Mavis Staples "Far Celestial Shore"

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this.

As I write this, it's Saturday morning and I'm sitting in the waiting room while my car gets an oil change.

And I am crying.

I was gathering some videos for the mvy Bloggers Page.  Our Album Of The Week is the new Mavis Staples record, and I figured I'd post her cover of the Nick Lowe tune "Far Celestial Shore," when I came across this video.

Yeah, it's basically an advertisement put together by her label.  It's marketing and it's manipulative.

But I can't deny that it just filled me with emotion.  Not sad.  Just . . . emotion.

I dunno, maybe it won't have that effect on you.

But when I see hear, when I hear her, I just can't help but be overwhelmed by how lucky I feel to have these recent records, both the ones she's done with Jeff Tweedy, which has been a lovely, lovely surprise, and also the excellent records she put out in the 2000s ("Have A Little Faith," "We'll Never Turn Back").

I feel lucky to have seen her live.  To see her sing "The Weight" right in front of me.  To watch her pound her chest as she sang the line "Put the load right on me" and totally believe she could psychologically, spiritually and hell, even physically carry us.

I feel lucky that music still moves me this deeply, and that Mavis is out there making it.


See the Marketing video on Youtube.


Hear "Far Celestial Shore" on Youtube.

Levon Helm "Rag Mama Rag"

I was on vacation last week when Levon Helm passed away, so I didn't get to write about him here, in a timely fashion.

But I guess I'm glad about that, as I had several days to process, and think about what I wanted to say.

I'm sure just about every news outlet played either "The Weight" or "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" as they spread the news.

And I took a peek at mvy's Facebook page to see that someone had posted those amazing lyrics from "When I Go Away."

Don't want no sorrow
For this old orphan boy
I don't want no crying
Only tears of joy
I'm gonna see my mother
Gonna see my father
And I'll be bound for glory
In the morning
When I go away

And yeah, if I had been "on-duty" with the blog last week, I probably would have posted that song myself.  While the song says basically, "Don't cry, I'm off to Heaven," it's pretty heavy still.

I never met Levon, but I did have a one degree of separation moment.

Back in 2008, we traveled to Merlefest, for four days of recording the best in Bluegrass and Americana Roots music, and Levon was on the bill.

There was a crew of 6 of us.  Gary did most of the heavy tech.  Nick ran the board.  I was producing segments.  Lindsay Reid took pictures.  One of Gary's buddies came down from Louisville to gopher for us.

And Jane did, what Jane does.

Jane is one of the weekend DJs at mvy.  And two of her best attributes are a) she's game, and b) she's not shy.

So whenever we head to a festival, Jane is in charge of autographs.

We bring copies of the CDs of the artists on the bill.  Or posters.  Or occasionally a guitar.  And Jane is dispatched to stalk the backstage area (or, more frequently these days, wait in the autograph line at the Merch tent) with a Sharpie in hand, to get the John Hancock.

Levon had already gone through his first big bout with cancer, and was out with his triumphant return to touring, behind the acclaimed "The Mountain" record.

I talked to Jane a bit, as we were enjoying Levon's rocking set and otherwise winding down for the night. 

She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to get close to Levon, because he was the last act of the night, and likely wouldn't be hanging around the grounds.  But she said she'd give it her best effort.

I'll never forget what she said when she came back to the mvyradio Tent.

"That guy is happy.  He's just happy."

Happy to be alive?  I asked.

"He just seems happy.  To be alive.  To be here."

It was evident in his playing and in his stage presence and in the way that people who knew him have reacted to his death:  He took great joy in playing music and in sharing music.

So yeah, last week I probably would have posted something more about Death, like "When I Go Away" or "The Mountain."

But after a few days to process it, I'll take Levon's advice to feel no sorrow, and instead be left with the joy that remains in the many, many great songs he was a part of, like this playful tune about a coy lover.

Thanks again, Levon Helm.



Hear the "Rock Of Ages" version on Youtube.


Hear "When I Go Away" on Youtube.


Hear a performance from Merlefest on Youtube.

Mavis Staples "You Are Not Alone"

I got to indulge myself a bit, during my vacation a few weeks back.

One of the biggest adjustments in my shift from long-time single guy, to father (of two) and husband (of one), has been the recalibration of my entertainment options.

When you blast the stereo at home these days, it really needs to be a consensus artist.

And, between the 4 of us, there are many. We all enjoy listening to The Beatles and the Glee Soundtracks and Michael Franti and Dan Zanes and many others.

Unfortunately, there are many, many artists and albums that I like that aren’t consensus. So many of my punk rock albums and hip hop records and LOUD ROCKING discs don’t get much play on the home stereo.

But for the first few days of vacation, I didn’t have to worry too much about consensus.

My wife had left for Chicago, for the wedding of a friend. And we sent my 3 year old daughter to Gramma’s house, for a few days in that wonderland.

That left me home alone with the boy. And let’s face it, at 6 months old, he wasn’t really going to argue with any of my entertainment choices.

Sunday morning, I put him in his Elmo car---a roll-y walker vehicle---and as I cleaned up the house a bit, I put on “The Last Waltz” DVD and cranked up the sound.

I was in and out of the room, singing along throughout, but when it came to the scene with The Staples Singers, I just stopped, unable to tear myself away.

How many times have I heard “The Weight” in my lifetime? Hundreds?

How surprised was I, to find myself getting goosebumps, as soon as Mavis Staples started her verse?

After all these years, she still has amazing powers.

Vacation week turned out to be a mini-Mavis fest.

Because I didn’t have to get up early, I was able to stay up and watch the late night talk shows. So I caught Mavis and Jeff Tweedy doing “Wrote A Song For Everyone” on David Letterman. And the very next night she was on The Colbert Report, once again moving me, this time with a Tweedy-penned track called “You Are Not Alone."

Good things come in 3s. And it was enough critical mass to make me run to the stacks when I got back to work, and make sure I had a copy of Mavis’ new record, also called “You Are Not Alone.”

Today on mvyradio, we’re giving away copies of her disc, as The Monday Free CD. Tune in to win.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Mavis Staples & Jeff Tweedy - You Are Not Alone
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election March to Keep Fear Alive

Check out the interview with Colbert that preceded the performance. I love her answer to Colbert's question, "Do you sing The Devil's Music?"

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Mavis Staples & Jeff Tweedy
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election March to Keep Fear Alive

The Band “The Weight”

Here’s how to tell if you are a really good singer. Like, better than just an In-The-Shower or Car-Windows-Rolled-Up enthusiastic yelper.

Find a song that has two- or three-part harmony. Indigo Girls or Crosby Stills and Nash songs are good ones to practice on, because each singer’s voice is relatively easy to discern.

Pick one of the lines, melody or harmony, and sing the song the whole way through, sticking to that one part.

Then sing it again, choosing a different melody/harmony line and see if you can stick with that, all the way through, without defaulting to the first line, or jumping between lines.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then, I’m sorry to say, you’re not a really good singer. Sure, I bet you can even hold a tune, but you don’t have “ears.”

And even if you can hear what I’m talking about, for most of us, actually doing it is incredibly difficult.

I remember being at a party, a going away party for me, back in my early 20s. I was with my friends Teddy and Jason, both of whom would qualify as good singers (by this post’s definition). And I was one of those people who thought he was a good singer.

Until we sang “The Weight.”

It was late. We’d been drinking. Teddy had his guitar out, and was running through some fun, sing-a-long songs. Cat Stevens. Jimmy Buffett. “Sexy Sadie.”

And when he busted out “The Weight” it seemed perfect for the after midnight, slightly sloppy vibe.

You’re familiar with the denouement of the chorus . . . it’s that part that goes “And! . . . And! . . . And! You put the load right on me.” Each “And” is sung by a different voice, in a progressively higher note. Notes 1, 2 and 3.

We’d get to the chorus, and Teddy, who was leading, would sing the 1. I was supposed to sing the 2 and Jason was supposed to sing the 3.

And every time we’d try it, Teddy would sing the 1, and I would go straight to the 3, leaving Jason to backtrack, go down a note and sing the 2.

Afterwards, Jason said, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard it sung that way before.”

Truth is, I just couldn’t find the note. Not that I was out of tune. I hit the 3 just fine. But I could only follow the prevailing melody line, not my assigned harmony.

It’s hard. Can you sing “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” but only the John part? Or “Falling Slowly,” sticking only to the Marketa Irglova line? Or “Uncle John’s Band” doing only Bob Weir? I’d like to say I can, but I can’t.

I’m not telling you that you shouldn’t sing if you want to sing. I think any expression of musical joy, is beautiful.

But if you are wondering if you are a good singer, well, see if you can carry The Weight.