Step Into the Spotlight: Mavis Staples is a Worthy Recipient of the ‘Rock Hall Honors’
On August 1, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced Mavis Staples as the inaugural recipient of the “Rock Hall Honors” (RHH) next month. The RHH is a revamping of the Annual Music Masters (AMM) series, an annual week-long event spotlighting the life and career of a Rock Hall inductee. Most of the festivities take place inside (or nearby) the Rock Hall’s Museum in Cleveland and usually includes an academic conference, exclusive interviews with the honoree(s), a special exhibit, and cumulates with a tribute concert. With the inaugural show taking place in 1996 honoring Woody Guthrie, each AMM show features tribute performances from musicians of all genres and styles across popular music. Rock heavyweights such as Bruce Springsteen, Robert Plant, Elvis Costello, Slash, and Graham Nash have paid tribute to their musical heroes at these AMM events over the years. Troy Smith, a writer for Cleveland.com and a Rock Hall expert, articulates the AMM series’ importance in the last two decades by stating, “It quickly became of the Rock Hall’s premier events, second only to the annual ceremony.” The AMM series was among the most revered and longest-running events at the museum.
Rock Hall Vice President of Education Jason Hanley notes the AMM series is “literally the first major program the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame put into place when it was built.” Given the Rock Hall’s Museum opened to the general public in 1995, Hanley’s observation rings true about the AMM’s importance throughout the institution’s history. The AMM series is as old as the Museum itself and therefore among the longest-running annual events offered by the Museum. Each year, usually the announcement of the next AMM honoree takes place sometime in the early summer months, but the Rock Hall remained mum throughout most of 2017. In August that year, Smith broke the news that the Rock Hall would postpone the next AMM series to a later date. He interviewed Rock Hall CEO and President Greg Harris for comments on the deferment of the AMM series at the Museum. “We’re examining everything. I wouldn’t say we’re cancelling Music Masters. That’s a strong word. We’re pressing pause after 20 years of and evaluating how to create that same impact—connecting yesterday and today—while doing it in a way that can reach the strongest audience possible.” Harris’ comments left more questions unanswered regarding the AMM series’ future.
Chuck Yarborough, a staff writer for The Plain Dealer, believes the AMM series has “been probably the best of its living offerings. Yes, you did see the word ‘best.’” He goes on to mention how he considers the AMM shows are not only a “central part of the Rock Hall’s offerings,” but “tops the induction ceremonies themselves.” When compared to heavy-handed editing of the HBO telecasts of the induction ceremonies, the AMM shows have “always been an entire night of Moments, with a capital M.” A strong endorsement from Yarbrough, a long-time music critic and a HOF voter who covered many Rock Hall events and inductions over the years. The live musical performances is the secret ingredient for the AMM shows and why they are so special. He argues, “The doxology of rock ‘n’ roll is, was, and ever shall be live music.”
Yarborough bleakly concludes, “Once something is taken away, it does not come back.” But his assumption was proved wrong when Troy Smith announced the AMM series’ return but renamed the “Rock Hall Honors” (RHH) that will take place late next month. He mentioned how the Rock Hall was looking to revamp the once-annual event with an inductee who is still alive, willing to attend and perform at the show. This is vital, especially there’s not as many living inductees either alive or able to perform at a high level. The field is significantly narrowed down. This is also important considering how the Rock Hall has faced a few “no-shows” at their induction ceremonies in recent years (e.g., Chicago, Deep Purple, Dire Straits). They want to deliver a show, but more importantly ensure the Honoree is an active participant who bells out a few tunes. The lineup of performers needs to be names that can draw attention to the event while also honoring the chosen inductee.
Last Friday, Troy Smith wrote an op-ed piece critiquing the Rock Hall’s decision to select Staples as their inaugural honoree for the revamped program series. He argues Staples is “not the kind of marquee name the Rock Hall seemed to promise when it was established Rock Hall Honors as its signature event.” To be fair, the Cleveland Playhouse is not that big of a venue to fill and the purpose of the RHH--at least from my perspective--is to honor the career and legacy of an influential Rock Hall inductee. It does not matter if she’s a “marquee name” or not, Mavis Staples is a powerhouse performer. No offense, but sometimes the Rock Hall focuses too much on the “Fame” aspect of some of the questionable inductees in their plea for populism (I’m looking right at you Bon Jovi and Kiss). By focusing on Mavis Staples, the Rock Hall can focus on the accomplishments of an artist who has crafted a catalog of remarkable material in a career that started before the advent of rock and roll.
He then goes on to argue “The Staple Singers would easily rate below every act that was honored in the Music Masters series based on the Rock Hall’s Induction criteria of influence and significance.” Personally, I disagree with Smith’s claim since I don’t really like to rank Hall inductees against each other (it’s almost like comparing apples to oranges). Each of the past AMM honorees brought a unique contribution to the evolution of rock and roll and Mavis Staples definitely brings the sounds and traditions of Gospel to the limelight.
Smith is not entirely wrong criticizing the RHH and he makes a few salient points. First, the Rock Hall revealed Staples as the inaugural RHH honoree on August 1 and there’s only a 6-week turnaround from the announcement to the tribute concert. That’s an incredibly short timeframe and makes uncertain whether the Rock Hall can enlist big names to perform at the event. Beyond the performers at the tribute concert, what about putting together other festivities such as securing presenters at the academic conference (usually through the Cleveland-based Case Western Reserve University) and putting together a special exhibit at the museum. These things usually take more time and effort than what is given this year. Second, the Rock Hall has been rather mum on the details of the proposed week-long festivities and what exactly is taking place. The lack of transparency is nothing new with the Rock Hall, but still, this is less than a month away and how does the Rock Hall expect tickets to be sold for this event? Third and perhaps most importantly, the problematic date of the RHH tribute concert falls on September 20--a mere few weeks before the announcement of the 2020 Rock Hall nominees in the Performers category. The RHH “will likely turn mute” by early October and the program will largely become an afterthought.
Smith is a talented writer and Rock Hall insider who’s work I follow closely, but I fundamentally disagree with his notion that Staples is a weak candidate for the RHH award. This blog argues Mavis Staples is not only a worthy recipient of the newly-established Rock Hall Honors, but she might be the most important living Rock Hall inductee who still actively tours and creates new music. I outline 10 reasons why Staples is an ideal choice for the Rock Hall to honor at this year’s event. If live music is emphasized at these events, as Yarbrough mentioned above, then Mavis Staples will surely bring down the house with her powerful voice and stage presence—even if she’s not a the “marquee name” Smith had hoped.
Ten Reasons Why Mavis Staples Deserves the 2019 ‘Rock Hall Honors’ Award
With a career spanning seven decades, Mavis Staples has one of the most prolific careers of any Rock & Roll Hall of Famer: Born in Chicago on July 10, 1939, Mavis Staples began performing professionally with the legendary Staple Singers starting in the late 1940s. Led by their father Roebuck “Pops,” the Staples sang strictly gospel tunes for almost two decades (from the late 1940s through the mid-1960s). When they signed to Epic Records in 1967 (and eventually Stax in 1968), the Family veered towards secular music and began charting on the pop charts. While not entirely abandoning their Gospel roots, The Staples managed to walk a fine line without alienating their fans. After The Staple Singers’ 1999 induction into the Rock Hall, “Pops” died the following year and Mavis wasn’t sure how to continue her career with father. But she eventually went back to the studio and recorded 7 new albums so far this century, 5 from this decade. Staples’ re-birth has caused a reevaluation of her career and legacy that is being discovered by a new generation of listeners.
The Staple Singers defied genre expectations and became crossover stars without losing their Gospel roots: In a Rock Hall lecture series from July 1999 (shortly after their Rock Hall induction), an interviewer mentions how the Staples performed in different styles throughout their career (e.g., Gospel, R&B, Country, Disco, Rock) and “was one of the first group--if not the first group--to cross over to the pop charts and still have your Church credibility.” Mavis Staples answered, “we have asked folks not to categorize us since we are singers with a positive message.” The Staples defied genre expectations for well over half-century and—against all odds—continued with tremendous success and critical acclaim. There’s a reason why The Staples Singers are often called “God’s greatest hitmakers.”
She’s collaborated with numerous musicians and producers and continues to create new music: One of the main tenets of a great artist is that person works with other great artists. Always in high demand from musicians from different genres and styles, Mavis Staples lend her vocals to some very famous peers including Rock Hall Rock Inductees Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Prince, Curtis Mayfield, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Cropper, Tom Waits and Dr. John. Since the turn of the century, Staples has enjoyed a career resurgence and collaborated with many contemporary artists ranging from Arcade Fire, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Hozier, and Gorillaz. For Staples’ 2016 album Livin’ on a High Note, famous modern-day artists such as Ben Harper, Aloe Blacc and Nick Cave wrote original songs specifically for Staples to perform on the album. That’s a testament to how far-reaching Staples’ influence is on contemporary musicians.
She still actively tours and there’s been several tribute shows in her honor already: In an interview with The Seattle Times, Staples believes: “I don’t feel like it’s time for me to sit in a rocking chair. I don’t feel like it’s time for me to retire. I feel so frisky … I still have my gift that the Lord gave me and I intend to keep using it.” If a record ain’t broken, don’t fix it. Judging by Staples’ performances in recent years, she still possesses a powerful voice and defiant stage persona. This past May, there was a concert honoring Mavis’ 80th birthday at the New York’s Apollo Theatre and included a slew of guest appearances from many well-known musicians including David Byrne, Norah Jones, Jason Isbell, Valerie June, and Warren Haynes. In hindsight, the Apollo Birthday celebration bash laid the foundation for the RHH tribute performances and any of these performers—or the nearly two-dozen musicians who played at the show—could easily show up in Cleveland next month.
A Civil Rights icon, she remains an outspoken political and social activist: In Mavis!, the Staples recalls her father “Pops” supporting the ideological philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and once quipped, “If he can preach it, we can sing it.” By taking Dr. King’s philosophy, The Staples radically altered their musical style going forward. They veered towards a more secular sound when they began performing “message” songs in the mid-1960s and incorporated a Folk-orientated sound with socially-conscious lyrics. Along with their contemporaries such as The Impressions and Sam Cooke, The Staples contributed to the soundtrack of the Civil Rights movement. “Why? (Am I Treated So Bad)” was one of MLK Jr.’s favorites and asked them to perform it whenever he was present.
Mavis Staples remains highly engaged in political and social activism and has been an outspoken critic of President Trump. There’s no shortage of articles and interviews where Staples voices her concerns and frustrations of the current political environment. All of the sales from the single “I Give You Power,” a collaboration with Arcade Fire shortly after Trump’s inauguration, went to support the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). More than half-century after The Staple Singers’ “message songs,” Mavis is still carrying the torch and speaking for the neglected and underrepresented in our society.
Her music has been widely sampled by hip-hop artists: Many hip-hop artists have sampled Staples’ music over the years. The likes of Ice Cube, Salt-N-Pepa, Big Daddy Kane have used her music for inspiration and, more importantly, further helped bring hip-hop gain acceptance into mainstream popular music. She has even worked with hip-hop artists in recent years, most notably a collaboration with Public Enemy’s Chuck D on the track “Give We the Pride” in 2014.
She has appeared in a number of film and television productions: Staples has appeared in a number of films and television shows through her legendary career. With the Staple Singers, she regularly appeared on American Bandstand, Soul Train, and late talk show appearances (e.g., Letterman, Colbert). Most notably, Staples and her Family performed with The Band for a glorious version of the latter’s “The Weight” for Martin Scorsese’s The Last Waltz (1978). Shot on a soundstage, as opposed to a live audience at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, and delivered a grandiose performance that’s one of the highlights of the legendary rock doc. Her Family also appeared in the criminally-underappreciated Wattstax (1973), where the Staples performed two songs. She also sang the title song for National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), which quickly became a heavily-played Christmas song.
She has won numerous awards and honors: Mavis Staples has won numerous awards throughout her legendary career including 3 Grammy wins (one of which a 2005 Lifetime Achievement Award), received a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts (2006), and became a Kennedy Center Honoree (2016). She is an inductee of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1999), Blues Hall of Fame (2017) and Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2018).
By choosing Staples as a Rock Hall Honoree, this gives the Rock Hall an opportunity to put Soul Music back into the spotlight: Let’s face it, R&B has not fared well at the Rock Hall’s induction ceremonies this past decade. Janet Jackson’s recent induction ended a 4-year drought of the Rock Hall not spotlighting the accomplishments of a R&B artist (Bill Withers back in 2015). 1970s R&B, in particular, is vastly underrepresented in the Rock Hall when the likes of Kool & The Gang, Barry White, Rufus with Chaka Khan, War, Commodores, Patti LaBelle, and The Spinners are on the outside looking in. By choosing Staples as their honoree, the Rock Hall allows a representative of that era’s music to grab the spotlight once again. Who knows, maybe the nominators on the Rock Hall’s Nom Com will take notice and put more artists of this era back on the ballot.
And finally, that voice! - Mavis Staples is one of the greatest singers in the history of popular music. She possesses the rare ability to have a raspy powerful voice rich with emotion and gusto. More importantly, her vocals present a sense of urgency that cannot be ignored. When Rolling Stone complied the list of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time,” they ranked Staples at #56 and proclaimed she “had become the signature voice of the civil rights movement.” She sings songs of freedom and expresses Bob Dylan, a former flame who embarked on a tour with her a few years ago, described hearing Staples sing for the first time: "That just made my hair stand up, listening to that. I mean, that just seemed like, 'That's the way the world is.'" Staples’ voice takes you to the frontlines of a Sunday service, even if you never stepped foot inside one.
In the opening moments of Mavis!, the singer proclaims “I’ll stop singing when I have nothing left to say and that ain’t gonna happen.” She cannot stop singing because she wants to share her gift with others and inspire fundamental social and political change. In an era of political polarization and social unrest, Mavis Staples remains as relevant and urgent as she did half-century ago. She is the epitome of perseverance in rock music, someone who defied all the odds to create powerful and transformative music in the face of opposition. All the while keeping her faith and ideals perfectly in sync, just like her exceptional and legendary vocals.
