Mavis Staples News

New England Conservatory announces gospel and soul singer Mavis Staples as its 150th annual commencement speaker at its commencement exercises on Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. ET. 

The EP features five cover songs, one per decade from the 1950s-1990s. Mara already shared the EP's 1950s cut, a Twin Peaks-inspired cover of 'Ain't That a Shame,' back in February on Fats Domino's birthday (which Flood Magazine called “brilliant” and praised for its dark twist on the original).

FLOOD calls the track, 'an opus of both catchy electropop and swelling orchestral compositions, all cowering behind the bold, slightly country-twanged voice of the young vocalist.'

Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominated recording artist and activist Jon Batiste today released his highly anticipated album WE ARE (Verve Records). WE ARE represents a completely new sonic chapter for Jon Batiste.

Alongside songwriter Autumn Rowe and producer Kizzo, Batiste wrote and planned much of the project in about a week from his dressing room at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he’s the musical director and bandleader. 

The awards honored six musicals from Broadway, Off-Broadway, and the West End with nominations for Best Musical Theatre Album - 'Jagged Little Pill,' 'American Utopia,' 'Little Shop of Horrors,' 'The Prince of Egypt,' 'Soft Power,' and Amélie.'

Additional upcoming female performances include interdisciplinary performing artist Arielle Rosales, electro pop artist La Force, soul queen of New Orleans Irma Thomas, and reggae label VP Records founder Miss Pat.

Following the success of last year’s Bobbie’s Summer and Fall Series, Berkshire Theatre Group has announced the Colonial Concert Series, introducing 2 shows each Saturday from May 1 through June 12.

Mavis Staples has shared a new remix of “One More Change” from her acclaimed 2019 album We Get By today. “If we reached for the future as desperately as we cling to the past, change would be at hand,“ said Ben Harper, who wrote and produced the original song.

The acquisition is for worldwide rights, with the film set for theatrical release as well as exclusively streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and internationally on Star and Star+.

The GRAMMY Museum® announced today a new Live From The Vault series in partnership with Iron Mountain Entertainment Services (IMES), a division of Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE: IRM), the storage and information management services company.

Toadies have two new non-musical releases planned for early 2021. The band partnered with local coffee roaster Full City Rooster in 2019 for the release of Toadies Texas Pecan Coffee. That partnership has lead to a new brew, Dark Secret. 

Today Son Little has shared his latest single “Phantom Killer”; listen and watch the song’s dusky new lyric video below. Auto-tuned vocals, acoustic guitar & lofi-percussion on the track show Son Little’s progress in a new musical direction.

Organizers for the annual Tucson Jazz Festival have announced they are cancelling the 2021 event planned for March 20-21, 2021. Concerns for public health due to the rising spread of COVID-19 prompted the Board and leadership to cancel the popular festival, with plans to resume in 2022.

Crown, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, announced today that it has acquired a memoir from Brandi Carlile

A Change Is Gonna Come is being issued as a limited edition 2-record set pressed at RTI on premium 180-gram vinyl and housed in a genuine old style tip-on gatefold jacket. Limited to 1,000 hand-numbered copies, each pre-order comes with an immediate free digital download of the recording. Vinyl will ship in early 2021.

Holy Calamavote premieres on Saturday, October 17th at Midnight ET/PT on Adult Swim. Run The Jewels "Pulling The Pin" preview.

Juno nominated Samanta Martin & Delta Sugar released the gospel infused soul ballad, “I’ve Got a Feeling” last Friday, Oct 9.

Due to a crew member's health scare that temporarily halted production, the broadcast for Run The Jewels' televised concert special Holy Calamavote has been pushed one week to Saturday, October 17th at Midnight ET/PT on Adult Swim.

Juno nominated Samanta Martin & Delta Sugar announce their upcoming album, The Reckless One due November 20 via Gypsy Soul Records.