Mavis Staples Teams Up With Jeff Tweedy on Inspiring New Single

Mavis Staples has a particularly long and notable career. He family group, the Staple Singers, scored a major hit with “Uncloudy Day” while Staples, who sang lead on the song, was still a senior in high school.

In the ’60s, the Staple Singers were on the frontlines of the Civil Rights Movement and often marched with Martin Luther King Jr. Popular rock acts such as Credence Clearwater Revival, the Band, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan took notice and acknowledged the Staple Singers’ significance in some fashion or other. Staples would continue to have relevance with artists such as Prince, Jeff Tweedy and Ben Harper contributing to her solo albums. 

Not one to succumb to hardship, Staples has just released the hopeful new song “All In It Together.” Produced by Jeff Tweedy, it features Tweedy on backing vocals and guitar. The song is available on all streaming services and Bandcamp. All proceeds from it will be donated to My Block, My Hood, My City, a Chicago organization ensuring seniors have access to the essentials needed to fight COVID-19.

“The song speaks to what we’re going through now — everyone is in this together, whether you like it or not,” Staples explains in a statement. “It doesn’t matter how much money you have, what race or sex you are, where you live . . . it can still touch you. It’s hit so many people in our country and around the world in such a horrible way and I just hope this song can bring a little light to the darkness. We will get through this but we’re going to have to do it together. If this song is able to bring any happiness or relief to anyone out there in even the smallest way, I wanted to make sure that I helped to do that.”

Staples, who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., performed at John F. Kennedy’s inauguration, and sang in Barack Obama’s White House, continues to inspire.

Photo by Myriam Santos