Seattle Photographer Daniel Sheehan
Jazz Photography | Mavis Staples
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and soul/gospel legend, Mavis Staples performed at Town Hall Sunday as the Earshot Jazz Festival moves into the third week. Mavis Staples at 71 years old, shows no signs of slowing and first came to prominence as a member of the Staple Singers. The group led by her father, Pops Staples, first hit the charts in 1956 with the gospel track “Uncloudy Day.” Nearly two decades later in the 1970s, the Staple Singers came to even greater prominence after hitting the charts with soulful pop songs like “Respect Yourself,” “I’ll Take You There,” and “Let’s Do It Again”.
She stands within a category of musician that has become increasingly scarce, the type whose musical magnificence and beauty resonates across generations and time. She does not so much sing to her audiences as she sings for them. Such is the responsibility of an artist who belongs to the people.
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Click here for the complete schedule for the rest of the upcoming shows at the 2010 Earshot Jazz Festival