Watch Mavis Staples’ 80th Birthday Show In Los Angeles With Jason Isbell, Phoebe Bridgers, Brandi Carlile, & More
Jeff Kravitz
The legendary soul and gospel singer Mavis Staples turns 80 years old in July, and she’s celebrating in style. Tomorrow, she’s releasing We Get By, an album of songs written and produced by Ben Harper. And this month, she played a trio of Mavis & Friends: Celebrating 80 Years Of Mavis Staples shows across the country to benefit the Newport Festivals Foundation’s support of music education programs, culminating with a star-studded performance at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles last night.
At the Los Angeles finale, which followed shows in New York and Nashville, Staples was joined by a whole cavalcade of friends and collaborators: Jason Isbell, Phoebe Bridgers, Brandi Carlile, M. Ward, Talking Heads’ Jerry Harrison, Dawes’ Griffin and Taylor Goldsmith, Benjamin Booker, Ben Harper, Lucius, Trombone Shorty, Joe Henry, Son Little, the War & Treaty, and more. Check out some photos and clips from the evening below.
remember when bob dylan was like “mavis staples will you marry me” and mavis staples was like “no”
— millennial falcon (@phoebe_bridgers) May 23, 2019
