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Mavis’ voice isn’t Sunday morning. It’s not easy like a spring breeze or a walk in the park at sunset. Mavis’ voice is hearty, robust, sometimes scratchy and always potent, and while our parents may know of the importance and musical necessity it is to have The Staple Singers in their iTunes playlist, Jessica Edwards HBO documentaryMavis! introduces the spunky and charming singer to the Snapchat generation, proving she had keys way before Khaled.

Mavis! tells the story of the humble beginnings of the Staple Singers family band led by Roebuck “Pops” Staples with Mavis as the lead. Pops guitar playing was a mixture of gospel and blues, which at the time was musically frowned upon. The family began singing in church and started making a name for themselves, which led to other gigs at churches across the south. After a brief meeting with a young Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, Pops returned to the group and said “If he can preach it, we can sing it,” which later spawned the band’s first freedom song, “Why Am I Treated So Bad?” and ushered the group into the Civil Right’s movement.

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source: Joy105.com

Photo of Staple Singers

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty

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