THE LEGENDARY MAVIS STAPLES !!

Because of some problems with the Amtrak train service, I didn't arrive in New Haven, CT until 8:20pm.  

At that time, the legendary Mavis Staples was already  performing on the New Haven Green (located at Elm Street & Chapel Street in downtown New Haven)....she was performing the famous, soulful blues song, "Eyes on the Prize"....the guitar work by Rick Holmstrom was very good, as well as the backing vocals of Rick, Donny Gerrard, bassist Jeff Turmes, and Mavis's sister Yvonne.  The next song was "On My Way to Heaven", which was a more subsided song with a standout, soulful bass line (courtesy of Jeff Turmes).  The spiritual "Wade in the Water" featured an electrifying guitar solo by Rick and some tight drumming by Steve Hodges!  The funky "Take a Load Off Fanny" was followed by another spiritual called "This Little Light of Mine"...a funky blues number.  

MAVIS STAPLES & JEFF TURMES !!

Before the next song, Mavis told about the origin of that song....it was back in 1961.  The Staples Singers were staying in Montgomery, Alabama getting ready to perform a show that night.  There was a church there where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preached...they decided to attend the 11:00am service.  After the service, Rev. Dr. King, after shaking hands with every congregation member, took a few minutes to talk with Pops Staples.  Dr. King revealed that he loved the message songs that Pops was writing.  This particular song was written based on the famous story about the 9 black teenagers in Little Rock, Arkansas that were abused while attending a white school (Central High School).  That song was "Why Am I Treated So Bad?", a laid-back funk groove with some nice guitar riffing!  

YVONNE STAPLES & DONNY GERRARD !!

After an amazing rock guitar solo and another electrifying jam, featuring both Rick and Jeff on lead guitarist and a powerful drum solo, it was time for the fans to walk on "Freedom Highway", featuring co-lead vocals of Donny Gerrard.  Afterwards, the fans were treated to the funky "Respect Yourself" and the most-popular Staples cut, "I'll Take You There", where all the fans repeatedly sang "I'll Take You There" after every one of Mavis's lines!!!  A little after 9:30pm, Mavis and the band performed an encore song....a spiritual called "We Shall Not Be Moved", a subsided folk-blues song dedicated to our (the black people's) struggle in the Civil Rights Movement.

The Mavis set was over at 9:40pm.

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