New Mavis Staples Track Now Streaming

As previously reported in these pages, Mavis Staples' new album, You Are Not Alone, will be released on Anti- on 14 September. The record was produced by Wilco front-man Jeff Tweedy.

The first song released for streaming is the title track, a gentle ballad penned by Tweedy. Enjoy it by clicking below. A masterful vocalist, Mavis' performance reaches through the speakers with an arm around your shoulders solace befitting of the author's lyrics.


Mavis Staples: "You Are Not Alone"
Mavis Staples - You Are Not Alone by antirecords

Jeff Tweedy Helms New Mavis Staples Record

Back in January, we were excited to learn that soul legend Mavis Staples had entered the Wilco Loft studios in Chicago to record a new album. Now comes word that the record, produced by Jeff Tweedy, will be titled You Are Not Alone with a release date of 14 September.

Ms. Staples was interviewed recently by Stephen M. Deusner for Pitchfork. Her first exposure to Wilco didn't come until last year, after Tweedy had approached her about producing some songs. Ms. Staples' agent called her and told her to turn on the local PBS station; seems the band was performing on Austin City Limits: "Man, I tell you, I almost jumped out of my skin. They were dynamic and just so unbelievable. They are all so talented. All these guys are stars in their own rights. Many of them could go out on their own and be successful, I feel. But they are a band . . . I'm so happy to be connected to Wilco, the band, period." Keyboardist Patrick Sansone and Tweedy play on You Are Not Alone, joined by members of Ms. Staples' touring band and frequent Neko Case collaborating vocalists Kelly Hogan, Nora O'Connor and Richard Parenti.

The album features traditional gospel titles as well as two new songs written specifically for Ms. Staples by Tweedy, along with covers of tunes by Allen Toussaint, Pops Staples, Randy Newman and John Fogerty.

The results were pleasing to the artist, to say the least. "I really hate that the session is over. I wish we had one more song . . . I told Jeff, I said 'It's cartwheel time for me. I can't do it, but I'll get one of my nieces and nephews to do a cartwheel for me.' "

Mavis Staples is set to perform live this summer at Lollapalooza and Wilco's Solid Sound Festival.

The track listing for You Are Not Alone:

01 "You Don't Knock" (Pops Staples/Wesley Westbrook)

02 "You Are Not Alone" (Jeff Tweedy)

03 "Downward Road" (Pops Staples)

04 "In Christ There Is No East Or West" (Traditional, arranged by Tweedy)

05 "Creep Along, Moses" (Traditional)

06 "Losing You" (Randy Newman)

07 "I Belong To The Band" (Rev. Gary Davis)

08 "Last Train" (Allen Toussaint)

09 "Only The Lord Knows" (Jeff Tweedy)

10 "Wrote A Song For Everyone" (John Fogerty)

11 "We're Gonna Make It" (Little Milton)

12 "Wonderful Savior" (Traditional)

13 "Too Close To Heaven/I'm On My Way To Heaven Anyhow" (Prof. Alex E. Bradford, Jr./Brad Pathway)

In Performance At The White House: A Celebration of Music From The Civil Rights Movement

Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Paul Stookey at The Lincoln Memorial, before performing at the March On Washington, August 28, 1963.



From The White House (via Chicago Sun-Times):

The 2010 White House Music Series begins on Wednesday, February 10th, when the President and First Lady will host "In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement" - a concert celebrating Black History month. Participants include Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Smokey Robinson, Seal, the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Howard University Choir and others. Morgan Freeman and Queen Latifah will serves as emcees for this concert which will feature songs from the Civil Rights Movement as well as readings from famous Civil Rights speeches and writings. The President will make opening remarks at this concert held in the East Room which will be streamed live on http://www.whitehouse.gov starting at 5.15 p.m. ET.

The concert will be televised on February 11th at 8.00 p.m. ET on public broadcasting stations nationwide as part of WETA Washington, D.C.'s "In Performance at the White House" series. NPR will also produce a one-hour concert special from this event for broadcast nationwide on NPR Member stations throughout the month of February, beginning February 12th. The special will be available on http://www.npr.org/music.

As part of this special event, Mrs. Obama will host "Music that Inspired the Movement," a workshop that several of the event's performers will lead for 120 high school students from across the country on Wednesday, February 10th from 1.00 p.m. - 2.00 p.m. ET. The students will come to learn about the continuing relevance of music from the Civil Rights Movement to today's generation and its original impact in the 1960s. The event will be streamed live on www.whitehouse.gov and students all over the country will be invited to watch and engage in the workshop.

FURTHER LISTENING AND VIEWING

Bob Dylan sings "When The Ship Comes In" at the March On Washington.

"People Get Ready," written by the great Curtis Mayfield and performed by his group The Impressions in 1965. Mayfield was inspired by the throngs that gathered at the Lincoln Memorial two years earlier.

Pete Seeger talks about the history of "We Shall Overcome." And scores of artists sing it in honor of Seeger's 90th birthday party at Madison Square Garden last year.

Mavis Staples & The Blind Boys of Alabama sing the civil rights standard "Eyes On The Prize."