Along with her family members the Staple Singers, Mavis Staples modernized the gospel sound of the previous century while advocating for oppressed black Americans. She collaborated with stars from all genres during her monumental career, including The Band, Ray Charles, Prince and George Jones. To this day, the Grammy-winning singer is open to all sounds. Just listen to her playful cover of the Talking Heads song Slippery People on her 2019 Live In London album. Staples’ current tour takes her from Australia to Rotterdam in a series of performances that seem to have no end in sight. Quite a feat for this grande dame from Chicago who celebrates her 84th birthday the day after her Dutch show. As a staunch civil rights activist, Staples is driven by more than just music. She herself says: “I’m the messenger. We’ve got more work to do, so I’m going to keep on getting stronger and keep on delivering my message every single day.”
