Mavis Staples 'Have a Little Faith' Deluxe Reissue Set For Record Store Day, April 20

 

MAVIS STAPLES' HAVE A LITTLE FAITH TO RECEIVE DELUXE 20TH ANNIVERSARY RECORD STORE DAY REISSUE "Have A Little Faith was the beginning of my solo career. That’s why I’m here today...Every song on Have A Little Faith comes straight from my heart." –Mavis Staples Originally Released In 2004 On CD Only -- Have A Little Faith  Ignited Mavis' Solo Career    Now Available For The First Time As A Remastered 2-LP Set Pressed On Silver Vinyl In Deluxe Gatefold Jacket With Expanded Artwork Featuring A Newly Written Remembrance By Mavis Staples

"One of the finest albums of Mavis' career...blues-tinged gospel about making the most of troubled times, a message Staples has been delivering her entire life." –The Chicago Tribune "A glorious album...filled with the kind of gutsy, emotional performances that have defined Mavis Staples' stellar career." –Billboard

On April 20, 2024, Record Store Day, Alligator Records will release the deluxe 20th Anniversary 2-LP vinyl reissue of soul and gospel legend Mavis Staples' landmark 2004 release, Have A Little Faith. The album, when first released, sparked Mavis' solo career and launched her into the musical mainstream. Have A Little Faith is an exhilarating collection of timeless, uplifting songs deeply seated in Mavis’ faith and spirituality. It has now been remastered and will come in a deluxe gatefold jacket with expanded artwork. The set also features a spirited remembrance of how the record came to be by Mavis herself. The two 12-inch records, pressed on silver vinyl, will spin at 45 rpm, and will deliver the best possible sound. Mavis Staples enjoying herself (and thrilling crowd) at Doheny Blues Festival in May 2011. Photo credit: Robert Kinsler Mavis possesses one of the most recognizable and treasured voices in contemporary music. From her early days sharing lead vocals with her groundbreaking family gospel group, The Staple Singers, to her storied solo recordings, Mavis Staples is an inspirational force in modern popular culture and music. So it was surprising, upon the passing of Mavis' father -- family patriarch and Staple Singers leader Pops Staples -- in 2000, that Mavis' future was uncertain. She self-financed and recorded her own solo album, and after being turned down by major labels unable to see the commercial appeal of this legend’s fresh, genre-busting approach to spiritual music, it was embraced by Alligator Records. The label's unbridled enthusiasm in working the album to press, radio and the public helped Mavis fulfill her dream and ignite her solo career. Upon release, Have A Little Faith brought Mavis' powerful music and message songs into the 21st century. From the positive and uplifting title track to the spiritual fervor of God Is Not Sleeping to the reinterpretations of Staple Singers classics Will The Circle Be Unbroken and A Dying Man's Plea (with Mavis singing lead on these two songs for the first time), the album re-introduced the world to Mavis Staples. "I was a Staple Singer," Mavis remembers in the album's new liner notes. "I wasn’t no Mavis Staples, the solo artist. But, all of a sudden, I was so busy with interviews and television shows and radio stations and concerts. That was a shock to me, because I started asking myself, 'Now how long can this last?' Because they were playing that record everywhere, and the record sounded pretty good!" Ever since the release of Have A Little Faith, Mavis has been embraced by new generations of fans through her collaborations with the likes of Jeff Tweedy, Run The Jewels, Neko Case, Ry Cooder, Justin Vernon and many others. On April 18 in Los Angeles, an all-star 85th Birthday Party concert celebration will take place at the YouTube Theatre, featuring some of today's biggest musical stars, including Chris Stapleton, Hozier, Jackson Browne, Norah Jones, Jeff Tweedy, Black Pumas, Grace Potter, Michael McDonald, Keb’ Mo’, Nathaniel Rateliff, Robert Randolph, Taj Mahal and others. This is a testament to the far-reaching, ongoing influence of Mavis Staples, and the lasting impact and beauty of Have A Little Faith.

Michael Ubaldini's "Outlaws of Folk Music" Radio Show a must listen

Michael Ubaldini hosts "Outlaws of Folk Music" 
kxfmradio.org. Listen to the show HERE.

Celebrated "Rock N' Roll Poet" Michael Ubaldini is a well-known proponent of roots rock and Americana so it's no surprise the award-winning artist is bringing his passion and depth of knowledge about acoustic blues, country, folk, Jug bands, gospel and even contemporary indie music to radio.

His outstanding "Outlaws of Folk Music" radio show can be heard live on kxfmradio.org live from 10-11 p.m. on Mondays, and available for demand as well HERE.

Ubaldini takes listeners through an immersive journey that includes the "true stories behind the songs and artists" he plays.

In any given episode listeners will hear rare recordings spanning from the early 20th century to the modern day. The radio show also features rare interviews with some music making legends.

Ubaldini is also the founder of the acclaimed Southern California "Outlaws of Folk Music Series" live showcase that has been a staple in the region for more than a decade.

Learn more about Ubaldini including his radio show, albums and upcoming live appearances via his official website HERE. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Outlawsoffolkmusicseries

Instagram links:

https://www.instagram.com/michaelubaldini/?hl=en   

https://www.instagram.com/outlawsoffolkmusic/?hl=en  

New music: The Staple Singers, Larkin Poe, Dion

The brilliant artistry of The Staple Singers is featured on a series of essential reissues, while new releases from Southern duo Larkin Poe and New York City-spawned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend Dion are among the great titles of the first half of 2020.

Artist: The Staple Singers
Titles: Let's Do It Again: Soundtrack; Pass It On; Family Tree; Unlock Your Mind (Omnivore Recordings)
You might like if you enjoy: Mavis Staples, Betty LaVette, soul music
Tell me more: Omnivore Recordings' four new Staple Singers reissues are an important and outstanding way for music fans to discover the joyful sounds of the acclaimed ensemble. Having earned accolades as Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipients as well as inductees in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Gospel Hall of Fame, the Chicago-spawned family group's legacy is showcased powerfully via Let's Do It Again (1975), Pass It On (1976), Family Tree (1977) and Unlock Your Mind (1978). During the 1970s, the Staple Singers had 13 singles on the U.S. Pop chart and 20 on the U.S. R&B chart. Many of those singles are included here, as well as other outstanding cuts that captured the magic of Roebuck "Pops," Mavis, Cleotha and Yvonne Staples blending funk, gospel and R&B. "Let's Do It Again" was the soundtrack for the Sidney Poitier-directed film, with the music produced by Curtis Mayfield. The range of material includes the spirited title track featuring Mavis' signature vocals, grooving "Funky Love" and lovely "A Whole Lot of Love." 

Mayfield also produced Pass It On, a set highlighted by jazz-meets-funk vibe of "The Real Thing Inside of Me/Party," immersive "Love Me, Love Me, Love Me" and funky "Pass It On."  Family Tree found the quartet including other styles in their sound; the exhilarating "What You Doing Tonight," "Hang Loose" and "Let's Go to the Disco" found a way to convincingly mix their soulful voices with disco stylings; Mavis Staples is heard in one of her all-time great vocal performances on a poignant cover of "I Honestly Love You." Rounding out the handful of new reissues is Unlock Your Mind, a fantastic set of inspired tracks ranging from soul-funk romp "Chica Boom" and scorching "Don't Burn Me" to a magical dance-minded cover of the ELO hit "Showdown, a rockabilly-styled take on the 1953 classic "Mystery Train" and the dazzling gospel explosion "God Can."  Each of the reissues is bolstered by bonus tracks and has been lovingly remastered by Grammy winners Cheryl Pawelski and Michael Graves, with a wealth of historic photos and ephemera in colorful multi-page booklets. The four new Staples editions feature liner notes from Grammy Award winning writer (and Stax musicologist) Rob Bowman. Information: OmnivoreRecordings.com.

Artist: Larkin Poe
Title: Self Made Man (Tricki-Woo Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Larkin Poe, Samantha Fish, The Record Company
Tell me more: Larkin Poe – sisters Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell – reach new heights on their stellar new LP Self Made Man. The hard-hitting material on their fifth studio album is ideally suited for the Nashville-based duo's freewheeling approach with heavy Southern blues rockers "She's A Self Made Man" and "Holy Ghost Fire," the vocals-heavy "Keep Diggin'," inspired "Back Down South" and Delta blues dive "Danger Angel" fully celebrating the sisters' Southern roots with a decidedly contemporary sonic edge. Megan's soulful soprano shines across the disc, as evidenced by her amazing vocals on "God Moves On The Water," the soulful ballad "Every Bird That Flies" and lush "Tears Of Blue To Gold." Everywhere, Megan Lovell's artful and dazzling work lap steel guitar work and backing vocals lend welcome power and depth to the material. One of this summer's most exciting and welcome new releases. Information: LarkinPoe.com.

Artist: Dion
Title: Blues With Friends (KTBA Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Dion, Joe Bonamassa, Bruce Springsteen
Tell me more: Listening to the great songs that fill Dion's Blues With Friends it's no wonder that the album has been greeted by universal acclaim. A who's who of classic rock favorites and blues heroes join Dion, now 80, on this top-tier return. Among the many highlights on the collection are the super-charged opener "Blues Comin' On" (with guitar master Joe Bonamassa), the playful "Bam Bang Boom" (featuring ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons on lead guitar), the gospel-minded LP closer "Hymn To Him" (with guests Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa). On the Chicago blues gem "I Got Nothin'," Van Morrison and Joe Louis Walker add their firepower to the evocative tale; Jeff Beck's stately fret work enhances the gorgeous Memphis blues ballad "Can't Start Over Again." Stray Cat Brian Setzer adds his fiery guitar work on the rockabilly-flavored "Uptown Number 7." My favorite track is "Song For Sam Cooke (Here In America)," an autobiographical song detailing Dion's experiences touring with the late soul music legend in the early 1960s (Paul Simon lends his vocal harmonies). Elsewhere, Dion is joined by the likes of slide great Sonny Landreth, blues guitarist Samantha Fish and Steven Van Zandt. And just for the record, Dion sounds fantastic across the album. Information: DionDiMucci.com.



Robert Kinsler