You're Not Alone

This is the title track from Mavis Staples 2011 recording which was written and produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Mavis is one of the great voices of our time. In the early 60's, her family group,  The Staple Singers, which was led by her father, Pop Staples was at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement. The Staple Singers in fact were the first group to really cover the work of Bob Dylan and really made it work in a gospel/soul context. It seems that Bob Dylan actually asked Pop if he could marry Mavis in 1963.  In the 1980's, Prince produced 2 albums for her and he claimed that he was in such awe of her that he could barely speak in her presence.For your reference, I am posting the 1963 cover of Masters Of War by the Staple Singers. You can understand why Pop Roebucks Staples was one of the biggest influences in the development of R&B guitar, ask Curtis Mayfield!

Here she is still performing after almost 55 years on stage, better than ever. I am posting this song to somehow thank everyone who donated to the GCAM Touareg Mali Refugee project through this blog by using the Paypal button on the side bar. Every centime went to get all of the people we were trying to help get across the Sahara and safely out of Mali and into the UNHRC Refugee camp in Burkina Faso. Soon I will be able to post more specific information on the project, but for now, please remember, every good thing you do comes back to you. You're Not Alone!