and organic foods in an effort to benefit farmers.And, as always, the festival has a great crop of farm-first headliners.

Michele Amabile Angermiller Moments after being honored at the American Music Honors of the Bruce Springsteen Archives, John Mellencamp took a moment to talk about its namesake at Monmouth University’s Pollak Theater in West Long Branch on Wednesday night (April 24). “I know you all love him,” he said of Springsteen. “He put down a big footprint — him and [Bob] Dylan, for me.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic If we had the ability to assess who is the most beloved figure in music — not in overall numbers, but sheer adoration, per capita and per peer — it likely wouldn’t be Taylor or Beyoncé but Mavis Staples, who has been taking us there since the late ’60s. There being the smile that crosses anyone’s face when fortunate enough to be in the same room, or even in just giving a passing thought to that voice, that presence, and all the different ways in which Staples embodies righteousness.

Willie Nelson may be.The nonagenarian country icon — who’s been on the road since the mid 1950s (!) — just announced that he’ll drop into Camden, NJ’s Freedom Mortgage Pavilion to celebrate July 4 with his Outlaw Tour co-headliners Bob Dylan and Robert Plant.Now if that’s not American, we don’t know what is.They’ll be joined by Plant’s partner in crime Alison Krauss as well as Mavis Staples, Maren Morris and Celisse at Nelson’s annual Fourth of July Picnic.It should be noted that while the concert is taking place in Camden, NJ, it’s being labeled as a Philadelphia event.In step with that sentiment, Nelson shared a statement.“I am thrilled to bring the 4th of July Picnic to Philadelphia for the first time in our storied history,” the 90-year-old said in a press release. “It’s an honor to host such an extraordinary lineup of talent in the birthplace of our country.

Ravinia is pulling out all the stops this year.Highland Park, IL’s annual summer-long music festival just announced their 2024 lineup — with over 100 concerts scheduled — and it’s a doozy.This year’s edition features big names from yesteryear like James Taylor, Robert Plant with Alison Krauss, The Beach Boys with John Stamos, Mavis Staples, and Daryl Hall with Elvis Costello.Other icons set to grace the Ravinia Festival stages this year include Norah Jones, Little Feat, Gipsy Kings, OAR, and Melissa Etheridge with Indigo Girls.As of now, tickets can be scooped up for a handful of the 2024 concerts.Although inventory isn’t available on Ticketmaster until Wednesday, April 24, fans who want to ensure they have tickets ahead of time can purchase on sites like Vivid Seats before tickets are officially on sale.Vivid Seats is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.They have a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and will be delivered before the event.All Ravinia concerts with inventory available can be found below with performers, dates, show start times, and links to buy tickets.As mentioned earlier, over 100 acts are set to stop in Highland Park this year.For a fuller picture of the expansive multi-month lineup, you can find the full 2024 slate here.Need more multi-day jamborees?Here are just five of the biggest music festivals you won’t want to miss these next few months.Who else is on the road?Check out our list of the 50 biggest concerts in 2024 here to find out.

Norah Jones announced a brief tour in support of her upcoming album “Visions.”A little more than a month later, she’s added 24 more concerts to the ‘Visions Tour’ and will now be taking special guests Mavis Staples, Hurray For The Riff Raff, Sasha Dobson, Emily King and Martha Wainwright along with her on select dates.While on the road, Jones will make eight (!) stops in New York.First up, she’ll headline at Poughkeepsie’s Bardavon 1869 Opera House on May 7.After that, she’s slated to perform at Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre on May 10, Brooklyn’s Paramount Theatre on May 16-17, New York’s Apollo Theater on May 19, Saratoga Springs’ Freihofer’s Jazz Festival on June 30 and Canandaigua’s CMAC on July 5.Jones’ final NY gig will be at Buffalo’s Artpark Main Stage on July 6.But wait!There’s more!Prior to the ‘Visions Tour,’ the nine-time Grammy winner will also lend her talents to Mavis Staples’ 85th Birthday All-Star Concert in Inglewood, CA on April 18.

Thania Garcia Pussy Riot, the Russian feminist protest music and performance art group, will be accepting the 2023 Woody Guthrie Prize on May 6 in Tulsa at Cain’s Ballroom. The evening will conclude with Pussy Riot’s first-ever U.S. performance of “Riot Days,” a multi-media show that showcases the group’s music with documentary footage and political commentary. Members Maria “Masha” Alyokhina and Nadya Tolokonnikova will accept the prize on behalf of Pussy Riot, which also will be represented by founders Olga Borisova and Diana Burkot. Following the presentation by Nora Guthrie, Woody Guthrie’s daughter, the group will be interviewed by Robert Santelli, executive director of the Bruce Springsteen Archive and Center for American Music.

St. Vincent covered David Bowie‘s ‘Young Americans’ during a live performance this week – check the video below.The ‘Pay Your Way In Pain’ singer took to the stage at the Love Rocks charity gig in New York on Thursday night (March 9).

Jeff Tweedy has announced a new book, World Within A Song: Music That Changed My Life And Life That Changed My Music.Described as “an exciting and heartening mix of memories, music, and inspiration”, the memoir is due to arrive on November 7 via Dutton. You can pre-order it here.World Within A Song… serves as the Wilco frontman’s third book following on from 2018’s Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back) and 2020’s How To Write One Song.The forthcoming title sees Tweedy explore “50-plus songs that changed his life, the real-life experiences behind each one, as well as what he’s learned about how music and life intertwine and enhance each other”, per an official listing.Included are tracks by the likes of Billie Eilish, The Velvet Underground, The Replacements, Mavis Staples, Joni Mitchell, Otis Redding and Dolly Parton, with Tweedy also opening up about his own material.Jeff's third book WORLD WITHIN A SONG: Music That Changed My Life and Life That Changed My Music will be available Nov.

IIggy Pop has covered Leonard Cohen‘s ‘You Want It Darker’ – listen to the atmospheric rendition of the track below.The track is the latest preview ‘Here It Is: A Tribute To Leonard Cohen’, a new tribute album to the late star that will be released next week (October 14).The album will feature covers from the likes of Norah Jones, James Taylor, Nathaniel Rateliff, Peter Gabriel, Iggy Pop, Mavis Staples and more. It’s been produced by Larry Klein and will feature 12 tracks from across his career – including ones from his 1967 debut ‘Songs Of Leonard Cohen’, and ones from his last album, ‘You Want It Darker’, which was released in 2016.Listen to Iggy Pop’s version of the ‘You Want It Darker’ title track below. “There’s nobody like Leonard, not in the whole world,” Iggy said in a statement.1. ‘Steer Your Way’ – Norah Jones2. ‘Here It Is’ – Peter Gabriel3. ‘Suzanne’ – Gregory Porter4. ‘Hallelujah’ – Sarah McLachlan5. ‘Avalanche’ – Immanuel Wilkins6. ‘Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye’ – Luciana Souza7. ‘Coming Back to You’ – James Taylor8. ‘You Want It Darker’ – Iggy Pop9. ‘If It Be Your Will’ – Mavis Staples10. ‘Seems So Long Ago, Nancy’ – David Gray11. ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ – Nathaniel Rateliff12. ‘Bird on The Wire’ – Bill FrisellLast month, a new documentary on Cohen, titled Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song, was released, focusing on his life and career through the focus of his most famous song.Reviewing the film, NME wrote: “There are as many ‘Hallelujah’ stories as people who’ve listened to it, of course, but in pinpointing a precious few, Hallelujah… does a fine job of unravelling just some of the song’s multitudes.”

Leonard Cohen is on the way later this year.Blue Note Records will release ‘Here It Is: A Tribute To Leonard Cohen’ on October 14. It will feature covers from the likes of Norah Jones, James Taylor, Nathaniel Rateliff, Peter Gabriel, Iggy Pop, Mavis Staples and more. It’s been produced by Larry Klein.The album will feature 12 tracks from across his career – including ones from his 1967 debut ‘Songs Of Leonard Cohen’, and ones from his last album, ‘You Want It Darker’, which was released in 2016.Today, Taylor’s take on ‘Coming Back To You’ from Cohen’s ‘Various Positions’ (1984) was shared – listen to it below.‘Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen’ Track List:1.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaAt a time when live theater and events have struggled to shake off the COVID malaise, the Brooklyn Academy of Music has had one of its most successful seasons ever.More impressive than the records that BAM broke for buzzy shows such as “Cyrano,” the hot West End transfer that featured James McAvoy in the title role, is the fact that the arts venue was able to appeal to crowds who had never been to the complex before. Some 48% of ticket buyers were first-time visitors to BAM.