Rock &Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Mavis Staples will play a pair of Big Island concerts.
The soulful diva will kick off the 2014-15 season at the University of Hawaii at Hilo Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, then at 7 p.m. Sunday she’ll rock the Kahilu Theatre in Waimea.
The legendary gospel and R&B singer, who was named one of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll by VH1 and one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine, will appear with her sister, Yvonne Staples.
For six decades, the Chicago native has been the voice of America’s conscience, with songs such as “Freedom Highway” and “Down in Mississippi” — and her relevance has never diminished. The music she created with the groundbreaking family gospel group The Staple Singers, including the hits “I’ll Take You There” and “Respect Yourself,” sound as fresh and inspirational now as they did four decades ago.
When The Band’s late, legendary singer-drummer Levon Helm told filmmaker Martin Scorsese their music in the movie “The Last Waltz” was good but too “lily white,” it was the Staple Singers who were called in to collaborate, and a iconic live version of “The Weight” was created and filmed before an audience of 250 on an MGM soundstage.
At the end, Mavis Staples whispered an unscripted “beautiful,” not realizing her microphone was still live, adding a poignant touch to a memorable performance.
At 75, Staples’ voice is as vital as ever. As an artist, she’s returned to her gospel roots, still racking up the Grammys and bringing joy to audiences worldwide.
Tickets for the Hilo show are $40 general admission, $35 discount and $20 for UH students with a valid ID and children 17 and younger, and are available at the UHHPAC box office, open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. today, and online at http://artscenter.uhh.hawaii.edu. Call 932-7490 for more information.
Waimea ticket prices range from $20-$66, and are available at the Kahilu box office, open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. today, and online at http://kahilutheatre.org. Call 885-6868 for more information.
