Mavis Staples is a living monument with a voice that has continued to grow in warmth and wisdom over the years. Together with her father Pops and her brothers and sisters, together forming The Staples Singers, she was one of the modernizers of the gospel sound. But it was also the content of the songs that impressed audiences. After father Staples heard a speech by Martin Luther King Jr., he decided: if he can preach it, we can sing it. Mavis Staples has been an active soloist since the 1960s. During that time she has collaborated with legends like Ray Charles, Bob Dylan and Prince. She received a Lifetime Achievement Award and a Grammy for her work. For her latest album, Livin' On A High Note, her most cheerful album to date in her own view, she asked Nick Cave, Benjamin Booker, Son Little and Justin Vernon, among others, to write songs.