“I still have every bit of my voice,” says singer and civil rights icon Mavis Staples. “It’s still here, and I’m still here.” Throughout her career, Mavis has used her voice to uplift the truth through song, and after seventy years, she has no interest in slowing down. This year Mavis is on tour throughout the US and Europe, and on May 20th, she will release a new album, Carry Me Home, recorded with The Band’s Levon Helm. On this episode, Hanif speaks to Mavis about the album, why she won’t be retiring anytime soon, and the secrets behind the longevity of her career—including how Mahalia Jackson taught her to take care of her voice. For the playlist of songs curated for this episode head over to https://bit.ly/oos-mavis-staples.

/ Music In This Week’s Episode /
I’ll Take You There - The Staple Singers
The Last Waltz Suite: The Weight (feat. The Staple Singers) - The Band, The Staple Singers
How I Got Over - Live at New Temple Missionary Baptist Church - Aretha Franklin
Summertime / Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child - Mahalia Jackson
Heaven - Mary Mary
Down in My Soul - Ingram Singers
BL3$$3D - Trek Manifest

Show Notes: 
Carry Me Home, a collaborative live album from Mavis Staples and Levon Helm, will be released May 20th. The first single, “You Got To Move,” is out now; the music video features footage of Mavis and Levon from the making of the album.

Carry Me Home was recorded at Levon Helm Studios. The Studio is a barn designed and acoustically engineered by Levon himself, and it stands today as a one-of-a-kind musical landmark. Levon Helm Studios welcomes artists for intimate concerts, recording sessions, rehearsals, writing retreats, and private events.

On May 20th, Mavis Staples will perform at Brooklyn Academy of Music, as part of the spring music series curated by Hanif. Amy Helm, Levon Helm’s daughter, will open. You can follow Mavis’ full tour this year on her website.  

Every Thanksgiving, Hanif watches the Last Waltz. 

The Staple Singers appeared on Soul Train in 1974.

A recent favorite song of Mavis’ is Black Pumas’ Colors.

Credits:
This show is produced by work by work: Scott Newman, Jemma Rose Brown, Kathleen Ottinger, Rhiannon Corby, and by Hanif Abdurraqib. The show is mixed by Sam Bair. Extra gratitude to Joe Dawson and Saidah Blount at Sonos.