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Sep 11, 2017 Mavis Staples By Christopher Roberts

Soul legend and civil rights activist Mavis Staples has announced a new album, If All I Was Was Black, and shared its title track. If All I Was Was Black was produced by Wilco‘s Jeff Tweedy, who also guests on one song, and it’s due out November 17 via ANTI-. A press release says the album “speaks to our divided times.” Listen to “If All I Was Was Black” below, followed by the album’s tracklist and her upcoming tour dates with Bob Dylan. Above is the album cover.

Staples had this to say in a press release about the message of the album: “We’re not loving one another the way we should. Some people are saying they want to make the world great again, but we never lost our greatness. We just strayed into division.”

Tweedy had this to say: “I’ve always thought of art as a political statement in and of itself-that it was enough to be on the side of creation and not destruction. But there is something that feels complicit at this moment in time about not facing what is happening in this country head on.”

Back in January Arcade Fire released a brand new song, “I Give You Power,” that featured the guest vocals of Staples. Its release the day before President Donald Trump’s inauguration was probably no accident, especially as all proceeds from the song are being donated to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Staples also recently guested on a new Gorillaz song, “Let Me Out.”

If All I Was Was Black Tracklist:

1. Little Bit
2. If All I Was Was Black
3. Who Told You That
4. Ain’t No Doubt About It (feat. Jeff Tweedy)
5. Peaceful Dream
6. No Time For Crying
7. Build A Bridge
8. We Go High
9. Try Harder
10. All Over Again

Marvis Staples Tour Dates w/ Bob Dylan:

10/17 Eccles Theater. Salt Lake City, UT
10/18 Eccles Theater. Salt Lake City, UT
10/21 1st Bank Center. Denver, CO
10/23 Century Link Center. Omaha, NE
10/24 Stephens Auditorium. Ames, IA
10/25 Xcel Energy Center. St Paul, MN
10/27 Wintrust Arena. Chicago, IL
10/28 Van Andel Arena. Grand Rapids, MI
10/29 IU Auditorium. Bloomington, IN
11/1 Fox Theater. Detroit, MI
11/3 EJ Thomas Hall. Akron, OH
11/5 Palace Theater. Columbus, OH
11/6 Peterson Events Center. Pittsburgh, PA
11/8 Nassau Coliseum. Uniondale, NY
11/10 Coliseum. Richmond, VA
11/11 Tower Theatre. Philadelphia, PA
11/12 Tower Theatre. Philadelphia, PA
11/14 The Anthem. Washington, DC
11/16 Agannis Arena. Boston, MA

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