Mavis Staples will appear at the 22nd Annual Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival this August.
Staples’ voice has carried and inspired generations and, after more than 60 years of touring, this powerhouse of a performer doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
There are few living musicians who can lay claim to being the voice of America’s conscience. For six decades, Staples has been the solid rock of American music. Alongside the family group she is so identified with, the Staple Singers, Staples has managed to transform herself as she goes, yet never alters her truth.
From the Delta-inflected gospel sound she helped create in the 1950s, to the engaged protest of the civil rights era, and then on pop radio with a series of soul anthems, she has given voice to entire movements, eras and songs.
Recognition of her unique role in American music has been growing beyond her longtime fans, dipping into the wider world of pop as she performs alongside Justin Timberlake, or with Elton John in a show-stealing Grammy tribute.
Her 13th studio album won the Grammy Award for Best Americana Album in 2011, adding a remarkable new chapter to an already historic career.
Staples is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, a National Heritage Fellowship Award recipient and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner. Rolling Stone listed her as one of the 100 greatest singers of all time.
Catch Mavis Staples and other legendary performing artists at Roots & Blues, Aug. 15 to 17.
